Massive year for Maserati

Maserati’s centenary year has seen record sales in Australia with sales up by 199.3 per cent in 2014 compared to 2013. The total of 401 is more than its combined annual sales of 398 in 2011, 2012 and 2013, which came in at 140, 124 and 134 respectively. The marque started 2014 in Australia with the launch of the all-new Quattroporte with – for the first time – a choice of three engines. This enabled it to take the sixth-generation model to a wider range of clients. In mid-2014, the Ghibli arrived across the ditch with the all-new sports sedan launching the marque into sectors it hadn’t previously competed in. In addition to new twin turbo V8 and V6 engines, both models marked the debut of turbo diesels in the line-up. Glen Sealey, general manager of Maserati in Australia and New Zealand, says: “We have ensured the additional clients have not just enjoyed the same high levels of customer service as existing Maserati drivers, we’ve also improved the ease and pleasure of ownership with new dealerships, facilities and services.” Maserati has also seen investment in dealer facilities with multi-million-dollar expenditure on sites, the appointment of more staff at dealer and distributor level, and investment in staff training. Australia’s first pure Maserati specialist dealership arrived in January 2014 with the opening of Solitaire Maserati in Adelaide. In early 2015, this dealership will move into purpose-built facilities. In November, Sydney and Melbourne gained second dealerships with the opening of Maserati Melbourne in the CBD complementing Zagame Maserati in Richmond. In Sydney, the McCarrolls Maserati dealership took the marque to the North Shore with Ferrari Maserati Sydney on the other side of harbour. Euromarque Brisbane this year starts a major refurbishment to double showroom and workshop space, with another Queensland dealership to follow. At distributor level, Maserati has appointed extra staff, organised more customer events and taken the marque into new marketing areas for the first time, including television. There have also been ongoing training programmes for dealership staff at the distributor’s dedicated training facility in Sydney.