Last Exit
A friend recently attended a funeral service at the Church of Santa Rita in Bari, Italy. The coffin was transported in a Maserati Ghibli hearse—the G3.0 model manufactured by Ellena, a company based south of Turin. It’s worth noting that this has been the case ever since Maserati stopped offering the Ghibli. In any case, it was a very dignified moment, and what could be more fitting than a vehicle from a traditional local brand?
As is often the case, despite the sad occasion, the conversation turned to the Maserati hearse—with its unusual rear end—which is rarely seen in this country. Close friends of the deceased emphasized that he had been a great car enthusiast throughout his life and would therefore surely have enjoyed driving a Maserati one last time.
That may sound strange, but just as some people wish for a special song or a specific resting place as a farewell for their final journey, why not a special vehicle as well? But it’s true—hearse, regardless of the make, tend to polarize opinion. Some people would rather not look at them at all and avoid the topic of mortality. Others see the whole thing as a chamber of horrors and have to be stopped from climbing into the coffin—which is usually present—at classic car shows.
A matter of reverence? Hearses aren’t consecrated; they don’t belong to the church, nor are there any fixed rules—except for those of decorum, which must be observed at a religious ceremony. Perhaps we need to remove the taboo surrounding the hearse, view it as the final taxi on the journey to eternity, and simply accept it for what it essentially is—a luxurious station wagon.
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