Maserati slashes prices by up to $36K
BY MARTON PETTENDY | 13th May 2011
The sleeker GranTurismo coupe and GranCabrio convertible have also come in for price cuts of $10,000 or more as part of the latest Maserati range repositioning, which also aims to more distinctly separate its luxury and sports models.
The Quattroporte sedan range – which will be replaced by a significantly lighter and more efficient model expected to appear at next year’s Paris motor show - now opens at $250,000 (down from $286,000) for the entry-level 4.2-litre V8 automatic.
Australian Maserati distributor European Automotive Imports (EAI) says the lower pricetag takes advantage of the surging Australian dollar and positions the base Quattroporte to better compete with the least sporting versions of its most direct rivals.
Of course, that means Porsche’s Panamera, which costs less than $200,000 in V6 petrol and diesel guise and $279,800 with a 4.8-litre V8.
EAI spokesman Edward Rowe said the cheapest Quattroporte will also offer a range of more luxury-oriented features from an expanded range of nine million possible colour and trim choices, including plush-pile carpet mats and comfort seats, to better differentiate it from more sporting Quattroporte variants.
“The 4.2-litre Quattroporte has been repositioned to focus on the luxury part of that market sector, and remains fully competitive with new arrivals,” said Mr Rowe.
“It has been given a range of luxury equipment and a price that will make it even more appealing to customers in the area of the market that is growing. It is there to bring new customers to the brand.”Pricing for the 4.7-litre Quattroporte Sport GT S models remains unchanged at $298,800 for the Sportline version with MC Shift sequential transaxle, and $328,900 for the top-shelf variant with a conventional automatic transmission.
However, just as the base Quattroporte 4.2 comes with more luxury features, a number of extra sports-oriented features will be added to the more powerful Quattroporte 4.7 models, which have traditionally attracted the bulk of sales.
“The Quattroporte MC Sportline represents even better value for our traditional customers – it is now a better equipped, more overtly sporting car for traditional customers,” said Mr Rowe.
While pricing of the GranCabrio drops to $328,000 without any change to specifications less than a year after its local launch, the closely related GranTurismo coupe range continues to comprise three variants and will be topped by the wild new GranTurismo MC Stradale in June, priced at $364,900.
Incidentally, both the stripped-out GranTurismo Stradale and the new, more powerful GranCabrio Sport flagship will make their Australian debuts at the Melbourne motor show on July 1, when pricing for the latter will be revealed before it hits local showrooms in early 2012.
GranTurismo pricing continues to open at $288,800 for the entry-level 4.2-litre V8 auto, while the 4.7-litre GranTurismo S auto is now $10,500 cheaper at $308,800 and the MC Shift version is $900 less expensive at $345,000.
Previously, the only difference between the two GranTurismo S models was their transmission and wheels.
Now also making the sequential transaxle-equipped MC Shift better value is the addition for the first time on the GranTurismo of Sportline equipment including revised suspension, alloy-faced pedals, black door sills plus carbon-fibre front and rear spoilers, shift paddles, centre console, door-handles and other highlights.
Mr Rowe stressed the latest price and specification changes to the Maserati line-up – sales of which remain static this year after experiencing a 17.5 per cent lift to 141 sales in 2010 – are primarily designed to more clearly differentiate the variants within the Quattroporte and GranTurismo model ranges.
“We’ve used the more favourable currency to make both Maserati models more distinctive in the areas of the market they compete,” he said.
“We’ve refined the positioning within the model line-up to more clearly differentiate luxury and performance variants.”Maserati’s next major model release will be that of its first SUV, which is now believed to precede the debut of the all-new Quattroporte next year, so expect 2012 Geneva and Paris show debuts respectively.
The Jeep-based luxury wagon will be an important model for Maserati in SUV-hungry Australia, but equally significant will be the Italian sportscar brand’s similarly mould-breaking M157 ‘mini-Quattroporte’ large sedan, which should debut at the 2013 Geneva show.
| 2011 Maserati pricing: | |
| Quattroporte (a) | $250,000 (-$36,000) |
| Quattroporte Sport GT SMC Sportline | $298,800 (unchanged) |
| Quattroporte Sport GT S(a) | $328,900 (unchanged) |
| GranTurismo (a) | $288,800 (unchanged) |
| GranTurismo S (a) | $308,000 (-$10,500) |
| GranTurismo S MC Shift | $345,000 (-$900) |
| GranTurismo MC Stradale | $364,900 (new in June) |
| GranCabrio (a) | $328,000 (-$10,000) |
