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As Maserati
celebrate nearly doubled sales in North America during 2005,
the stunning Birdcage 75th concept car will headline a
line-up the the Los Angeles Auto Show - which opens to the
public tomorrow - that will include the United States debut
of the new Maserati Quattroporte Sport GT and the GranSport
Spyder.
Maserati themselves describe the Pininfarina-designed
Birdcage 75th (the 75th tag commemorates the Italian design
and engineering concern's anniversary last year) as "the
most spectacular car ever to wear the trident badge" and it
is expected to be on of the entire show's biggest draws.
California is Maserati biggest market in the US, and last
year Maserati North America delivered 2,100 units - a record
- driven forward by demand for the Quattroporte sedan, which
will be shown at the Los Angeles Convention Centre in the
new 'Sport GT' format.
Alongside the US debut of the
Quattroptre Sport GT in Los Angeles comes the GranSport
Spyder, also being seen by the North American public for the
first time from tomorrow. Meanwhile, capping an excellent
year for the Trident brand stateside, their cars have
featured in a number of prime-time television programmes,
including Entourage and The Sopranos on HBO, and the red-hot
Desperate Housewives on ABC. Maserati has also been a
part of Nip/Tuck on F/X, a cable channel belonging to FOX, and featured in the
most popular show on American television today, CSI on CBS.
MASERATI BIRDCAGE 75TH - LA SHOW HIGHLIGHT
"Excellence through passion." A blueprint of the super car
of the future, the Birdcage 75 was constructed in
celebration of Pininfarina's 75th anniversary. A living link
to the storied tradition of extreme sports prototypes which
highlighted the Italian renaissance of car design, born in
the Fifties, a period of optimism and boundless creativity
that produced some of the world's - and Maserati's - most
astounding and beautiful automobiles.
Centerpiece of the 2005 Pebble Beach Concours d'
Elegance, the Birdcage 75 utilizes the most advanced
mechanicals available from Maserati, including its 700
horsepower 65 degree V12. Project partner Motorola has
outfitted the car with advanced communication and
entertainment technology called Seamless Mobility - helping
to complete a look at the future - in an experience of
today. The Birdcage 75 takes its name from perhaps the most
respected racing car Maserati ever constructed - the
"Birdcage" built from 1959 through 1963 and named so because
of the complex arrangement of small tubes that made up the
chassis. The Birdcage 75 is based on the last version of
the original model, mid- engine V12 equipped Tipo 63
(1963).
RECORD YEAR FOR MASERATI IN NORTH AMERICA
Maserati arrives in Los Angeles for the last time in early
January, only days after wrapping up another record year.
With 2,100 cars delivered in the twelve months of 2005,
Maserati North America set a new high water mark in the
United States and Canada, nearly doubling sales volume with
this huge increase, compared to the 1114 units sold in 2004.
Of the 2,100 cars, 1,550 were
Quattroporte, the Italian sedan quickly becoming known as a
unique and special offering. In fact, through November of
2005, the Quattroporte maintained a commanding lead in its
segment with a 36% share of the market for sedans with a
base MSRP between $100,000 and $200,000. The individual
models included in the grouping are the BMW 760, Mercedes
S600, S55 and S65 and the Bentley Flying Spur.
The balance of units sold by Maserati in 2005 were Coupe and
Spyder models, to which one must add the more recently
introduced GranSport - soon to be followed on the market by
the GranSport Spyder, first debuted here in Los Angeles.
North America represents almost 40 pct of Maserati's worldwide
volume. Headquartered in Englewood Cliffs, NJ, Maserati
North America is led by President and CEO James Selwa. California is Maserati's largest market in the United
States, while in the Golden State, with its enthusiastic
entertainment community and large entrepreneurial society,
the Los Angeles area is the number one sales market.
Global success
Sales success in the
United States is mirrored in the success achieved by
Maserati worldwide. Maserati sales were up in 2005 by 25 pct
versus 2004, for a total of over 5,600 units. At the end of
November, riding on the success of the Quattroporte, Italy
has become Maserati's second market in the world, followed
by Germany and the United Kingdom. Never has Maserati's
presence in the world been felt more than today: a
commercial reality in 56 countries on five continents with
an overall network of over 275 dealerships. In the main
global markets, Maserati directly controls its subsidiaries,
including a joint venture in China.
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