Archive for April, 2008
Carrozzeria Touring unveils two new Maserati based cars
Apr 29th
This week, Carrozzeria Touring has unveiled two new Maserati-based cars, including the Quattroporte based Bellagio Fastback and the GranTurismo inspired A8 GCS.
In March 1957 the 3500GT was unveiled to the world at the ‘Salon International de l’Auto’ in Geneva, featuring a body by Allemano, and a second by Carrozzeria Touring of Milan. While Allemano was the traditional designer for vehicles coming from ‘The house of the Trident,’ the elegant Superllegera design from Carrozzeria won out. This was to be Maserati’s first mass-production Gran Turismo, and would lay the foundation upon which Maserati would build, eventually leading to today’s Gran Turismo.
Carrozzeria Touring holds a special place in Maserati’s history, which gives these new models more significance than they might otherwise enjoy.
This is the Carrozzeria Touring Maserati Quattroporte Bellagio Fastback, a 5-door version of the Quattroporte. This car was first shown to the public this week at the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este, on the shores of Lake Como in Italy. Truly a beautiful alternative to the SUV.
And this is the Carrozzeria Touring Maserati A8 GCS. While you might think this is essentially a re-skinned Gran Turismo, it is actually a traditional body-on-frame sports car which shares only engine and transmission with the GT. The car shows a tasteful mix of retro and modern, with a stunning fastback body.
It is worth noting that neither of these cars will be mass-produced, and you’re not likely to see a Carrozzeria Touring badge on a Maserati any time soon, but clearly they are still a world-class design house, and they are still going strong after 80+ years.
Cars & Coffee 2008: April 5th recap
Apr 7th
The first Cars & Coffee event was awesome. About 40 cars showed up, lots of spectators, and afterwards a bunch of us went on a drive out to the Autobahn Motorplex in Chanhassen.
One of the guys uploaded this video:
I have all of the future event details (times, location, map) loaded into my calendar, which you can see here
This promises to be a great regular event throughout the year, so wash your car and come spend some time with us on the first Saturday of each month through October. More events with this group of people are sure to come, so stay tuned!
Quattroporte Collezione Cento – On display in New York
Apr 2nd
The Quattroporte Collezione Cento is the ultra-exclusive, high-tech limited edition of the world’s finest sports sedan, and this is your invitation to view it in person.
“Collezione Cento”, Italian for “Collection of One Hundred”, signals the rarity of this technological, performance and luxury tour de force. The famed Maserati factory will create only 100 of these automotive jewels for clients worldwide, and only a few will be made available to discerning North American enthusiasts. With paint available in an exclusive striking ivory white unique to the Cento, a chromed honeycomb finish for the grille and side air vents, and special 20″ ball-polished alloy wheels, the exterior literally reflects the car’s special status.
Maserati designers and engineers reserved the strongest magic for the Cento’s exciting cabin. Interior badging and the famed Trident logo on the shift lever are in authentic mother of pearl complemented by the texture of Wengé wood trim. The buttery soft leather is, of course, Poltrona Frau, and the seats feature distinctive diamond-stitching that evokes the opulence and craftsmanship of motoring’s first golden era.
While every Quattroporte entertains the occupants of its front seats with breathtaking performance and handling, the Cento reserves some special treats for those riding in the highly adjustable, climate-controlled rear seats. They will enjoy the tremendous personalized multimedia experience offered by Maserati’s leading edge technological innovation and accessibility. As the car traverses cities and continents, the Cento’s rear seat passengers can use the built-in Windows-based PC and large integrated LCD screens and a fold-away wireless keyboard to surf the World Wide Web, manage and enjoy their music through iTunes, and check their e-mail. The multimedia system even includes a matched set of wireless headsets for listening to music and enjoying movies on the built-in DVD player. This is the ultimate in Twenty First Century motoring.
Come and enjoy the craftsmanship and technology of the exclusive Quattroporte Collezione Cento on display only at the Maserati Corporate Showroom, 410 Park Avenue & 55th Street, New York, NY 10022 Stop in any time during business hours or phone ahead to set up a special appointment.
Where:
The Maserati Corporate Showroom
410 Park Avenue at 55th Street
New York, NY
When:
10AM to 7PM Monday through Friday
11AM to 5PM Saturday
Phone Number: 212-593-2080
