Tokyo, 26th April - A major event took place in Tokyo with the opening of an important exhibition at the Museum of Contemporary Art in the Japanese capital, dedicated to Ferrari and Maserati. It is not the first time that major art museums have featured the best loved and most famous car marque in the world to show off Ferrari's artistic and cultural values. It happened at the well known Moma in NY and the authoritative Neue Nationalgallerie in Berlin. However, this is the first time that Maserati has been associated with Ferrari in recognition of the Italian and Modenese ability to create dream sports cars without parallel.

The thousands of Japanese visitors to MOT (the Japanese abbreviation for the Museum of Contemporary Art) will be treated to a bonus in addition to viewing some of the most significant cars representing the history of the two marques. Along with the Ferrari 166 MM, the 250 TR, GT and GTO to the Formula 1 world championship winning machines, including Schumacher's 2001 machine, to the most beautiful Maseratis, headed up by the 250 F used by Fangio to take the world title in ‘57 and the now legendary Eldorado used by Stirling Moss and the much admired Granturismo cars designed by Frua, Vignale, Touring, Pininfarina and Giugiaro, visitors have two surprises on offer.

For the first time in the history of the automobile, two future models are revealed, in the form of Pininfarina models at a museum of modern art rather than a motor show. The two vehicles concerned share a common future for the two brands: the new limited edition road going granturismo from Ferrari, which follows in the footsteps of the F40 and F50, which at the moment is known as the F140 or FX and, a real major surprise in the shape of the next Maserati Quattroporte which has been praised for its inspired combination of Italian sporty lines and prestige saloon car looks. Attending the ceremony were Ambassador to Japan, Menegatti, and to the European Community, Vattani, the Undersecretary for Culture Vittorio Sgarbi, External Affairs Commission President Gustavo Selva and the Undersecretary for the Ministry of Internal Affairs Antonio D'Ali. Representing the company were the Vice President of the Ferrari and Maserati Group, and son of the founder, Piero Ferrari, along with museum curator Junichi Shioda.

The exhibition, the work of Architect Sturchio will be open until 14th July and will feature amongst other things, as one of the Tokyo events marking the holding of the soccer World Cup and as part of the major Italian programme which has been running in Japan since last year. Cooperating with Ferrari and Maserati on this event, is J-Phone, which represents the Vodafone brand in Japan.

Story and photos: Copyright Ferrari Press - not to be reproduced without permission