Holy cow!

By Pablo Chaterji

Of all the places for a car museum to exist, a dairy farm is probably the last one that you would think of – although the museum in the pilgrimage town of Dharmasthala, close to Mangalore, might come a close second. Still, when you drive into a near-400 hectare piece of farmland, passing by rows of cattle sheds and barns with farm equipment strewn all over, the last thing you expect to see when you pull into the parking lot is a museum dedicated to all things Maserati. Yet there it is, in a lovely old building with steel arches and wrought-iron balconies inside it, and some eclectic pieces of sculpture near the entrance – the Museo Panini.

Situated a few miles outside Modena, Italy, the home of Maserati, the museum is privately owned. It was set up by Umberto Panini, a passionate Maserati man and a former employee of the company. After school, Panini joined the motorcycle division of the company (yes, Maserati used to make motorcycles too), eventually becoming chief test rider. He then went off to Venezuela, where he worked as a mechanic on racing bikes, and when he returned to Italy, he joined the family’s business making collectible stickers. In 1990, the business was sold and the family bought the farm, getting into the cheese-making business – today, they make some of the best cheese in Italy. In between, Panini had been collecting all manner of motorcycles, and in 1997, at an auction, he purchased a collection of vintage Maserati cars that had been rebuilt using left over and reengineered parts, at the behest of former owner Alejandro de Tomaso. The Museo Panini collection had been kick-started.

And what a collection it is! Cars, motorcycles, scooters, tractors – the Museo Panini has the lot, and almost every car here is in full working order. You’ll see the tractors outside the building, including ones made by Lamborghini and Fiat, and when you step through the shiny doors into the main building, your jaw will drop. The first car your eyes will irresistibly be drawn to is the stunning Maserati A6GCS Berlinetta Pinifarina, of which only four examples were ever made. The collection is a little haphazard, to be honest, but it’s terrific nonetheless, with almost all the Maserati models in attendance – the legendary 5000GT, the 3500GT (a car that still attends races), the Khamsin, the Bora, the Merak, the Ghibli (an SS as well as a Spyder), the Mistral and the only examples of the Simun, which was the car that was passed over in favour of what became the Indy, the Merak Turbo, which never made it into production and the Tipo 124, built on the Indy platform and unofficially called the Medici.

Maserati’s glorious racing heritage also has representation (no, the 250F isn’t here, sadly) – the equally special ‘Birdcage’ racing cars, one front and the other rear-engined, are both here, as is the only Tipo 420M/58 ever built, the ‘El Dorado’ (after the ice cream company that sponsored it) that was raced by Sir Stirling Moss. You’ll also find a full-sized static prototype of the Chubasco, a road-going, mid-engined GT that was considered for production in the 1990s. Additionally, you’ll see some mouth-watering non-Maseratis, such as a Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing and some classic American iron from the 1930s and ‘40s.

Motorcycle lovers needn’t feel left out, either, because Panini built up a huge collection of bikes – largely Italian, but with some Brit and American machines thrown in. Rare bikes from Moto Guzzi, Ducati, Maserati, Gilera, MV Agusta, Moto Morini, as well as lesser known names like Moto CM and Rubinelli, are displayed on the museum’s first floor. They sit alongside Harley-Davidsons, Nortons, Triumphs and several other marques from the golden era of motorcycling, making the museum a true delight for anyone remotely interested in classic and vintage cars and bikes.

And what of the farm itself? Well, I can tell you that the Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese that they make, in massive 36 kg roundels that sell for 500 euros each, is sensationally tasty – and their fruit preserves, pasta sauces, wines and cuts of meat aren’t half bad either. The combination is, therefore, heady – a fabulous car and bike museum, rounded off by some great cheese, wine and cold cuts!

The Museo Panini isn’t open to the public, in the sense that you have to make a reservation with them in advance for a guided tour.

from bsmotoring.com