Collezione Maserati Umberto Panini

Crackling Maserati engines, on a quiet family farm

This private collection sits in Cittadella, a small town near Modena. Umberto Panini made his fortune in cheese and stickers, then spent decades assembling what might be the finest Maserati collection anywhere.

The showroom holds over 20 pristine examples spanning 1926 to the present. Early racing cars show Maserati’s trident badge when it still meant something on the track. The 250F driven by Juan Manuel Fangio sits alongside elegant road cars from the 1950s and 60s. That’s when Maserati built grand tourers for people who actually toured.

You’ll see the Birdcage, named for its impossibly complex tubular frame. The Ghibli and Mistral show how Italian designers made flowing curves look effortless. Later models track the brand through ownership changes and varying fortunes, some more successful than others.

Panini didn’t stop at Maseratis. The collection includes Bugattis, Alfa Romeos, and motorcycles. Everything is maintained in pristine working order. These aren’t museum pieces gathering dust, they’re machines kept ready to run, even if most never leave the building.

Visits are by appointment only. This is a private collection, not a public attraction. Book through the official website weeks in advance. Tours are small, guided, and detailed. Photography rules are strict, but the gift shop sells some good books full of images chronicling Italian automotive history