In a turn of extremely good luck, Maserati found when it was planning its return to North America a couple of years back that there were lots of people who remembered the name, but didn't know why.
Well, as the Italian racecar driver (played by Raul Julia using a del formaggio Italian accent) said so famously at the start of the trans-American race in 1979's The Gumball Rally, ''Whatsa behind me, itsa not important.''
That certainly works for the Fiat-owned twin of Ferrari, which has been carefully trying to re-establish itself in North America. The firm is now under the watchful eye of Luca di Montezemolo, chairman and managing director of Ferrari and Maserati.
The Modena-based firm has just completed a new headquarters for Maserati after spending millions on a revised assembly facility, and it is getting ready for the next major step in its return to greatness.
That step will take place this September at the Frankfurt International Motor Show when the company's four-door sedan debuts — the model it needs if it's to be taken seriously here. After all, the two cars currently in the stable are the sporty Coupe and Spyder models, and those don't get you a seat at the grown-ups' table in everyone's mind.
Maserati certainly knows that the Quattroporte (literally ''four doors'') model must suit North American tastes when it goes on sale in the summer of 2004 if it (and the company) is to succeed here. That was not always the case, since the last car to bear that name didn't leave a good taste in anyone's mouth (and is the reason most people only remembered the company's name).
But to show how serious Ferrari-Maserati is taking the return of its less famous brand to these shores, consider that it has significantly revised the Coupe and Spyder models after less than two years. Senior management seems to understand and appreciate the level of competitiveness in this segment.
Speaking of competing, that's what Montezemolo plans to do with Maserati while the brand continues to share most of its important running gear and, in North America, its dealer network, with Ferrari.
Broadly speaking, Ferrari will continue to be Ferrari, the company that got into the road car business just so its creator, Enzo Ferrari, could finance the firm's racing activities. Maserati will be positioned as a prestige brand that learned how to go really fast from its famous sibling.
The people who shop Porsche will continue to covet Ferrari, say company reps, while the folks who currently look at Mercedes-Benz and BMW will be interested in Maserati. Maserati may be aimed primarily at the German brands as well as such English marques as Jaguar and Aston-Martin, but plans call for making the brand different in ways that will speak to its Italian heritage. This will make it appeal to people the way that many other fashionable and expensive items — such as clothes and jewelry and luggage — from Italy already do. This is the crowd that doesn't want anything unless it has made a long boat trip.
As for the Coupe and Spyder models that are currently available here, they were pretty entertaining cars from the get-go, but they are still well served by the upgrades they recently received.
Both models will get ride and handling upgrades, starting with the Maserati Stability Program (MSP), which will be in addition to the cars' existing traction control system. MSP will allow the driver to choose between Normal and Sport settings. The system can also be completely disabled.
Both models will also get a new steering box and new shocks. Both will get bigger rear antiroll bars, but the Coupe will also get bigger antiroll bars up front. Extra stability in all situations was the goal, but particularly when the cars are being pushed hard.
The MSP system and the ride and handling setup actually delivered a considerable difference in ride quality depending on settings — stiff or soft. You'll only need to pick the one that suits your mood.
The drop-top model also got some welcome stiffening upgrades, with about 40 pounds of extra weight giving the car 20 percent more torsional rigidity.
Lastly, there are interior improvements of note, including an ''enriched'' trim, a modified door pocket and easier-to-read and understand functions for the screen in the information center.
Both models still run with the 4.2-liter V8 and can be equipped with a CambioCorsa automanual transmission that uses paddles on the steering wheel.
A Coupe GT (the manual model) starts at $85,561. The Coupe CC (or CambioCorsa) retails for $89,681, the Spyder GT (manual) goes for $90,892 and the Spyder CC lists for $94,972. All prices include a $3,700 gas guzzler tax, $300 for dealer prep and $1,350 for delivery.
There also seems to be a pretty good chance that Maserati will get into the SUV/crossover game by building a production version of the fabulous Kubang concept car it showed this past January at the Detroit Auto Show.
Well, as the Italian racecar driver (played by Raul Julia using a del formaggio Italian accent) said so famously at the start of the trans-American race in 1979's The Gumball Rally, ''Whatsa behind me, itsa not important.''
That certainly works for the Fiat-owned twin of Ferrari, which has been carefully trying to re-establish itself in North America. The firm is now under the watchful eye of Luca di Montezemolo, chairman and managing director of Ferrari and Maserati.
The Modena-based firm has just completed a new headquarters for Maserati after spending millions on a revised assembly facility, and it is getting ready for the next major step in its return to greatness.
That step will take place this September at the Frankfurt International Motor Show when the company's four-door sedan debuts — the model it needs if it's to be taken seriously here. After all, the two cars currently in the stable are the sporty Coupe and Spyder models, and those don't get you a seat at the grown-ups' table in everyone's mind.
Maserati certainly knows that the Quattroporte (literally ''four doors'') model must suit North American tastes when it goes on sale in the summer of 2004 if it (and the company) is to succeed here. That was not always the case, since the last car to bear that name didn't leave a good taste in anyone's mouth (and is the reason most people only remembered the company's name).
But to show how serious Ferrari-Maserati is taking the return of its less famous brand to these shores, consider that it has significantly revised the Coupe and Spyder models after less than two years. Senior management seems to understand and appreciate the level of competitiveness in this segment.
Speaking of competing, that's what Montezemolo plans to do with Maserati while the brand continues to share most of its important running gear and, in North America, its dealer network, with Ferrari.
Broadly speaking, Ferrari will continue to be Ferrari, the company that got into the road car business just so its creator, Enzo Ferrari, could finance the firm's racing activities. Maserati will be positioned as a prestige brand that learned how to go really fast from its famous sibling.
The people who shop Porsche will continue to covet Ferrari, say company reps, while the folks who currently look at Mercedes-Benz and BMW will be interested in Maserati. Maserati may be aimed primarily at the German brands as well as such English marques as Jaguar and Aston-Martin, but plans call for making the brand different in ways that will speak to its Italian heritage. This will make it appeal to people the way that many other fashionable and expensive items — such as clothes and jewelry and luggage — from Italy already do. This is the crowd that doesn't want anything unless it has made a long boat trip.
As for the Coupe and Spyder models that are currently available here, they were pretty entertaining cars from the get-go, but they are still well served by the upgrades they recently received.
Both models will get ride and handling upgrades, starting with the Maserati Stability Program (MSP), which will be in addition to the cars' existing traction control system. MSP will allow the driver to choose between Normal and Sport settings. The system can also be completely disabled.
Both models will also get a new steering box and new shocks. Both will get bigger rear antiroll bars, but the Coupe will also get bigger antiroll bars up front. Extra stability in all situations was the goal, but particularly when the cars are being pushed hard.
The MSP system and the ride and handling setup actually delivered a considerable difference in ride quality depending on settings — stiff or soft. You'll only need to pick the one that suits your mood.
The drop-top model also got some welcome stiffening upgrades, with about 40 pounds of extra weight giving the car 20 percent more torsional rigidity.
Lastly, there are interior improvements of note, including an ''enriched'' trim, a modified door pocket and easier-to-read and understand functions for the screen in the information center.
Both models still run with the 4.2-liter V8 and can be equipped with a CambioCorsa automanual transmission that uses paddles on the steering wheel.
A Coupe GT (the manual model) starts at $85,561. The Coupe CC (or CambioCorsa) retails for $89,681, the Spyder GT (manual) goes for $90,892 and the Spyder CC lists for $94,972. All prices include a $3,700 gas guzzler tax, $300 for dealer prep and $1,350 for delivery.
There also seems to be a pretty good chance that Maserati will get into the SUV/crossover game by building a production version of the fabulous Kubang concept car it showed this past January at the Detroit Auto Show.
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