Just last week I mentioned the poor sales for the Hummer and speculated that gas prices could have something to do with it. How then to explain the high sales of the Maserati, a car known for its sleek looks and high price but not its gas mileage? Bloomberg reports that sales of Fiat's Maseratis jumped 20 percent in the U.S. last month and are up 16 percent in this year when sales of all luxury cars are down 15 percent.
Auto analyst Wes Brown says that Maserati fills a niche, it's a bit more distinctive than a Mercedes but not quite as pricey as a Ferrari or Lamborghini. Maserati says that the average purchaser is a 54-year-old male with household income of $750,000. These gentlemen certainly aren't getting fuel economy. The 405-horsepower Maserati GranTurismo coup gets 13 miles per gallon in the city and 19 on the highway, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The Quattroporte, with a list price starting at around $120,000 gets 12 mpg in the city and 18 on the highway. Not exactly fuel saving numbers but then again, buyers aren't looking for a workhorse for their commuting needs, this is a pleasure vehicle.
Is this just more of the continued high spending at the top of the luxury market or is there something special about the Maserati that makes the buyer want to throw caution, and sidelong looks at gas pumps, to the wind?
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
7-12-2008 @ 6:17PM
verdegrrl said...
I know a number of Maserati owners. For many, this is their daily car, with a Ferrari as their weekend car. Yes, they are apparently reliable enough for the task.
More involving and focussed on driving pleasure than Mercedes (which does indeed make some fast and nicely finished cars), yet more practical than an Aston Martin, less brash than a Bentley, yet more sensuous than a Jaguar. It's a Goldilocks situation of having just the right stuff to make many people happy.
Additionally, the fuel economy is comparable within a few mpg of the CL550, Continental GT, V8 Vantage, and XK. Yes, many owners also have a mundane car or two for when they wish to be anonymous.
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7-13-2008 @ 12:14AM
Henry said...
Doctor's wives are leaving the SL500's behind in favor of the Maser.
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7-13-2008 @ 5:12AM
Graffitimonkie said...
I must say that the mileage isn't any worst off than someone who decides that they'll drive around in a Heavy Duty Pick up truck for daily commutes anyway. The price tag is just different.
And I don't know if many 54 year olds have worked their lives to save up all there money, and are able to comfortably retire soon at the top of their industries to worry about a few extra bucks spent on gas, it definitely fills in that niche market where the consumers all have relatively similar needs at the moment. It would be awesome if they could squeeze in a few extra mpg though to reduce global demand for gas by a bit without the sacrifice to performance. But on a relative point of view, there aren't enough Masterati's sold to really effect any actual supply/demand variables drastic enough for environment or price concerns.
http://www.tranharry.com/daily/
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7-14-2008 @ 2:27PM
Rick Dobbs said...
I don't think that people in the Maserati market are ones that really care about gas prices, whereas Hummer owners were people who were looking for inexpensive luxury (comparatively to Maserati). Once the reality of gas prices hit and Hummer owners saw the gas mileage of other cars in the same price range, it became a no brainer.
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7-14-2008 @ 4:51PM
JEBCEO said...
Also, I'm sure the conspicuousness of Hummers compared to all other vehicles is contributing to it's demise. I see the dirty looks Hummer drivers get, even from those driving equally gas-inefficient cars.
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7-19-2008 @ 8:11AM
Mark said...
The main reason for the increase in sales is the new model. It's one of the best looking cars on the road, and is more capable than the outgoing models.
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