The 8CTF was created following Adolfo Orsi's takeover of Maserati, which resolved the financial constraints that had previously limited the factory's ambitions. With greater resources available, Ernesto Maserati conceived a new supercharged 3-litre design drawing on the company's accumulated experience with that engine formula. The designation 8CTF breaks down as: 8C for eight cylinders, T for Testa (head), and F for Fisso (fixed).
The car's defining engineering feature was an independent fuel supply for each group of four cylinders, with two Roots-type compressors feeding the split arrangement — a configuration intended to ensure consistent mixture delivery across the full rev range. An unusual structural detail was that the oil tank doubled as the central cross-member of the frame, saving weight while serving a structural function. The ignition used a single magneto-type system, and distribution was by twin overhead camshafts operating two valves per cylinder arranged at 90 degrees. Lubrication used forced delivery and recovery pumps; cooling was by water with a centrifugal pump.
The engine displaced 2,991.4 cc with a bore of 69 mm and stroke of 100 mm. Compression ratio was 6.5:1. After subsequent development work in 1939 the engine reached a maximum power output of 366 hp at 6,300 rpm, up from its initial output. The front suspension used independent wheels with torsion bars; the rear used leaf springs. Both axles incorporated a stabiliser bar and friction shock absorbers, with hydraulic dampers added at the rear. Braking was by hydraulic drum brakes on all four wheels. The four-speed gearbox included reverse. The aluminium-bodied car had a steel chassis composed of two side members with cross-bracing. Top speed was approximately 290 km/h.
The 8CTF made its debut on 15 May 1938 at the Tripoli Grand Prix, where it showed strong pace but failed to convert that into a result. The onset of World War II significantly curtailed the car's European competitive career, limiting the development programme that might otherwise have followed.
The car's greatest successes came at the Indianapolis 500. The example entered there became known as the Boyle Special, named after its patron. With Wilbur Shaw driving, the Boyle Special won the 1939 Indianapolis 500, then defended its victory at the 1940 Indianapolis 500. The back-to-back wins made the 8CTF the sole Italian racing car manufacturer to achieve victory at Indianapolis — a record that stands, given that Dallara, which has supplied chassis to subsequent Indianapolis winners, functions as a chassis supplier rather than a racing car manufacturer in the traditional sense.
Shaw attempted a third consecutive win in 1941, but the Boyle Special suffered a wheel failure and crashed out of the race.
The 8CTF's Indianapolis victories represented the high-water mark of European pre-war Grand Prix machinery at America's most prestigious oval race. The car's success came at a time when Indianapolis attracted the world's finest machinery and drivers, and competing effectively on the demanding oval required specific preparation. The Boyle Special's two victories secured an enduring place in motorsport history for both Maserati and Wilbur Shaw. The 8CTF stands alongside the Mercedes-Benz W154 and Auto Union cars as one of the pre-war era's most technically sophisticated Grand Prix machines.