Enthusiasts and car lovers flock to the floor to see, touch and experience the latest and greatest designs, technologies and innovations. And the iconic Maserati wowed its fans and lovers by showcasing new models and customizations. Maserati debuted not one, but three models for the Chinese market; the Levante SUV, Ghibli sport sedan and Quattroporte MY19 the flagship of the fleet.
The MY19 range has seen a meticulous restyling initiative combined with targeted style updates and exciting new contents. Visitors found a Quattroporte S Q4 GranLusso displayed at the Maserati booth in the eye-catching Blu Sofisticato colour combined with black interiors made it stand out and coupled with the new and exclusive Zegna PELLETESSUTATM material look stunning.
The 21” Atlante alloy rims boasting spiffy blue brake calipers and sporty seats underscore the dual aspect of this particular car, sporty and elegant at the same time. Exclusivity or excellence, one cannot overstate the special importance of this flagship model for Maserati. Its origins go back to the first series, designed in 1963 to be the fastest sedan in the world.
The Trident SUV, Maserati Levante GranLusso MY19, was also featured in the booth with a three-layer Blu Nobile exterior color treatment which creates a deeper chromatic effect. The 21” Helios rims with dramatic black brake calipers. The interiors are upholstered with “Pieno Fiore” leather, a full-grained leather without equal in the automotive industry, due to its naturally supple, soft feel and the way it becomes even more beautiful over the years.
Completing the Maserati range, Maserati presented the Ghibli GranLusso with Blu Nobile for the exterior. The interiors are in the luxurious black Pieno Fiore leather with contrasting gray stitching and headlining in grey Alcantara. The 20” alloy rims are Teseo. The GranLusso trim adds a further touch of sophistication to the fleet of Maserati cars, thanks to the use of exclusive Ermenegildo Zegna silk, open-pore burl wood trim for the dashboard fascia and the leather steering wheel. As a standard feature one will also find 12-way power adjustable Comfort seats with memory and the peerless Premium Harman Kardon audio system. The pedals and steering wheel adjust electrically, as does the sunblind for the rear window, the Soft Close door closure system, and the lockable glove compartment in front of the passenger. In line with Maserati’s tradition of excellence, customers are offered a wide range of interior materials from which to choose, the most luxurious of which would be the natural “Pieno Fiore” leather, available in Nero (black), Rosso (red) and Cuoio (tan) for the comfort and sporty seats, each one with its own stitch options.
The MY19 range is introducing important new upgrades, making the Maserati cars even more fun to drive. The gearshift lever has been redesigned with a short-stroke system, more intuitive gearshift pattern and improved functionality. The driver now has the option to use it in automatic or manual mode simply by shifting the lever from the right to the left, while a new “P” button effortlessly settings the transmission in parking mode. With the new gearshift lever, the driving modes cluster on the center console of all three models is even user-friendlier.
Levante, Ghibli and Quattroporte share the same MTC+ infotainment system, which is based on a high- resolution 8.4” multi-touch screen and a double rotary knob on the center console. The human-machine interface has been further improved for MY19 with updated display graphics and improved climate system ergonomics. The airflow distribution control, which is fully separated for driver and front passenger, has been revised and offers additional customization options.
Each Maserati model boasts a dedicated color selection, which is continuously refreshed. For MY19 there is a choice of ten body colors for the Quattroporte and eleven for each of the Ghibli and Levante models.
Maserati is focusing on customization and showcasing the Italianness of its products. And the Asian market is perfectly poised to appreciate and enjoy the luxurious interiors and aesthetic. The booth featured long-time partner, Ermenegildo Zegna, along with De Castelli and Giorgetti, outstanding representatives of Made in Italy excellences, known throughout the world. Giorgetti, the internationally renowned Italian woodworking company, known for its furniture and unique design pieces, De Castelli, a leading metalworking firm, specializing in the production of unique home design accessories, custom surfaces and projects and Ermenegildo Zegna, a longstanding partner and a leader in the field of fabrics and men’s luxury clothing.
At Maserati tradition inspires innovation, combining fine craftsmanship, advanced technology and sophisticated design into an exclusive, unique mix only Maserati knows how to apply. The stand provided an instructive tour through three different dedicated thematic areas. Each area featured a display of tools, materials and components that, specially crafted by Zegna, De Castelli and Giorgetti, bear witness to the unending quest for excellence, style and originality, typical for products designed and Made in Italy, and therefore typical of Maserati.
Zegna premiered its new car interiors in PELLETESSUTA, a special woven nappa leather, the product of pioneering research by Ermenegildo Zegna, seeking to create a luxurious, innovative, lightweight and soft fabric that is versatile and well suited for the creation of products, ranging from home design complements to multimedia accessories. The bond between Zegna and Maserati grows stronger with each passing year, in no small part due to the historical similarities of the two brands.
The Giorgetti cabinet-making tradition started in Brianza in 1898, and more than 120 years later is still continuing to evolve and innovate. The company looks to the future, how to convey and stay on top of all the changes in a dynamically transforming world. Giorgetti’s approach to interior design involves interpreting behaviors and tastes in various different markets, creating pieces that are free of all formal conventions, capable of coexisting harmoniously in any context, dissolving cultural and temporal distances, an aesthetic that matches Maserati perfectly.
True to its commitment to restore metal’s privileged role in projectual experimentation, De Castelli is grafting a craft-based concept and approach to work onto typically industrial processes, a bold synthesis that leads to unprecedented results. Delabré is the name of an artisanal finish conceived of and realized by De Castelli. It consists in the manual oxidation of materials like steel, copper and brass, capable of imbuing them with unique, unrepeatable chromatic effects.
The auto-show was also an opportunity to show Maserati-related special items. Maserati’s prestige partnership with Bulgari, launched in 2012, led to the creation of two exclusive wristwatches: Octo Maserati GranLusso and Octo Maserati GranSport by Bulgari Specifically intended for owners of the Brand’s cars, they feature the spectacular dial (with retrograde minutes and jumping hours) resembling the rpm-counter of a Maserati, while the stitched leather strap recalls the upholstery of Trident cars.
Ermenegildo Zegna fans were introduced to the Maserati Capsule Collection for Spring Summer 2019: an exquisite collection of leather goods, travel clothing and elegant accessories, displaying all the excellence for which these two iconic Italian brands are famed. Together the two brands offer products of unrivaled quality of details, performance and design, made to measure for those wishing to surround themselves with luxury.
For more information, visit the Maserati Showroom at Al Zayani, Al Rai Industrial Area, 4th Ring Road, or call 180 80 10 and visit www.kuwait.maserati.com. Featured image courtesy of Maserati
