Maserati News

Only 550 of the Brooklands model Bentleys are available worldwide."They are tailor-made to the exact specifications of each customer,” said Sue Young, the spokeswoman for Queensland Bentley.Ms Young said the Brisbane buyer wanted to remain anonymous, as did two other Queenslanders who have expressed an interest in getting one of the luxury coupes.She said all three currently own a Bentley Arnage T, worth about $545,000.Maserati's latest GranTurismo will be seen in Australia for the first time at the show, which opens at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre at noon on 1, February 2008.The sports car's appeal seems to have outweighed its $293,000 price tag, because 150 Australian orders have already been taken for the new model, including 20 from Queensland, according the company's Australian general manager, Edward Butler.No other Maserati has sold as quickly and the waiting list for the 2008 GranTurismo is greater than the firm's Australian and New Zealand sales last year, Mr Butler said.Luxury-car sellers say their models have become increasingly popular with younger professionals."The 20 to 35-year age group is taking a much bigger slice of the market share,” said Audi Centre Brisbane dealer principal Greg Willims. “There is no doubt the prosperity in Queensland is growing.”Adam O'Brien, of Brisbane Prestige Cars in Fortitude Valley, said manufacturers were working harder to attract young customers in a bid to keep them for life.Danny Singh, 31, of Brendale in Brisbane's northwest, recently bought a luxury H3 Hummer from Brisbane Prestige Cars for $70,000 then spent a further $15,000 on modifications.Also making their Australian debuts at the show will be new-look versions of cult street machines the Subaru WRX STi, the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution — known as the Evo X to fans because it is the 10th in the series.Both are expected to be in the $60,000 bracket.Australia will be represented in the go-fast stakes by a Ford Performance Vehicles version of the Territory SUV, the yet-to-be-released F6 X all-wheel-drive wagon.Brisbane International Motor Show, Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, South Bank, runs from Friday to February 10; Monday to Saturday, 10am-10pm; Sunday, 10am-6pm. Adults $17.50, children $10.

Maserati has taken the formidable drivetrain from the Quattroporte model and created a new “performance sports car that is enjoyable to drive.”The Gran Turismo is a two-door hard-top coupe with Italian custom-crafted interior. New-car buyers will love the choices and mixtures of leather.And it's a four-seater. A great deal of trouble has been taken to make the rear two passengers not only comfortable but have convenient access.First examples of the new Grand Turismo are due to arrive in Australia about now but Maserati Australia reports the 130 allocated to Australia and New Zealand already have been spoken for, meaning a midyear delivery for new orders.The Gran Turismo uses Maserati's 4.2-litre V8 engine. Having twin overhead camshafts per cylinder bank and four valves per cylinder, it's rated at 298kW power.That's enough to take the 1880kg car from zero to 100km/h in 5.2 seconds.A new, six-speed automatic transmission feeds power to the rear wheels. The transmission is programmed to allow gear changes up to 7200rpm.The driver can choose to become involved by using the paddle shifts.Inside, the range of leather covers 10 shades.A buyer can select his or her preferred colour combination for the seats, dashboard, rear shelf and steering wheel, plus gearshift handle. Even the trim's stitching, mats and roof lining can be custom ordered.Both front seats are electrically adjustable and have three heat settings. The driver's seat has a memory function.The steering column, too, is electrically adjusted and the steering wheel is a sporty 375mm diameter. The front seats move forward electrically to allow access to the rear.Two seats in the rear are separated by the centre console. Passengers there have an arm rest and climate control vents.The audio system has a Bose surround sound system as standard and uses six speakers.There's an electric park brake, tyre pressure monitoring and a hill-holder to aid uphill starts. 

About 20 car enthusiasts have already done just that.

The star of Lamborghini's stand; one of the most expensive cars on display at the Australian International Motor Show which opened yesterday, a Murcielago LP640 Versace and is the only one left.

The show has been expanded this year with additional internal and external displays.More than 50 new models will be unveiled amongst the 500 cars on display.Headliners include the world premieres of Mitsubishi's Evolution X cult car, the new generation Toyota LandCruiser featuring new Australian-developed suspension technology, and Holden's new sportswagon. Several other world premieres are expected.Other highlights include a Lexus that parks itself, and cutting-edge concept cars from BMW, Hyundai and Škoda, and new sportscars from Bufori, Lamborghini, Lotus and Maserati.View all the latest news and action on the official Australian International Motorshow website at www.australianmotorshow.com

This 92-year-old NSW No.6 plate is expected to fetch between $1 million and $1.5 at this year's Shannon's auction on the last day of the Australian International Motor Show.

One of the exotic Italian supercars to be seen when the Australian International Motor Show begins on 11 October, this stunning super car spent a short time basking in Sydney sunlight for the first time so that it could be photographed for the Australian media. According to Edward Butler, Maserati Australia and New Zealand’s general manager, the company is holding 130 Australian orders for the GranTurismo. "For those people lucky enough to be taking delivery of their own Maserati GranTurismo in coming months, the fleeting first visit to Darling Harbour is proof, as if proof was needed, that the GranTurismo is just as beautiful in Australia as it is in Italy!” Mr Butler said. The GranTurismo packs a 4.2L V8 generating 405bhp at 7,100rpm. 345Nm of its 460Nm maximum torque is available at 2,500rpm, which along with a standard automatic transmission and relatively useable rear seats, makes this a more practical high-speed tourer than many Italian thoroughbreds.  

Ferrari, Lamborghini and Maserati will all be showing new models for the first time in Australia.

Dozens of Australian owners of one of the world's hottest sports cars have been asked to return their vehicles for repairs, after it emerged that a software glitch could cause a high-tech stability control system to shut down.Maserati has announced that the glitch could cause problems for models in its Quattroporte range. The models are priced from $269,000 to $298,000.Several models, 30 of which have been sold and registered in Australia, have been recalled due to the problem, which could lead to the vehicle’s Maserati Stability Program (MSP) to disable itself.While Maserati’s website said the MSP stability control includes the car’s ABS and the “electronically controlled braking distributor”, a spokesman said those features will continue working regardless.“It doesn’t affect the ABS brakes or any of the other safety features,” the spokesman said.“It’s a software issue… if the battery gets down to a certain level, the traction control will trip out.”The problem arose from a defect in the MSP caused by “a bug in the electronic software”, Australian distributor Ateco Automotive said in a statement.The statement also said that owners of the Quattroporte 139 automatic model should contact a Maserati dealer for details.The Maserati spokesman said it was not a 'catastrophic' problem and a warning light will appear on the vehicle’s dashboard if the traction control did cut out. 

Dozens of Australian owners of one of the world's hottest sports cars have been asked to return their vehicles for repairs, after it emerged that a software glitch could cause a high-tech stability control system to shut down. Maserati has announced that the glitch could cause problems for models in its Quattroporte range. The models are priced from $269,000 to $298,000. Several models, 30 of which have been sold and registered in Australia, have been recalled due to the problem, which could lead to the vehicle’s Maserati Stability Program (MSP) to disable itself. While Maserati’s website said the MSP stability control includes the car’s ABS and the “electronically controlled braking distributor”, a spokesman said those features will continue working regardless. “It doesn’t affect the ABS brakes or any of the other safety features,” the spokesman said. “It’s a software issue… if the battery gets down to a certain level, the traction control will trip out.” The problem arose from a defect in the MSP caused by “a bug in the electronic software”, Australian distributor Ateco Automotive said in a statement. The statement also said that owners of the Quattroporte 139 automatic model should contact a Maserati dealer for details. The Maserati spokesman said it was not a 'catastrophic' problem and a warning light will appear on the vehicle’s dashboard if the traction control did cut out.