The Maserati GranSport Spyder will make its Australian debut at the Melbourne International Motor Show (9-19 February 2006) providing show visitors with a sneak preview of Maserati's new range-topping sports car well before its European launch, let alone its Australian on-road debut. "The move of this year's Melbourne Motor Show to February has provided us with an additional challenge to get the GranSport Spyder to Australia in time for the Melbourne Motor Show," explains Edward Butler, General Manager for Maserati in Australia and New Zealand. "But Maserati is pulling out all the stops to get a car made especially for the Melbourne Motor Show and it should arrive just hours before the show opens its doors!"

The Maserati GranSport Spyder is an open-top version of the GranSport Coupe, the car that has been widely praised for providing the Maserati Coupe with an aggressive new temperament with improved performance, looks and a sharper, more responsive edge. As befits a car that is yet to have its European launch, details on the GranSport Spyder are few, but it is clear that the Spyder loses nothing with its conversion to soft top motoring, from its 4.2 litre V8 boosted for its application in the GranSport to 400 bhp/294 kW and its emotive howl that can be enhanced at the press of a button, to reworked suspension, wheels and tyres.

As with the GranSport Coupe, there are also visual changes. A pronounced spoiler hugs the bottom of the front bumper and on the sides under-door skirting harmonises the look of the car. This is completed by the 19" wheels inspired by the race cars that compete in the Trofeo Maserati. The interior is a blend of carbon, leather and BrighTex fabric and endow the cabin with the look and feel of a racing car. Prices and specifications for the Maserati GranSport Spyder will be announced when it joins the Australian and New Zealand ranges in mid-2006.

MASERATI QUATTROPORTE GT VERSIONS AT THE MELBOURNE MOTOR SHOW

Maserati will unveil two new versions of its luxurious performance sedan, the Quattroporte, at the Melbourne International Motor Show in February, that offer new features that enhance the performance and style of the unique four door Maserati. The Maserati Quattroporte was launched in 2003, blending elegant comfort with the performance expected of a car carrying the legendary Maserati Trident and provided by a quadcam 4.2 litre V8 engine boasting 294 kW or 400 bhp. Exemplary handling and roadholding is delivered by a drivetrain and chassis that includes a rear transaxle that means ideal weight distribution and an all-independent suspension with the 'Skyhook' continuously variable suspension control and Maserati Stability Programme (MSP). Thus, the Maserati Quattroporte can whisk its occupants in total comfort and luxury to 100 km/h in 5.2 seconds and on, where the law permits, to a top speed of 275 km/h.

One figure reveals the ultimate luxury offered by the Quattroporte; Four Million. That is the number of different combinations of trim, paint and interior finishes it is possible to have in the Quattroporte.
 

For example, inside the owner of a Quattroporte can define different finishes for the seats, the piping on the seats, the carpet, the wood trim on the dashboard, the roof lining, the two different sections of the dashboard, the door trims and the centre console. There are 11 different leathers and four different wood finishes, including mahogany, rosewood and briarwood. And, if that is not sufficient, then Maserati can produce a Quattroporte in any colour or finish required by a customer.

Of course the Maserati Quattroporte is fully equipped. For example it does not just have an AirCon system, the Quattroporte has a ventilation system that allows individual temperature setting left and right in both the front and rear areas of the passenger compartment. The Quattroporte doesn't just have an audio system, it has a Bose Hi-End concert hall sound system that has been designed specifically for the acoustic qualities of the Maserati Quattroporte, with the exquisite sound quality delivered by neodyminium speakers.

With this unique specification and its unmistakable style, the Maserati Quattroporte has provided the celebrated Italian car maker with one of its most successful models in its history. So how is it possible for these two new versions of the Quattroporte to improve on this exquisite luxury performance sedan? By focusing more sharply on the two primary aspects of the Quattroporte's soul, with the new Maserati Quattroporte Executive GT enhancing the luxury features of the Quattroporte, while the Sport GT variant provides a new, sharper performance persona.

The Executive GT is distinguished by a blend of elegant eye-catching colours and refined wood veneer finishes for the interior, the Executive GT includes the following accessories: Chrome mesh grille, side chrome grille, external identification plate, 9-spoke 19" ball-polished wheel rims, wood and leather steering wheel, roof section in Alcantara and a series of features dedicated to providing maximum comfort levels for passengers (among them comfort pack for the rear seats and stowable rear table in wood or titanium). Further personalisation options are available.
 
The aggressive look of the Sport GT is captured in the carbon fibre interior, 20" wheel rims with new design, external identification plate, sporty steering wheel and handbrake grip, aluminium pedal covers. Among the dynamic features, the latest gearbox software for a 35 per cent faster gear shifting, newly designed exhaust system delivering an even more sporty sound and specific Skyhook software for electronic suspensions and shock absorbers.

The two new versions of the Maserati Quattroporte will arrive in Australia and New Zealand during 2006 when local specifications and prices will be announced.