Maserati expands SA footprint with new Cape Town showroom

The Italian luxury car manufacturer is showcasing its complete model line-up of the Ghibli, Quattroporte, GranTurismo and GranCabrio ranges in South Africa, as well as the the Maserati Levante SUV when it launches locally in September this year. The Maserati Levante is an all-wheel-driven SUV which is already receiving rave reviews overseas.

In April 2016, Maserati announced the appointment of European Automotive Imports - South Africa (EAI-SA), a subsidiary of Maserati’s successful Australian importer EAI, as official Maserati importer. Previously, Viglietti Motors was the sole distributors of Maserati in SA, but have since been renamed Scuderia and their main objective is now Ferrari.

A land of opportunity

But why the South African expansion? Glen Sealey, chief operating officer of EAI’s Maserati operations had the following to say:

"South Africa is certainly a challenging market and one that is going to be exciting for us, but it now leaves us occupying Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, so we have a very strong relationship with Maserati. It’s an interesting market and it’s not going to be an easy market, maybe that’s why we have been chosen. We have a very good market share in Australia. We have a very well developed network, significant investment in the franchise and good people on the ground. We want to replicate that in South Africa with a South African team."

“South Africa holds considerable potential for Maserati and offers a unique opportunity to expand our company into a growing market with a dynamic economy and an outstanding future. Our goal is to transform Maserati’s position in the South African market to offer a new benchmark for exclusivity and dedicated customer service supporting Maserati’s unique range of luxury performance cars. We have been very successful with Maserati in Australia and our appointment for South Africa is an outstanding vote of confidence and a clear acknowledgement that we have the people and the expertise to succeed.”

“While Maserati sales in South Africa, as they have around the world, will inevitably increase as we put our plans in place, achieving this sales target or that market share is not what our long term plan for South Africa is about. In short,” says Sealey, “unlike its rivals, the Trident badge will continue to be seen only on exclusive cars that offer exceptional performance and style and supported by world-class dealerships of the same exemplary calibre. It is this combination that we believe will deliver a great future for Maserati in South Africa.”

To celebrate the launch of the glossy new showroom at Cape Town’s Foreshore, select members of the local media were invited to spend a day with Maserati, first in the showroom, and then in their current automotive offerings.

In addition to the successful GranTurismo and GranCabrio ranges, the latest generation flagship sedan, the Quattroporte, and the new sports sedan, the Ghibli, provide the foundation for the brand’s strategy of producing some 75,000 units per year, and gaining a significantly strengthened presence in the global luxury car market. For 2014, Maserati posted a 136% global increase in shipments to 36,500 vehicles, driven by the success of the new Quattroporte and Ghibli models. Its major markets include the USA (2014: 14,690, plus 110%), China (2014: 9,400, plus 148%), Europe (2014: 6,360, plus 153%) as well as Asia-Pacific (2014: 4,000, plus 206%) and the Middle East (2014: 2050, plus 144%).