Maserati arrives at the Detroit International Motor Show this week looking back on its most successful year ever and entering 2008 with a full order book for its newest model, the GranTurismo.

Maserati arrives at the Detroit International Motor Show this week looking back on its most successful year ever and entering 2008 with a full order book for its newest model, the GranTurismo.

Driven by the sales of the Quattroporte and, in particular the Automatic version that made its debut in 2007, Maserati set a new production record in October of 850 vehicles, a figure higher than its annual production just a few short years earlier. In December the legendary Italian car maker set another record – delivering 1000 cars to new customers in one month.

Through 2007, 7353 cars were delivered to customers, 33.3% more than previous year, via a network of 272 dealers in 59 countries on five continents: the US market was in first place, with 2600 vehicles delivered in 2007, 20,5% more than the preceding year; followed by Italy with 714 vehicles, a 40% increase compared to 2006. In third place was the United Kingdom (611), whose close rivals throughout the year were Germany and Japan. These markets were followed by Switzerland, France, China (eighth place), Arab Emirates and Australia.

The growing sales were also matched by a new financial stability for Maserati. Pending the arrival of the official figures from the Fiat Group, expected at the end of the month, Maserati can look back on the exciting results recorded during the third quarter, when the company earned revenues of € 141 million, up by 33% compared to the same period in 2006.

Total revenues during the first 9 months amounted to € 485 million, an increase of 29.3% and profits of € 6 million from ordinary operations — the exact opposite of the result for the previous 12 months, in which a € 6 million loss was recorded. Looking at the period from January to September, the comparison is even more pronounced: € 6 million profit in 2007, compared to a € 32 million loss in 2006.

These commercial and financial successes are mainly due to the Quattroporte model, restyled for the last Detroit Motor Show with the introduction of automatic transmission, in addition to the Duo Select. Winner of 40 international awards, approximately 15,000 have been delivered since its launch, making it the most successful Maserati of all time. Of all the Quattroporte delivered in 2007, 74% were automatic models and the remainders were Duo Select, in the following versions: Executive GT, Sport GT and Sport GT S, launched at the Frankfurt Motor Show with automatic transmission only.

A study of the figures for the period from January to September 2007 in the eight largest international car markets (in Europe: Italy, Great Britain, Germany, France and Switzerland), and the USA, Japan and Australia, reveals that the Quattroporte is the fourth most popular car in its category (on average), and the second-highest seller in the five European countries. In detail, the best performances were achieved in Italy and France, where the Quattroporte is top of its segment, while in Switzerland and Australia it is second.

At the 2008 Detroit International Motor Show, Maserati’s display will centre on three new models: The Quattroporte Collezione, a new limited edition model focusing on luxury, the Quattroporte Sport GT-S, the most performance orientated variant of Quattroporte, and, of course, the Maserati GranTurismo. The new Maserati coupe was launched in 2007 to acclaim and while it has not matched the Quattroporte in total sales – yet – the GranTurismo is now the fastest selling Maserati of all time, with unparallel demand in all markets.