Paul Tan's Automotive News » Maserati

Fiat 695 Abarth Maserati Edition – limited run of 499 units

Danny Tan — Mon, 21 May 2012 02:38:19 +0000

We already have the Abarth 695 Tributo Ferrari, now comes the Abarth 695 Maserati Edition, the latest limited edition Fiat 500. Limited to 499 units, the Maserati Edition made its debut on the 30th anniversary of the Mille Miglia, which Enzo Ferrari called “the most beautiful race in the world”.

If the Tributo Ferrari shows off Abarth’s sporty character and racing spirit, this Maserati Edition epitomises elegance and comfort of a GranTurismo, but with the dinky handling of a mini car.

Based on the open-top 500C, the Maserati Edition is powered by a 1.4 T-Jet turbo engine (Garrett 1446 turbo) boosted to 180 hp and 250 Nm at 3,000 rpm. Paired to the electrically operated manual Abarth Competizione gearbox, this small car is capable of 0-100 km/h in less than seven seconds, while top speed is 225 km/h.

Brembo 305 mm brake discs with grey fixed four-piston calipers can be seen behind the 17-inch wheels, in Maserati’s trademark “Neptune” design. Koni shock absorbers with FSD valves are also included. Abarth promises “inspiring sound” above 3,000 rpm with the variable back-pressure “dual mode” exhaust, which hexagonal shape tailpipes follow after Maseratis.

The car here is in Pontevecchio Bordeaux. This Maserati colour is achieved with special three-layer paintwork which reflects light and accentuates the shine of the colour. The soft top is made of grey fabric.

Inside, the sand beige leather seats have containment strips featuring single-layer padding, while the dash and gearbox trim are finished in a special matte carbon lining. The door panels have a special UV-LUX treatment, which gives them a grey “flocking” effect. The steering wheel has beige leather inserts and a tricolour hub, while the instrument panel has been specifically designed by Jaeger.

Other details include aluminium pedals sill plates, carbon fibre kick plate with graphics and a plaque. Lastly, the Maserati Edition comes with a JBL ICE system with nine speakers and an eight-channel amplifier. Great ingredients for a desirable little package.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 12:52:40 +0000.

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Maserati GranTurismo Sport facelift to premiere in Geneva

Anthony Lim — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 01:40:09 +0000

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Maserati has given its GranTurismo Sport a nip and tuck job, and the ‘new’ car is set to debut in Geneva next month. There’s a small performance increase, with the 4.7 litre V8 mill now giving the vehicle 460 hp.

Most of the rework, however, is on the restyling front – there’s a redesigned new front bumper which optimises the front air flow for both engine and brake cooling as well as new headlights with LED daytime running lights. At the back, the car gets new tail lamps in a more aggressive, darker tone.

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The interior also gets redone, with completely redesigned front and rear seats and a new steering wheel – offering a more sporty and muscular look, the company says – leading the way. No other details, but Geneva should take care of that.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 12:52:40 +0000.

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Frankfurt: Maserati joins super SUV race with a Kubang!

Danny Tan — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 15:37:25 +0000

UPDATE: Live gallery from Frankfurt added

Remember the Maserati Kubang concept of 2003? It has surfaced again at the Frankfurt show that starts today, and marks the Trident’s entry into the sport luxury SUV segment.

Maserati argues that today’s SUVs don’t offer the kind of “uplifting driving pleasure and luxury atmosphere” found in high-end sports and luxury cars, and they want to address this with the Kubang.

Although it’s new territory for the brand, the Fiat owned brand promises that the Kubang preserves the “integrity of Maserati’s DNA”. Why only now? Maserati says that potential synergies with sister brand Jeep (part of the Chrysler Group that’s under Fiat control) is in the plan.

However, the Kubang’s style, engine, suspensions, brakes, handling and performance will all be 100% Maserati. It will come with new Maserati proprietary engines designed in Modena by Paolo Martinelli, but built by Ferrari in Maranello. Martinelli is the Head of Maserati Powertrain Department, and spend nearly 30 years at Ferrari, where he also served as engine chief of the Formula 1 team.

We’re guessing that it’s a V8 with great sound, since that’s very much part of Maserati’s DNA. The transmission will be an eight-speed automatic. Gallery after the jump.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 12:52:40 +0000.

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Frankfurt preview: Maserati GranCabrio Fendi

Anthony Lim — Tue, 23 Aug 2011 11:25:26 +0000

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Well, this would be the ideal present for the other half. What’s better than a Fendi baguette handbag for the missus (or ahem, girlfriend)? Why, a Maserati GranCabrio Fendi, that’s what.

Designed by Silvia Venturini Fendi, the GranCabrio Fendi features exclusive materials bespokely created in various colours for it. The car is set to be introduced in Frankfurt next month.

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The Fendi edition features a three-layered body colour named Grigio Fiamma Fendi, which is a special dark grey with an iridescent golden finish on the surface. Also on is a wood trim called Pergamena Fendi, which runs across the width of the dashboard, on the doors and on the top of the gear lever, all in the iconic Fendi yellow. The colour also features on the brake calipers and the embroidered trident on the headrests.

To make sure you’ll never ever forget the branding, Fendi’s unmistakable double F-logo is stitched on the seat, also appearing in the centre of the 20-inch Trident design alloy wheels, as well as along the rocker panel.

Click to enlarge.

Cuoio Romano, Fendi’s most precious leather from its Selleria line, is used for such details as the instrument cluster cover, the gear lever and the profiles of the floor mats. It also features in the Limited Edition Travel Set of luggage and accessories for the car. A special black car cover with a ton-sur-ton double F logo comes standard with this special GranCabrio.

Silvia Venturini Fendi’s specially-crafted logo seals this collaboration – a silver oval plaque with the engraving of the Maserati trident, Fendi logo and a five-digit series number (five being an iconic number for Fendi) is located on the dashboard, in front of the passenger seat, and on both sides of the black cloth folding roof. Now, do we hear any takers then, or is it too high a price to pay for love?

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 12:52:40 +0000.

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Maserati GranCabrio to be unveiled at KLIMS

Anthony Lim — Fri, 26 Nov 2010 05:24:56 +0000

Naza Italia will be unveiling the Maserati GranCabrio in Malaysia at the upcoming KLIMS next month. The four-seater drop top features a 4.7 litre V8 – which is also to be found on the GranTurismo S coupe, the basis for this car – offering 440 hp and 490 Nm, mated to a ZF 6-speed automatic gearbox.

The canvas top comprises a structure with a backbone consisting of five steel and aluminium spokes, covered with a triple-layer canvas available in six colours – there’s solid black and titanium grey as well as warm chocolate in that mix. The system, whch takes 28 seconds to fold up/down, weighs in at just 65 kg.

Plenty of accessories and kit in this Trident, of course, from a 12 speaker Bose audio system, 7-inch high-resolution colour display with 30GB hard disk, Poltrona Frau Leather upholstery in 10 colour choices (these can be blended together for seats, dashboard, tonneau cover, steering wheel and gear knob) to Carbalho wood from Brazil, among the many fineries.

There’s also matching luggage you can specify – two different sets are available, one in complete leather, the other in leather and fabric, with an extensive palette of colours to choose from. A set consists of two wheeled and two vanity cases, with a single bag designed to be placed on the rear seats also available. Don’t think the luggage will be there at the show, but that’s not the reason you’d be heading to the Maserati display, methinks.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 12:52:40 +0000.

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Alfa Romeo and Maserati to get SUV based on Jeep Grand Cherokee platform

Paul Tan — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 15:59:59 +0000

The bond between Fiat and Chrysler continues to grow with this latest piece of news that Maserati and Alfa Romeo may get SUVs based on the Jeep Grand Cherokee platform, which according to Sergio Marchionne can easily take on the larger and more powerful powertrains that a luxury SUV has to offer.

This very same platform is actually shared with Mercedes-Benz and the German company uses it for their ML-Class, which has AMG models on offer. Jeep’s own offering includes a 5.7 litre Hemi and a 6.4 litre SRT-8 Hemi. A large Maserati/Alfa Romeo SUV based on this platform could house Ferrari’s front mounted rear wheel drive engines, already used in Maserati passenger cars.

The new Italian SUV duo could hit the market in 12 to 18 months and a production site is already planned – Chrysler’s Jefferson North assembly plant in Detroit, right smack in the land of SUVs and trucks. We’ve seen a design study of a Maserati SUV in the past – back in 2003 at the Detroit show, the Maserati Kubang concept shown above was exhibited.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 12:52:40 +0000.

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VIDEO: Promo of the Maserati Granturismo MC Stradale

Jacob Alexander — Sat, 09 Oct 2010 14:15:52 +0000

Maserati has released a promo video of the fastest, lightest and most powerful car in the company’s range. The MC Stradale, which was recently revealed at the Paris Motorshow, houses a 4.7 litre V8 engine producing 450hp and 510Nm of torque. This is connected to a modified MC Race Shift transmission pushing the car from 0 to 100km/h in just 4.6 seconds, going on to reach a top speed of 300km/h. The promo shows the car’s capabilities on track, as Andrea Bertolini drives the MC Stradale against the Gran Turismo MC Trofeo around the Ricardo Tormo Circuit in Valencia.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 12:52:40 +0000.

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450hp Maserati GranTurismo MC Stradale revealed

Jacob Alexander — Wed, 22 Sep 2010 04:29:27 +0000

Another lovely beauty expected to make an appearance at the Paris Motor Show will be the Maserati GranTurismo MC Stradale, which Maserati says is the “fastest, lightest and most powerful car” in the company’s stable.

Inspiration for this car comes from their very own Trofeo GranTurismo MC and GT4 competition model. Hence the MC Stradale incorporates handling and aero tuning from their racing programs, which should give the car an enviable ride and handling.

This has resulted in the MC Stradale producing more aerodynamic downforce without producing more drag. An increase in power also complements the package nicely, as it now puts out 450 horses without affecting fuel economy. The 4.7 litre V8 also allows the MC Stradale to reach speeds of over 300km/h.

The new addition to the Maserati range will go on sale in the first quarter of 2011 and you can expect to see it being sold at the Naza Italia showroom in the near future. More details will be made available closer to it’s Paris debut. Look after the jump for a set of high resolution pictures.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 12:52:40 +0000.

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Novitec Trident fits a supercharger into the Maserati Quattroporte

Jacob Alexander — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 08:19:22 +0000

German tuners of Italian makes Novitec Trident, have recently revised the Maserati Quattroporte with a bump of power and a few changes inside and on the exterior. This comes in the form of slotting a supercharger into the engine bay which pushes power delivery to an amazing 590hp at 7300rpm, while getting a torque figure of 572Nm.

Apart from a supercharger a new water to air intercooler is added to the Quattroporte’s 4.7 litre V8 engine along with a new intake manifold, bigger fuel injectors and a recalibrated ECU. You now get a 0 to 100 figure in just 4.6 seconds, going on to reach a top speed of 295km/h.

Keeping all that power on the road, the tuners fitted new electronically controlled sports suspension that can be continuously adjustable with multiple settings for compression and rebound, while a hidden boot lid spoiler made from clear coated carbon fibre gives it a look lacking in many saloons.

Inside customer have a range of interior picks such as leather, Alcantara, Blu Ray players along with other multimedia systems totally customizable. This whole package sits on 21-inch alloy wheels with five double spoke covered in Pirelli P Zero high-performance tires in sizes 255/30 ZR 21 up front and 295/30 ZR 21 at the back. No pricing details are available but anything that gives this high performance Italian saloon more power is money well spent. Meanwhile enjoy the picture gallery after the jump.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 12:52:40 +0000.

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Next-gen Maserati Quattroporte to get big efficiency boost

Jacob Alexander — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 03:05:48 +0000

The Maserati Quattroporte limo has always traded on looks and “soul” compared to its more sterile German rivals. But even Maserati cannot ignore the fact that emissions and efficiency are highly regarded matters today, and will equip the next generation Quattroporte with a host of measures that will reduce fuel consumption by 25%.

They include start-stop technology, weight reduction of 15% and downsized V6 and V8 engines. The Quattroporte will also adopt ZF’s eight-speed automatic transmission currently available in the BMW 7-Series and Audi A8. Besides all that, Maserati will also introduce four-wheel drive to their flagship, allowing it to better compete with Audi’s Quattro equipped A8. No mention when it will debut though.

At the Automotive News Europe Congress, CEO Harald J. Wester said that Maserati’s global sales are on track to be 15% higher than last year, which recorded 4,489 units, 49% lower than in 2008. In Malaysia, Maserati is distributed by Naza Italia, which also handles Ferrari. Both exotic Italian brands share a same building in Petaling Jaya, which is home to one of only 55 units of the Maserati MC12 in the world.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 12:52:40 +0000.

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Maserati GranCabrio company car for Alonso

Danny Tan — Sun, 21 Mar 2010 18:18:09 +0000

Ferrari’s highest profile employee, two-time Formula 1 champion Fernando Alonso, has chosen a Maserati GranCabrio as his company car. The Scuderia’s race winner at the season opening Bahrain GP “collected” his new car at the Fiorano track. The fact that he picked Maserati’s big drop top over something from Ferrari’s road car range shows that the ex-Renault man prefers a relaxed driving experience off the track.

Alonso’s stealthy GranCabrio is in “Grigio Granito” body colour, while the Maser’s two-tone cabin upholstery is a combination of Pearl Beige and Bordeaux leather. The car’s canvas top is in the same dark red hue. Alonso, whose wife is a Spanish pop star, was said to be particularly impressed by the space offered by the GranCabrio, which has plush seating for four adults.

Based on the Trident brand’s GranTurismo coupe, the Pininfarina penned cabriolet is powered by a 4.7-litre V8 with 440 bhp/490 Nm mated to a ZF 6-speed automatic gearbox. Its canvas top folds up in only 20 seconds, and is available in six colours. Naza Italia, official importer of Ferrari and Maserati in Malaysia, should be importing this model in the near future. Both the GranTurismo and Quattroporte limo are currently available at the company’s Petaling Jaya showroom.

More images after the jump.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 12:52:40 +0000.

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Special Alfa MiTo courtesy cars for Maserati owners

Danny Tan — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 04:08:09 +0000

Courtesy cars are nice to have when you send in your car for dealer attention, but when you own an Italian exotic, not any courtesy car will do, as you still need to look stylish without your mega bucks ride. It’ll be perfect if your temporary car is also Italian, and also exotic.

Well, here is it. The Alfa Romeo MiTo is also Italian and also exotic, albeit on a different level. European Maserati owners will now get MiTo courtesy cars produced exclusively by Alfa Romeo for sister company Maserati. 100 units of these special purpose cars will be made, painted in Maserati Blu Oceano and with a limited edition plaque on the dashboard. The little car’s kick plates will also bear the words “Alfa Romeo for Maserati”.

Based on the range topping MiTo, it will be powered by a 1.4-litre MultiAir turbo engine with 170 bhp. Creature comforts include Pelle Frau leather and a radio navigator covering the whole of Europe. Maser’s MiTo will also get 18-inch alloys and Dynamic Suspension electronic shock absorber control system.

Designer casual wear when you’re not in the usual designer suit. Same concept as Aston Martin’s Cygnet, but this one is not for sale! More pictures after the jump!

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 12:52:40 +0000.

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Ferrari to share Detroit show stand with Chrysler

Danny Tan — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 05:35:36 +0000

Glamour brands Ferrari and Maserati will be present at the 2010 Detroit Motor Show – Maranello was absent last year – but will share the same floor space with the Chrysler Group! High-end marques normally set up shop at the show’s luxury row, so imagine seeing the Ferrari 458 Italia next to a Dodge Ram and a Jeep Wrangler!

But that’s where the Italians will be, sandwiched between Dodge and Jeep brands. Both are part of the Chrysler Group, now part of the greater Fiat Group, which has Ferrari and Maserati under its umbrella. One big happy family indeed!

Chrysler is reportedly not hosting a press conference at this year’s show, so its new neighbours will do the job of drawing in the crowd. The Lancia Delta rebadged as a Chrysler is set to be one of the few “new” offerings on display.

The North American International Auto Show 2010 press preview starts on January 11, and we will bring you the best Detroit has to offer so keep your eyes peeled!

Source

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 12:52:40 +0000.

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Limited-edition Maserati GranTurismo S MC Sport Line targets the Middle East with ICE finishing

Danny Tan — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 05:50:06 +0000

It doesn’t matter what the current world economic situation is, the Middle East can always be counted on to lap up luxury goods, be it that Louis Vuitton handbag in Starhill or ordering a Veyron for the Palm Jumeirah mansion back home. Exotic car manufacturers are a major beneficiary of this excess, but this is the most obvious seduction attempt so far: Maserati has produced a limited-edition GranTurismo S MC Sport Line with Matt White “ICE” finishing specially for the Middle East, unveiled last week at an exclusive event for selected Arab customers at Abu Dhabi’s Yas Marina Circuit.

Only twelve of these GranTurismos will be made, representing twelve world titles won by the MC12 in the FIA GT International Championship since 2005: two Constructors’ Cups, four Drivers’ Titles, five Teams’ Titles and one Citation Cup. Twelve also signifies the Middle Eastern cities where Maserati is present with a dedicated showroom: each car will feature a plaque with the name of the city it’s allocated to.

For the GranTurismo S, MC suspension brings a 10mm lower ride height, stiffer dampers and larger-diameter anti-roll bars that reduce roll by 20%. Overall rigidity is increased by 16% at the front and 32% at the rear. This is combined with drilled, slotted front and rear disc brakes plus a re-calibrated Maserati Stability Programme that allows the driver “greater freedom of action”.

MC Sport Line options (available to Maserati clients worldwide) include an Aerodynamic Package that consists of double front winglets, rear lip spoiler, door sill inserts, black window surrounds, black exhaust pipes and body coloured door handles. Carbon fibre door mirrors and handles are also available. Maserati claims that these wind tunnel developed parts increase vertical load, allowing faster cornering and improved traction. Other add ons include gloss black alloys, dash carbon trim and aluminium racing pedals.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 12:52:40 +0000.

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Spider GranTurismo called the Maserati GranCabrio

Paul Tan — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 03:01:01 +0000

Here are an initial 4 photos of the new Maserati GranCabrio, essentially a drop top version of the GranTurismo. There are no photos of the GranCabrio with the top up right now but it has a soft top made of canvas, which is quite obvious looking at the length of the area behind the passenger cabin compared to the roof length required to cover up the cabin. Under the hood is of course Maserati’s 4.7 litre V8, putting out 433 horsepower. Of course with most cars scheduled only to debut at Frankfurt, details are scarce whenever the manufacturer decides to “tease” us with a few images and some details, so for the full release we’ll have to wait for Frankfurt.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 12:52:40 +0000.

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GALLERY: Naza Italia Lifestyle Centre in PJ

Paul Tan — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 07:30:27 +0000

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The Naza Italia Lifestyle Centre is the largest Ferrari and Maserati showroom out of Italy. Sitting beside the Federal Highway in PJ, it has 2 floors with Ferrari on the ground floor and Maserati on the top. I paid a visit last week to check out the limited edition Ferrari Scuderia 16M Spyder. Have a look at some photos after the jump, and remember you can click the images for a larger resolution version!

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This is the front entrance to the showroom. The stairs you see on the left takes you up to the second level which showcases the Maseratis.

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This is the reception area. Even the reception counter looks quite luxurious as it is wrapped with leather! The showroom manager says most of the crowd comes in the mornings before lunch, with heavier traffic during the weekends.

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Probably the only Ferraris I can afford, these are for very very young drivers, haha!

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The Ferrari model range on display. In the foreground is the F430 Spider. Its soft top folds down into an area between the seating area and the engine bay within 20 seconds.

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The F430 has two types of brakes available – regular cast-iron Brembos and Carbon fibre-reinforced Silicon Carbide ceramic composite brakes. The latter are more expensive and have higher resistance to heat and brake fade. Ferrari claims the brakes do not fade even after 300 to 350 laps on their test track!

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This is the limited edition 16M, done in a matte grey!

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Massive brakes are expected for this model.

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I can’t believe this badge is also found on the Hyundai Matrix.

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The V8 peeks through the glass window of the engine bay.

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This baby puts out 510 PS at a screaming 8,500rpm and 470Nm of torque at 5,250rpm and takes the 16M from 0 to 100km/h in only 3.7 seconds.

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The exhaust backbox of the 16M.

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It’s said that this unit was sent in by Ferrari for showcase purposes for a limited time only, but apparently already 3 Malaysians have booked this baby. That’s really amazing considering there are only 499 available in the world.

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Another angle of the models on display.

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This is the lounge for the Ferrari Club Malaysia members usage.

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The engine bay of the Enzo Ferrari looks quite different from its other siblings. It looks way more hardcore and track-like somehow, more barren and purposeful rather than focusing on looking good, but yet somehow ends up looking nice in a different way anyway, because we know the raw power it produces – 660 PS and 657Nm of torque from a normally aspirated 6.0 litre V12.

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According to Naza Italia, this is the only remaining Enzo in the world that has not been registered to a customer. You could probably call this Naza’s car, but since Naza is also the dealer, technically it does not have an “owner” yet. The last one out of 399 units.

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This is the Ferrari merchandise corner – caps, shirts, perfume, and soon watches.

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This is the customisation area, where a Ferrari buyer will be able to select the materials he wants in his car. When you’re paying this much you’d better be able to have pink leather if you want!

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Various trim and alloy wheel designs as well as brake caliper paint.

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The various types of leather.

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Now we go upstairs to check out the Maseratis.

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Of course a Maserati owner has the same customisation options too.

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They have an MC12 here, what most people call the Enzo of Maseratis. It is built on the Enzo’s chassis but its larger than the Enzo. There are only 55 in the world, but 5 are not for sale, with the remaining 50 produced in 2 batches. The engine is based on the Enzo’s but tuned differently, it has a lower redline of 7,500rpm compared to the Enzo’s 8,200rpm for example.

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The new permanent service center is still under construction so service now runs at a temp area nearby.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 12:52:40 +0000.

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Naza Italia 4S Centre for Ferrari and Maserati

Paul Tan — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 03:14:50 +0000

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Naza Italia Sdn Bhd, sole distributor and importer for Ferrari & Maserati will be opening the largest lifestyle centre for both these marques on 31 March 2009 in Petaling Jaya.

It consists of a state-of-the-art 4S (sales, service, systems & spare-parts) centre, including two-level Ferrari and Maserati showroom which houses the latest and most current models, as well as a contemporary lounge with full facilities for Ferrari Owners Club members and Maserati owners to enjoy.

The Naza Italia Lifestyle Centre is open to all and offers an extensive array of brand merchandise to both Ferrari & Maserati fans, owners & enthusiasts, as well as providing the owners the assurance that their Italian luxury marques will well cared for and maintained in pristine condition.

The showroom will be officiated by His Royal Majesty The King of Malaysia Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin.

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This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 12:52:40 +0000.

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VIDEO: Maserati GranTurismo S Automatic Promo

Paul Tan — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 17:32:40 +0000

Maserati has released promotional on the road footage of a beautiful white Maserati GranTurismo S Automatic cruising down a countryside. Despite its Ferrari-derived 4.7 litre V8, the driver in the promo video never found the need to trash the car down a straight road, he just cruised along enjoying the scenery of the countryside and coastal roads and the deep bassy rumble that V8s make at low revs (that we unfortunately cannot hear – the video has some background music instead). Maybe because he didn’t feel like he had to, I dunno about you but to me Maseratis invoke entirely different feelings compared to the rawness of a Ferrari, a Maserati is more Aston Martin-like but with more Italian flair. I wish there was a higher resolution version but couldn’t find one – watch it after the jump. I’ll update the copy if I find a hi-res version.

VIDEO: Maserati GranTurismo S Automatic

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Naza Italia’s Maserati “Fabulous in White” Party

Paul Tan — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 16:19:02 +0000

Naza Italia Sdn Bhd which was appointed sole distributor and importer of Maserati, threw an amazing 3 night party attended by over 600 people, including members of Malaysian high society, AMEX Platinum members and members of the Ferrari Owners Club on Thursday 26/2, Friday 27/2 and Saturday 28/2.

The party’s theme ‘Fabulous in White’ saw many of Malaysia’s corporate captains splendidly dressed in white mixing and mingling with the A-list crowd and local celebrities at an elegant event which reflected the sophistication and class of the Maserati.

Look after the jump for more shots of the event.

Emilia Hanafi and SM Faisal

SM Faisal and Dato SM Zulkifli Amin

Emilia Hanafi and Datuk Siti Nurhaliza

Datin Mazlifah, Marissa Hanafi, Emilia Hanafi, Elisa Hanafi

Emilia Hanafi and Datuk Siti Nurhaliza

Izran Salleh and SM Faisal

Marissa Hanafi, Elisa Hanafi, Tunku Kaiyisah and Natasha Ozeir

Emilia Hanafi, Tengku Aslahuddin, Soria Erica Ellina Lane, SM Faisal

Bernie Chan and Xandria Ooi

Gary Yew and Izran Salleh

Andrea Cavedgani, SM Faisal, Simone Niccolai

Syed Idid, Chermaine Poo

Zaida Ibrahim and Rozie Mastor

Vijayan Venugopal, Gauri Kumarashwaran

Carl Iskandar, Tengku Azran

Tengku Aslahuddin, Sofia Erica Ellina Lane

Azlan Iskandar and Yiu Lin

Sean Ghazi

Tengku Aslahuddin, SM Faisal, Tengku Azran, Carl Iskandar

Syed Idid and Ahmad Shah

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 12:52:40 +0000.

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Full range of Maserati Quattroporte and Maserati GranTurismo models now available in Malaysia!

Paul Tan — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 11:49:37 +0000

The sexy new Maserati Gran Turismo and Maserati Quattroporte are now in Malaysia, brought to you by new distributors Naza Italia Sdn Bhd, which also deals with that other sexy Italian marque, Ferrari. The complete Maserati range will be sold here in Malaysia including the new Maserati Quattroporte Sport GT S and the Maserati GranTurismo S Automatic which will be launched soon at the Geneva show sometime this month.

“Naza Italia’s automotive track record and the leadership of SM Faisal are truly the winning formula, which we seek. We feel privileged to have a highly experience partner who shares the same passion as we do at Maserati and that is a highly valuable asset, which will undoubtedly assure our market success here in Malaysia,” said Maserati Asia-Pacific Managing Director Simone Niccolai.

Naza Italia Sdn Bhd CEO SM Faisal says the segment in which these super luxury cars are in are not affected very much during these bad economic times as they deal with a very upper group of society and a limited production, so there is always demand. In Malaysia, SM Faisal says these privileged people can actually take advantage of the falling British pound and falling overseas used car prices when looking for good deals for used luxury cars.

A total of RM 10 million have been invested into Naza Italia’s flagship 45,000 square feet 4S center situated next to the Naza Auto Mall PJ which will include a car showroom, aftersales service area with dedicated waiting lounge, a delivery bay and also offer the sales of genuine Maserati accessories and merchandise.

Naza Italia will also offer the full range of customisation options, something that is only offered and enjoyed in Malaysia by the top notch brands. A Maserati owner can actually customise his car according to his own tastes and choose from various options of leather, stitching, carpets, roof linings, wood and lacquer finishes. You can not only pick your own wheel design but even the colours of the brake calipers!

These new batches of Maseratis in Malaysia are actually better as they are equipped with the new option of a 6-speed ZF automatic transmission. Previous buyers of Maseratis had to settle for an automated manual clutch rear-mounted transaxle transmission derived from a Ferrari transmission which is by nature sportier and harsher because it is a manual gearbox with a computer-controlled clutch and not as comfortable as a real automatic. The new automatic is now mounted directly behind the engine at the front.

The sexy Gran Turismo will start at RM 1,080,000 while the 4-door Quattroporte powered by a 4.2 litre V8 with 400 horsepower will be an alternative to the Mercedes-Benz S 500 starting from RM 1.3 million, depending on how much a customer wants to customise his car. Maserati has allocated 20 units and already 6 have been sold. For the “S” models of both cars, naturally the price will go up from there.

I can’t wait to see the Gran Turismo on Malaysian roads!

Look after the jump for more hi-res galleries of the Maseratis.

GALLERY: Maserati Quattroporte

GALLERY: Maserati Gran Turismo

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 12:52:40 +0000.

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Maserati 250F F1 car: greatest race car ever?

Paul Tan — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 10:27:41 +0000

Picture Source

One of the most iconic cars in Maserati’s history has also been voted the world’s greatest racing car ever by British magazine Octane. This car is the Maserati 250F and it was a Formula One car, which debuted in the 1954 season and used by customer teams until 1960. The name 250F refers to the specs that were instated for F1 in 1954 – a maximum engine capacity of 2.5 litres hence the 250 number, and F refers to Formula One naturally. Those rules also stipulated 750cc supercharged engines but Maserati decided to take the normally aspirated route.

It was built on a simple multi-tubular ladder-like frame which carries the suspension, body panels and engine. The rear used a De Dion axle while the front was of a double wishbone design. Maserati engineers paid their full attention to the engine that powered the car, a 2.5 litre inline-6 with twin spark dual spark ignition and 3 Weber 45 DCO3 Caburattors. It produced 270 horsepower at 8,000rpm. For those that complain about cars coming with rear drum brakes these days, this F1 car used drum brakes all-round!

Click for enlarged image

The 1950s Formula One world were dominated by road-car teams like Maserati together with Alfa Romeo, Ferrari, Mercedes-Benz. The Maserati 250F competed in a total of 46 F1 championships with 277 entries and won 8 times. Its performance in its first two races exceeded Maserati’s expectations where it was driven by Juan-Manuel Fangio to victory before he unfortunately left to the newly-formed Mercedes-Benz team.

VIDEO: Fangio driving the 250F Maserati in Modena, Italy in the 1950s

Thanks to the beauty of the internet you can even check out Fangio driving the 250F from its on-board cam today, recorded all the way back in the 1950s!

“It steered beautifully, and inclined towards stable oversteer which one could exploit by balancing it against power and steering in long sustained drifts through corners. It rode well on the normal type of relatively smooth-surfaced course, although its small coil springs and leaf spring rear-end would use up available suspension movement over the bumps at the Ring,” said a young Stirling Moss who drove it as a private racer.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 12:52:40 +0000.

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Maserati GranTurismo S Automatic with a 433HP 4.7 V8 to debut in Geneva

Harvinder Sidhu — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 06:36:54 +0000

Italian sports car maker; Maserati which is about to be re-launched in Malaysia, has announced that it will unveil the Maserati GranTurismo S Automatic at the Geneva Motor Show which will initiate next week in Switzerland. According to the auto maker, the GranTurismo S Automatic features a 4.7 litre glorious V8 which is able to develop 433 Italian horses at 7,000 sweet revs. Pulling power is rated at 490Nm at 4,750 revs.

Well, it looks the same as the standard GranTurismo but, this time round, Maserati has mated the 4.7 V8 to a 6 speed ZF automatic transmission. Until now, the automatic tranny is only mated to the 4.2 litre power plant, while the current GranTurismo with the 4.7 litre V8 is coupled with an electro-actuated gearbox.

Other features offered with the GranTurismo S Automatic include; Skyhook suspension system featuring continuously adjustable dampers which offers improved driving comfort and a range of new generation passenger air-bags with Low Risk Deployment functionality; just to name a few. The Maserati Multi Media System with Bluetooth connectivity and iPod interface also comes as a standard fitment.

Although it features the same exterior design, a number of design elements have been added just for the GranTurismo S Automatic, such as new under-door mini-skirts featuring a prominent shape as well as new 20 inch wheel rims with “Trident” design.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 12:52:40 +0000.

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The Maserati Story: since 1914, how the sexy Italian marque came to be!

Paul Tan — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 03:44:29 +0000

The Maserati Story began in end-1914 when a company called Società Anonima Officine Alfieri Maserati was formed by the Maserati brothers. The company started building custom racecars for private use and the brothers went on to score many wins around the world with their cars. 23 years later, the Maserati brothers sold their stake in Maserati to the Orsi family. The company continued to find success in motorsports, winning various races such as the Indy 500. Before it ended up in Fiat/Ferrari’s hands today, it passed through a few owners actually, such as the Orsi family I mentioned earlier, and later Citroen, De Tomaso and later Fiat.

Under the Orsi ownership the company built mostly race cars such as the Maserati A6GCM, the 4CL/4CLT and the A6, but towards the end shifted slowly towards road cars such as the Maserati 3500. You could say the Maserati 3500 (shown above) was the company’s first attempt at a GT car and is the current Maserati GranTurismo’s great great great great grandfather.

Of course the definition of a GT back then was pretty much the same as it is now – looks good, powerful, and enough luggage space for both you and your partner (such as the lady above though I recommend she to be safe in the passenger seat instead) to go a pan-European journey. It was powered by a 3.5 litre straight-six engine with a 42 DCOE Weber carburettor putting out 220 horsepower at 5,500rpm. It had mechanical Magneti-Marelli ignition, twin spark plugs and two fuel pumps. The engine was derived from the 350S and was matched to a 4-speed ZF gearbox with no overdrive. Power went to the rear via a live axle, but the front had a wishbone and coil spring setup. The same chassis also spawned the 5000 GT, powered by a 5.0 litre V8 with 325 horsepower, thanks to Lucas mechanical injection or four 45 DCOE Weber carburettors.

This car you see here is from the same era and also based on the 3500. It’s known as either the Maserati Sebring or the Maserati GTiS, with the S standing for Sebring, named after the Maserati’s 12 Hours of Sebring racing victory in 1957. It started off mechanically similiar to the 3500 but later evolved into 3700 GTiS and 4000 GTiS forms with a 3.7 litre engine and a 255 horsepower 4.0 litre engine respectively. The Sebring was named by Jeremy Clarkson as the #77 car on his Top 100 cars list. The Sebring had an automatic option, a 3-speed BorgWarner gearbox.

Photo Source

The 1967 Maserati Ghibli outsold the Ferrari Daytone and the Lamborghini Miura during its day. Under its hood was a 330 horsepower quad-cam V8 engine that gave it a 0 to 100km/h acceleration time of 6.8 seconds. It had 2 fuel tanks, which could be accessed from flaps at either side of the roof pillars. A convertible version that was relatively rare went on sale 2 years after the coupe’s debut, but the coupe still outsold it by 10 to 1.

Under Citroen ownership came models like the Maserati Quattroporte II (translation – Maserati Four Door) which was actually based on the Citroen SM. It was very Citroen – it even had the hydropneumatic suspension that Citroens were famous for. The Frenchies didn’t do very well with this model – it’s V6 engine wasn’t very appealing as it was less than 200 horsepower and there was also an oil crisis going on.

Under De Tomaso ownership in the late 70s and 80s, Maserati shifted focus more to squarish front engine, rear wheel drive cars. Examples of such cars are the Maserati Biturbo, the Maserati Quattroporte III and the Maserati Ghimbli II. The Quattroporte III (shown above) went back to looking Italian and was penned by Giugiaro. It was designed to compete with the 450SEL 6.9, and was powered by a 251 horsepower 4.2L engine or a 4.9 litre V8 with 280 horsepower.

The Ghibli II was a fairly new car – it was released in 1992, one year before De Tomaso handed over Maserati to Fiat. The Ghibli was a 2-door coupe using engines from the Maserati Biturbo series. You could have it in either a 2.0 litre V6 or a 2.8 litre V6 with either a 5-speed manual or a 4-speed automatic. The Ghibli had several special editions including a race-ready Ghibli Open Cup which featured roller-bearing turbos, a freer-flowing exhaust, and remapped fuel computers. It also had a carbon-fiber trimmed stripped down interior with aluminium pedals and a MOMO steering wheel.

Of course, Maseratis started getting a whole lot more sexier during its Ferrari/Fiat ownership. It heralded pretty much a new era on how Maseratis looked like. That is of course a story for another day, another day this week to be exact, so stay tuned for more Maserati stories this week as we count down to the relaunch of the Maserati marque in Malaysia!

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 12:52:40 +0000.

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Maserati set to make a comeback in Malaysia

Paul Tan — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 13:03:28 +0000

The word through the grapevines is that Maserati will be making an official comeback to Malaysia with an official dealer/distributor representing the brand. The Maserati brand was previously distributed by Next Car Sdn Bhd. Now that is definitely good news to me as I no longer have to stand around Orchard street to catch a glimpse of the Maserati GranTurismo that I am so infatuated with.

Many see Maseratis as more sedate Ferraris that are easier to live with, and according to JPJ data, 2008 saw 1 Maserati GranTurismo and 2 Maserati Quattroportes being registered. Numbers are relative but this is quite a small amount compared to the previous years where 2 Maserati Cambiocorsa, 1 Maserati Gransport and 7 Maserati Quattroportes were registered in 2006, and another 7 units of the Quattroporte in 2007.

When it was still sold here in Malaysia, a Quattroporte went for just a little over RM1 million, which puts it head to head with the likes of the Mercedes-Benz S500L and the BMW 750Li.

With an official distributor back in the game, these numbers could pick up. An official announcement will be made by the end of this quarter. I am a long way to affording such a machine but I do wish to see more of these babies on the road purely for eye candy purposes.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 12:52:40 +0000.

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VIDEO: The sexy Maserati GranTurismo

Paul Tan — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 03:33:16 +0000

One of things I look forward to whenever I go down to Singapore is watching the seemingly endless amounts of Maserati GranTurismo coupes going up and down Orchard road. If you’re a fan of the Maserati GranTurismo or simply any car with a sexy red leather interior, you’ll enjoy the video after the jump.

Video: Maserati GranTurismo Promo Footage

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 12:52:40 +0000.

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Maserati Quattroporte Sport GT S 4.7 V8

Paul Tan — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 21:04:14 +0000

The Maserati Quattroporte Sport GT S is scheduled for a Detroit 09 debut and is supposed to be the “ultimate expression of Maserati’s sportiness” in the Quattroport range. While power is only up by a very little amount, most of the technical changes that differentiate the Quattroporte S and this new Sport GT S are in the details such as how aggressive it look and what kind of sound emits from its exhaust.

A minor increase from 317kW to 323kW (433 bhp) is achieved via remapping the 4.7 litre V8 engine also found in the Quattroporte S. The car’s gearshift management software also has been updated. The fron and rear suspension features single-rate dampers, stiffer springs and also contribute to lowering the car’s ride height.

On the exterior, the Sport GT S has a new black grille with concave vertical fins. The Trident logo has red accents, similiar to other sporty Maseratis. The headlamps have a metallic titanium finish, and the side trim on the doors, door handles, and twin oval exhaust tailpipes is called “shadowline”, which once again implies a darker look.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 12:52:40 +0000.

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Maserati GranTurismo MC Corse Concept

Paul Tan — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 01:10:33 +0000

Maserati’s GranTurismo MC Corse Concept takes the Maserati GranTurismo S and race-preps it with a new intake system, a competition-spec catalyst, a center exist exhaust, an increased track, new front splitter, rear spoiler and side skirts for better aerodynamic efficiency, 18 inch wheels with racing slick tyres and an upgraded suspension for track usage. The intake, cat and exhaust modifications above bring the 4.7 litre V8 engine found in the GranTurismo S up by 10 horses to 450 horsepower.

Look after the jump for photos of the MC Corse.

PHOTO GALLERY: Maserati GranTurismo MC Corse Concept
Click thumbnails to view high resolution photo

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This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 12:52:40 +0000.

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VIDEO: Maserati Granturismo S

Paul Tan — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 16:53:07 +0000

Like the Quattroporte S, the Maserati Granturismo S is a more powerful version of the “base” model, featuring a 4.7 litre V8 engine producing 440hp at 7,000rpm and an impressive peak torque of 490Nm at 4,750rpm. The gearbox is located at the rear transaxle and is a 6-speed manual with an electronically-actuated clutch which can shift at up to 100ms when required. Normal gear changes are slower and smoother, but if you are in the manual sport mode with at least 80% throttle and you shift above 5,500rpm, the fast 100ms shifting mode is activated.

Look after the jump for two videos and a hi-res gallery of this beautiful machine.

VIDEO: Maserati Granturismo S

VIDEO: Maserati Granturismo S in motion

PHOTO GALLERY: Maserati Granturismo S
Click thumbnails to view high resolution photo

[cpg_album:39]

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 12:52:40 +0000.

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Maserati Quattroporte gets facelift and S variant

Paul Tan — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 19:46:58 +0000

Maserati has given the Maserati Quattroporte a mid-life facelift that features a new front grille with vertical slats, new front and rear lights, a more prominent under-door moulding, and new door mirrors. On the interior you get a new centre console and a rearrange control design. The car also gets the new Maserati Multimedia System satnav.

New to the Quattroporte range is the Maserati Quattroporte S featuring the new 430 horsepower 4.7 litre V8 from the Maserati GranTurismo S, while the Quattroporte soldiers on with its 400 horsepower 4.2 litre V8. Both engines are mated to a ZF quick-shifting 6-speed gearbox.

Two more images after the jump.

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Maserati Spyder to debut at Frankfurt 2007

Paul Tan — Tue, 03 Apr 2007 02:47:00 +0000

Maserati is preparing a Spyder version of the new Maserati GranTurismo, essentially a short-wheel-based cabriolet of the car. It will make it’s public debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September 2007. Engine and transmission will likely be the same, and you’d be happy to know it will come with a proper automatic instead of a computer controlled manual clutch which is seen as some to be too unrefined for a luxury car.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 12:52:40 +0000.

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