If you own a Maserati model and you bring in your vehicle for servicing, do not be surprised if you will be offered an Alfa Romeo MiTo instead of another Maserati as your courtesy car while your vehicle is getting serviced. Alfa Romeo will be providing 100 units of limited edition MiTo models to Maserati to serve as courtesy cars for Maserati customers.

The limited edition MiTo will feature an exclusive deep blue paint and will come with a “Limited Edition” plaque on its A/C unit. On top of these, the said model will have a specially treated aluminum kick plate with the phrase “Alfa Romeo for Maserati” as well as standard Pelle Frau upholstery and many other luxurious features. Under the hood, it will feature a 170-hp 1.4 MultiAir Turbobenzina engine, considered as the most powerful engine in the MiTo line-up.

You can check out the press release at Maserati for complete details about this limited edition MiTo.

Speed and power.

Every auto enthusiast brightens up to those words. And, many crave for vehicles that can offer these two exciting elements in every drive. In fact, vehicles like Ferrari, Maserati, and Aston Martin are looked up to in the automotive world.

But while speed and power spell fun for many drivers, for the Bardsley family they spell disaster. Speed and power killed the head of the family, 62-year old Frederic Bardsley, when a speeding Maserati slammed into their home last month. The luxury sports car was going between 85 and 96 mph and driven by 36-year old John Ludwig when the tragic incident happened.

Ludwig has already had 13 speeding convictions since 1999. And although the law says that a driver’s license can be revoked after 10 serious violations, that of Ludwig hasn’t been revoked yet because most of his violations were not that serious.

Well, this might just be the final straw. Ludwig has also been charged with murder, and he could face 30 years in prison when convicted.

Click here for the complete story at MSNBC.

When we say Maserati Quattroporte, we mean sportiness, style, class, and luxury. But when we say stretched Maserati Quattroporte limo, what do you think do we mean? Well, see for yourself:

That stretched limo is owned by the Padilla Car Collection, a limo company based in Miami. This limo is for hire. According to the company, it is the only stretched limo in the world, and it can accommodate as many as 10 passengers.

So, what do you think about it?

[Source: Car Scoop]

[Photo Credit: Jalopnik]

Both the Maserati GB and the Centurion Card offer their owners exclusive experiences in different areas of life. And now, the two are joining together to create the ultimate in exclusivity—the Maserati Quattroporte for Centurion Special Series.

Check the press release below to see the complete details:

MASERATI QUATTROPORTE FOR CENTURION SPECIAL SERIES

Maserati GB and American Express Centurion are delighted to announce the arrival of the new Maserati Quattroporte for Centurion special series. Officially unveiled at Forbes House, in London’s Belgravia in front of an exclusive audience of American Express black card holders, the Pininfarina designed luxury saloon was received with great enthusiasm.

The Maserati Quattroporte for Centurion special series is exclusively built to order: finished in stunning metallic Nero Carbonio (carbon black), it features a sumptuous Bianco Polare (polar white) Poltrona Frau® leather interior with embossed Centurion logo on the headrests, a bespoke numbered plaque, titanium coloured trim and 20″ ball polished rims.

The Maserati Quattroporte for Centurion special series is based on the latest evolution of Maserati’s iconic flagship saloon, combining distinctive Italian styling with prodigious performance and peerless driving dynamics. The styling is characterised by the radiator grille, a ‘modern’ classic of Maserati design, accompanied by a range of enhanced technological features, with their most eye-catching expression in the LED rear-light clusters.

The Maserati Quattroporte for Centurion 4.2 is powered by an impressive 400 hp 4.2 litre V8 engine, powering the car to a top speed of 167 mph and allowing it to sprint from 0 to 62 mph in just 5.6 seconds. The fully automatic ZF gearbox ensures a smooth and responsive ride in all conditions.

The Maserati Quattroporte for Centurion 4.7 represents the ultimate fusion of the luxury saloon with Maserati’s renowned sporting prowess. With a 4.7 litre, 430 hp engine under the bonnet, the Maserati Quattroporte for Centurion 4.7 is propelled to an eye watering top speed of 174 mph with a blistering 0 to 62 mph time of just 5.4 seconds. The dual-cast brake discs, combined with the car’s near perfect weight distribution ensure that the Maserati Quattroporte for Centurion 4.7 offers an unparalleled driving experience.

Prices will start from £88,315 for the Maserati Quattroporte for Centurion 4.2 and £94,185 for the Maserati Quattroporte for Centurion 4.7.

Quite improbable, right? But well, as far as the study of the British-based luxury car insurer Hiscox goes, it does. The study conducted a test participated by both men and women who listened to various cars roar—from average cars to luxury ones. And guess what? Do you want to know which car elicited the highest reaction among women?

Read below:

Press Release Luxury cars really do get pulses racing
02/09/2008

London, UK (2 September 2008): New clinical research released today proves that the sound of a luxury car engine appeals to our primal instincts, surprisingly more so for women, even if they claim to have no interest in cars.

The study by luxury motor insurers Hiscox, found that the roar of a Maserati turned women’s heads the most.

Participants of the clinical study were exposed to a recording of various super-car engines being revved. They listened to the roaring engines of a Maserati, a Lamborghini and a Ferrari; and they were also exposed to a recording of a Volkswagen Polo, to ensure a fair comparison of arousal was measured with an every-day vehicle.

After 20 minutes their response was measured by the levels of the hormone, testosterone, secreted in their saliva.

The results showed:

• The Maserati had the biggest impact on women with 100% of the female participants showing a significant increase in testosterone secretion
• 100% of female participants showed a decrease in testosterone in reaction to the Polo
• 50% of male participants showed an increase in testosterone in reaction to the Maserati
• 60% of male participants showed an increase in testosterone in reaction to the Lamborghini

Despite nearly 60% of female participants admitting they were nowhere near as passionate about cars as their male counterparts, the women actually exceeded the men when it came to experiencing driving excitement, showing that their preferences were over-shadowed by their basic instincts.

David Moxon, the psychologist who conducted the study said: “We saw significant peaks in the amount of testosterone in the body, particularly in women. Testosterone is indicative of positive arousal in the human body so we can confidently conclude from the results out today that the roar of a luxury car engine actually does cause a primeval physiological response.”

Prior to the research taking place 63% of women and 66% of men admitted that their heads are turned when they hear a deep throaty roar in the road; proving primal instinct still rules the basic physiology of the human state of arousal in the 21^st century.

Steve Langan, Managing Director of Hiscox UK commented: “We knew owners of luxury cars felt a connection with the sound of their vehicles, many of our customers turn the music down when they start their ignition. We have now scientifically proven the physical attraction people feel when it comes to cars. We are amazed by the results. Luxury cars do quite literally turn heads.”

-ends-

SOURCE: Hiscox

Who would have thought cars can affect men and women’s primal instinct? You think this result would attract more men to buy luxury cars, especially Maserati, just to have more appeal to women? Interesting!

Photo Credit: Final Sense

Most of my recent posts included issues connected with the crisis the auto industry is facing. But, it’s not all bad news; the industry still has some good news for everyone, especially for luxury car lovers. Yep, not all auto companies are seeing a downslide in their chart. There are some (albeit a few), which happily reported increase in sales. And another yep, these are car companies in the luxury category.

Let’s talk about one—Maserati. Last April this year, the company recorded more than a hundred percent increase in its Australian sales. And just recently, it posted 15.2% sales increase, equating to over 7000 cars. Amazing? Yes, especially amid the crisis (almost) the entire auto industry is facing.

Some people are not actually amazed and even said this is to be expected. Why? Simply because the luxury market has been stable from the start and is often immune to economic downturn. After all, people who buy these cars are mostly the very rich who are less susceptible to the effects of the crisis.

But aside from that reason, there are more behind Maserati’s success. One is the great demand for its Quattroporte and Gran Turismo models. Other than their Maserati trademark in terms of exclusivity and performance, these models are also stylish and more appealing to buyers because of the ease by which they can be customized, thanks to their many offered trims and colors.

Added to this, Maserati has also managed to explore a growing market—China—via China Premium Lifestyle Enterprise, even increasing sales on parts and services to reach many customers. Where many fail here, Maserati succeeds. Why? It has just the perfect target audience. And other than China, another perfect market that Maserati is exploring is Saudi Arabia, not because of the boom in its economy due to the soaring of oil price but primarily because the elite have proven to be stable despite changes in the economy. Maserati already earned $186,700 in this market and is expecting more next year.

Way to go Maserati! We’re expecting more good news here!

NOTE: Images courtesy of Cars.Com and AutomobilesReview.Com