new factory based "Stripped" Maser coupe to be introduced

[tfazio]

I found this article on autoweek's website. It is a good read. Some of the interesting points are:
1. A stripped coupe'to be introduced soon.
2. No mention of the a spyder/ coupe replacement.

Quattroporte Leads the Way
Maserati's $100,000 sedan helps automaker turnaround in North America

By DIANA T. KURLYKO | AUTOMOTIVE NEWS

AutoWeek | Published 01/23/06, 9:25 am et

AT A GLANCE:
MASERATI RETURNS
Maserati's U.S. sales
2005: 2,006
2004: 1,043
2003: 917


ENGLEWOOD CLIFFS, N.J. -- Maserati ended 2005, its fourth year back in the United States, on track to sell about 2,100 cars in North America, says its new North American president.

James Selwa, 55, who became president of Maserati North America in July, says Maserati has found a niche where few players compete: the $100,000 sedan.

With its $106,850 Quattroporte sedan leading the charge, Maserati sales grew sharply in 2005. In 2004, the Italian maker sold 1,144 cars in North America.

The year-old Quattroporte was expected to account for about 1,500 North America units in 2005 -- about 60 percent of Maserati's anticipated total. The sport sedan debuted in the 2004 Neiman Marcus Christmas online catalog and sold out in 36 seconds.

Maserati also sells the less-expensive Coupe and Spyder models, which were launched in 2002.

Selwa tested his formula when he headed marketing at Land Rover and Rolls-Royce Motors Cars N.A.: increasing marketing, targeting only buyers who can afford the cars and fine-tuning the product to the United States.

This year Maserati will increase the number of variants it sells from four to eight. These include adding two trim levels to the Quattroporte, basing the U.S. Spyder on the upscale Gransport Coupe rather the base Coupe model, and bringing in a stripped Coupe.

Selwa's long-term mission is to relaunch Alfa Romeo with a new vehicle in the United States.



Ferrari lineage

Until last summer, Ferrari owned Maserati and developed the Quattroporte's powertrain. Ownership of Maserati was transferred to Alfa Romeo on June 1. All three brands are owned by the Fiat group.

Ferrari took control of Maserati in 1998. Three cars were developed by the supercar brand. The Quattroporte is the first Maserati styled by Italian design studio Pininfarina in 50 years.

Selwa says when he arrived at Maserati, the Quattroporte's assets weren't being touted. The Quattroporte has a Ferrari-designed 4.2-liter, V-8 engine with 400 hp.

Having Ferrari engineering is a key selling point, Selwa says.

For instance, when Maserati sells against the Jaguar XJ range, Selwa tells salespeople to ask: "'Would you rather have a Ford-developed V-8 or would you rather have a Ferrari-developed V-8?' It is a no-brainer."

The Quattroporte lacks a true automatic transmission, a disadvantage in the United States. It has a Ferrari F1-style, six-speed electrohydraulic transaxle that is basically a manual transmission with no-clutch pedal. Gears can be changed by using paddle shifters on either side of the steering wheel or by selecting automatic mode, which shifts the gears without driver input.



Selling out

Tom Heffernan, president of Ferrari Maserati of Central New Jersey in Edison, N.J., says his dealership has been able to sell every Maserati it has received. The transmission isn't a big drawback, he says.

"However, when they do come out with an automatic, it will definitely enhance the market," Heffernan says. "People coming out of Mercedes-Benz and BMW are used to a pure automatic."

Heffernan says his dealership, which opened a year ago, sold 55 Quattroportes and 90 Maseratis in 2005.

Jean Jennings, editor of Automobile magazine, says the manual transmission "is more automatic than manual." But Jennings questions why a buyer would purchase a Maserati "when there is an Aston V-8 Vantage -- a really spectacular car -- and the Mercedes-Benz CL class?"

"The exterior is somewhat bland for Pininfarina," Jennings says. "Its main attraction is the living room of an interior."

Selwa says Maserati will eventually give the car a true automatic, but won't say when.

Dealers say they've been told the transmission will arrive in 2007.



$150,000 ceiling

Despite its Ferrari powertrain, there's an acute awareness that Maserati can't and won't be a Ferrari. Selwa believes the highest price Maserati can charge is about $150,000.

"Our sweet spot is about $115,000 to $120,000 -- that is where we dominate," he says. We have 40 percent of the share in that category."

Maserati can go down in price. Its cheapest car in 2005 was the Coupe at $87,983, including shipping. Selwa will launch a stripped version of the Coupe for $84,559, including shipping, in 2006.

"We have to get into that market with a six-speed bare-bones car without even a paddle shift," Selwa says. "We'll build 50 of them, build them to our specs and test the market."

For the 2006 model year, Maserati also is adding more variants of each model, including two pricier Quattroporte models with more luxurious interiors. This will position the top-priced car near $120,000.

Despite talk of giving Maserati a wagon based on the 2003 concept car Kubang, Selwa says there are no plans for a fourth vehicle. There is discussion about a cheaper car for Maserati based on the Alfa Romeo Brera Spider.

Selwa says Maserati plans to sell 10,000 cars worldwide by 2010, with half of those sales in the United States. He says the target can be reached by adding models and renewing the present product range.

Getting to 6,000 annual sales will increase return on investment, he says.

"When you see an organization like us and say we're going to turn the corner at 5,000 cars, when you sell 6,000 cars (worldwide) it makes a hell of a difference. There is just more revenue on all the same space. It starts to get just a little more magical when you get the volume up to 6,000 cars."

[staatsof]

Yes I heard about the stripped model. But here's my question. Unless it's a lighter weight performance model with significant performance advantages why wouldn't someone consider a nice low mileage 2004=>2005 that's loaded for even less money?

I wasn't aware that there were "actual" cars available in 2005 for $88K. Is that true?

[Kewpie]

supersport? may be that's what it is supposed to be called?

the direction is right, as the coupe is aging and the gransport does limit the buyer to the CC only. and it refocus the racing heritage and current efforts.

50 cars.. that is like one car per dealer. it's not a bad idea.
'build to their specs'.. so i guess may be like the MC12, you don't get any choice of color, interior, or options even.

i wonder how much weight it actually saves... how stripped out it really is.

when will they unveil the car?

[RossoCorsaItaly]

Love Maser's hope they keep doing well and reach their goal.

[dave_fonz_164]

the lighter coupe would be cool but i think its time they bring out a new model.

[D E R E K]

The new "stripped" model won't be stripped of weight. Maserati is importing a limited number of Coupe GTs with a base MSRP of $79,900 (not including gas guzzler, dealer prep or transportation)

[Kewpie]

Originally Posted by Derek

The new "stripped" model won't be stripped of weight. Maserati is importing a limited number of Coupe GTs with a base MSRP of $79,900 (not including gas guzzler, dealer prep or transportation)

can you elaborate more on your info and your source: so what exactly is the difference between the stripped Coupe GT and a regular Coupe GT???

[D E R E K]

Maserati has elected to bring a limited number of attractively priced Coupe GTs to market, with the base price of just $79,900, Maserati is hoping to attract more buyers into showrooms. As the article also mentions, eight models for N.A this year including two additional QP models, GS Spyder and GS "Limited Edition" (what that entails at this moment, I don't know)

EDIT: For clarity, all Coupe GTs for '06 will have a base of $79,900. I did not mean to imply that there will be two different versions of the 2006 Coupe GT.

[jjmalez]

Originally Posted by Derek

Maserati has elected to bring a limited number of attractively priced Coupe GTs to market, with the base price of just $79,900, Maserati is hoping to attract more buyers into showrooms. As the article also mentions, eight models for N.A this year including two additional QP models, GS Spyder and GS "Limited Edition" (what that entails at this moment, I don't know)

EDIT: For clarity, all Coupe GTs for '06 will have a base of $79,900. I did not mean to imply that there will be two different versions of the 2006 Coupe GT.

hello,

isn't this a price cut from 2005? or is it that so many maserati's are "cambiocorsa" that the ones that aren't seem than much more affordible. i've been looking for a coupe' GT and there are none.

regards,

joseph

[DJ4200GT]

Originally Posted by jjmalez

hello,

isn't this a price cut from 2005? or is it that so many maserati's are "cambiocorsa" that the ones that aren't seem than much more affordible. i've been looking for a coupe' GT and there are none.

regards,

joseph

I have an amazing GT that I might consider selling. It is a very special car and has plenty of warranty left. Again its not officially for sale, but it would be a possibility. PM me if you are interested.

[D E R E K]

Originally Posted by jjmalez

hello,

isn't this a price cut from 2005? or is it that so many maserati's are "cambiocorsa" that the ones that aren't seem than much more affordible. i've been looking for a coupe' GT and there are none.

regards,

joseph

You are correct Joseph. The price for an '06 Coupe GT has been reduced almost $3,000.

[jjmalez]

Originally Posted by Derek

You are correct Joseph. The price for an '06 Coupe GT has been reduced almost $3,000.

hello derek,

i wen't to my local maserati dealership yesterday and they had six 2006 maserati coupe's, all cambiocorsas. they had five used maserati's, all cambiocorsas. although the $79,900 base price of a maser gt sounds good, there are none in the midwest.

regards

joseph

[D E R E K]

Originally Posted by jjmalez

hello derek,

i wen't to my local maserati dealership yesterday and they had six 2006 maserati coupe's, all cambiocorsas. they had five used maserati's, all cambiocorsas. although the $79,900 base price of a maser gt sounds good, there are none in the midwest.

regards

joseph

Joseph,

The dealers were given the 2006 pricing info recently so I doubt any '06 Coupe GTs have been imported just yet.