Tipo 8CTF - 1938-1939

The 8 Cilindri Testa Fissa (8-cylinder fixed head) engine was designed by Ernesto Maserati early in 1938. Saved from his financial woes by Orsi, Maserati chose a three-litre supercharged engine - a type he had significant experience with. Featuring independent fuel feed to the two groups of four cylinders, the engine had twin Roots superchargers, and by 1939 was punching out a very impressive 365 bhp. The 8CTF debuted at the 1938 Tripoli Grand Prix and performed well, even though the final result was not entirely impressive.

As the clouds of the Second World War gathered, the number of races being held fell drastically, leaving far fewer opportunities to develop the design. However, the car still made it into the history books when Wilbur Shaw won the Indianapolis 500 in it in both 1939 and 1940.