Coinciding with the Italian marque's centennial celebrations, Maserati reports the company's best ever sales performance in the Middle East and Africa to date, for the year of 2013. Compared to 2012, 24.5 percent more vehicles bearing the trident marque were delivered to new customers in the region. Sales records were registered across the all GCC and Levant markets. The region's strongest markets in terms of sales volume were Saudi Arabia and the UAE, which closed the year with the highest absolute growth compared to 2012. Maserati's best-selling model of 2013 was the Quattroporte with 50.2 percent of regional sales. The successful 2013 launch of Maserati's new flagship model marked a milestone on the Italian brand's transition from niche manufacturer to globally established luxury carmaker. Available as Quattroporte S (410 hp) or Quattroporte GTS (530 hp), the sixth generation comes at a starting price of $111,500 (GCC). In 2013 the two-door Coupé range was enhanced by a further two new models: the race-bred four-seater GranTurismo MC Stradale and the GranCabrio MC. Commenting on the new regional benchmark, Umberto Cini, Managing Director Maserati Global Overseas Markets, said: “During the past 12 months Maserati has made a giant leap forward in the development of the MEA markets. This historic sales record shows that we are on track for our global mission of producing 50,000 cars annually by 2015. To achieve this, we have heavily invested into the development of our latest models and our new state-of-the-art production facility in Grugliasco, Italy.” By expanding the model line-up as well as its dealer network, Maserati aims to open up its aspirational brand to a wider range of customers, thereby doubling its sales volume across the Middle East and Africa by 2015. The hotly anticipated, all-new Maserati Ghibli will be the cornerstone of another projected record year in 2014. The new sports executive sedan will be available across the Middle East and Africa by the end of the first quarter. The Ghibli marks Maserati's entrance into the E-Segment with an attractive price starting from $$77,000 (GCC). Both versions, the Ghibli and Ghibli S, feature a new-generation twin turbo-charged 3.0-litre V6 petrol engine with 330 and 410 hp respectively. — SG
