Johannesburg, 21 July 2014– Italian luxury car manufacturer Maserati continues its global expansion strategy and reports that sales in the Middle East and Africa region have increased by 152 percent in the first half of 2014 compared to last year’s result of the same period. In fact, the result of the first six months of 2014 exceeds the sales of 2013 overall. Globally, Maserati aims to achieve an annual sales volume of 50,000 units over the coming years, primarily through new products and entering new markets.
Within the MEA region, the trident brand reports its highest sales in the United Arab Emirates. The market grew by over 226 percent since last year. Second highest – in terms of vehicles delivered to customers – is Saudi Arabia, registering 231 percent growth. Total numbers, however, remain very exclusive.
The most successful model of the first half is the new Maserati Ghibli, which was launched earlier in the year and received a very warm welcome by customers wanting to realize their dream of owning a Maserati.
Sales of Maserati’s flagship, the Quattroporte, grew by a further 79 percent following its introduction in 2013, driven largely by the UAE and Saudi Arabia. The introduction of a further engine variant, a 330 hp V6, is expected in the third quarter of this year.
At the same time, the legendary GranTurismo and GranCabrio will experience a revival with the arrival of the limited Centennial Edition.
“The MEA region and the emerging markets in general allow us to grow while maintaining our exclusivity in the existing markets. With the new Quattroporte and Ghibli we have a very strong product portfolio complementing the GranTurismo and GranCabrio. Over the coming years we look forward to a new introduction in the SUV segment and the Maserati Alfieri, which was first presented at the 2014 Geneva Motor Show,” explains Umberto Cini, Managing Director of Maserati Global Overseas Markets.
Maserati celebrates its centennial this year – an auspicious occasion as Maserati is at a turning point in its history. The luxury brand celebrates its centenary with an event at its headquarters in Modena, Italy, in September for which thousands of Maserati fans and owners from around the world will gather for a succession of races, exhibitions, parades, visits to the two Maserati factories and a concours d’elegance.
