Maserati are at the Paris Mondial de l'Automobile with their luxurious sports car model line-up which is fronted by a revised GranSport which has been dubbed as the "Contemporary Classic" version, and which offers a small insight into the unrivalled number of personalisation options that the Trident brand offers to its customers. Maserati is all about exclusive high-performance luxury motoring and their stand clearly reflects these ideals, the backdrop to their cars graphically demonstrating the colours and finishes that are available.

The "Contemporary Classic" options take pride of place in the Paris line-up with the two examples of the V8-engined GranSport on display being presented in this guise; one which is sandwiched between two Quattroporte saloons, is finished in red with a black leather interior and complementary red piping on the front and rear seats, dashboard and door inlays, the other in a distinctive dark green with a natural tan leather interior and sharp green piping. Four special versions of the "Contemporary Classic" options pack will be made available to buyers, the other two exterior colours making up the range being black or white, both of which will also feature natural tan leather interiors with distinctive black or white piping respectively.

"We're celebrating the Giugiaro design on the Coupé, which has been around for seven years but with constant changes, and we are putting forward just a few of the personalisation options available on Maseratis, such as the full polished wheels, piping on the outside of the sports seats, and the 'Vintage' instrument displays which glow brightly in the dark," says Timotheé Malachard from Maserati West Europe, who is responsible for the brand's marketing in France. "We have drawn from the personalisation programme which gives something a bit different, so we have done a red one and a green one here.

"Paris is important for Maserati, its a big market for us," says Malachard. "Obviously we haven't got a new product to show, we rarely bring out a new product as we are trying to create a longer product lifecycle.
 

"Firstly because we don't have the means to have facelifts every two years like general manufacturers, but also because Maserati like to create cars that age well," he continues. "The Coupé and Quattroporte haven't changed, the Coupé has been around for seven years and is constantly evolving, 3200, 4200, GranSport, and its still selling well because people like the car, its very comfortable and they like to see their car is still on the road and being sold, not changing all the time. Porsche are the same, they have been evolving the 911 shape for many years. Maserati is much the same, we are a young brand although we are 92-years-old as for the last ten years we have been pushing to redevelop the brand, re-launch the brand.

"There is a market for Maserati for customers who want something exclusive, tailor made fit and finish with Italian design, character, race engines," he adds. "We're here to be a front line for Maserati worldwide, we have a VIP area at the back so people can get to know what Maserati's values are, the Maserati way of life.

"France is an important market for Maserati, we have always had a good brand image here, there is a lot of race history in France which has always been the the core of racing, maybe more in the past, and you have the Le Mans 24 Hours, and the Rheims circuit, the Monaco Grand Prix and also the Tour de France; Maserati has always been well known here. We sell around 240 cars a year and in the world we are around the seventh or eighth market for Maserati," concludes Malachard.

by Edd Ellison