25.09.2004 Pride of place on the Maserati stand at the Paris Motor Show has gone to the Spyder 90th Anniversary, a special edition created to commemorate this milestone

The revised 2005 Model Year Coupe and Spyder made their public debuts at the Paris Mondial de l'Automobile on Thursday.

Pride of place in this new line-up went to the limited-edition Spyder 90th Anniversary, an exclusive model announced only two weeks ago, to commemorate the anniversary of the Trident-badged marque.

The timing of the launch was impeccable as a series of special events, invitation races and commemorative tours across Italy last weekend had formally celebrated the anniversary.

On top of all this, victory for the Maserati MC12 in the FIA GT Championship at Oschersleben in Germany last Sunday, only the breathtaking car's second competitive outing, had put the icing on the cake for a famous brand that is truly undergoing a fabulous renaissance.

The single Spyder 90th Anniversary model at the French show, resplendent in the special 'Anniversary Blue' livery, sits on a platform that raises it above its sisters: the Coupe, the Spyder and the GranSport, ready to grab the attention of a constant stream of visitors.

Subtle and eye-catching livery differences immediately mark this model out. The grey-coloured headlamp inner surfaces are an unobtrusive new modification, while the brash carbon-fibre roll hoops, reminiscent of the marque's bygone racing cars, thrust themselves into the visitors line of vision.

The silver-and-red Trident logo mounted on the new Spyder's large grille, is complimented by a second logo which emblazons the upper surface of the front wings. This oval-shaped logo pays homage to the Maserati 250F campaigned by Juan Manuel Fangio in the 1957 Formula 1 World Championship.

Aluminium door handles, decaled sill protection plates, and the chunky 19-inch alloy wheels that house beefy brake calipers now finished in titanium, give the car a 'classic' feel. These gleaming, polished surfaces, blend perfectly with the car's special new blue paint finish.

by Edd Ellison in Paris