PSA: Maserati relabels GranCabrio as GranTurismo Convertible for North American market
Maserati GranTurismo Convertible (nee GranCabrio) – Click above for high-res image gallery
What's in a name, you ask? A lot, especially when you're trying to increase market share against such storied brands as Aston Martin, Jaguar and Mercedes-Benz, to name just a few.
Maserati took the wraps off its first proper four-seat convertible at last month's Frankfurt Motor Show. But while the open-air version of the GranTurismo coupe will be sold as the GranCabrio in overseas markets, the Italian automaker has seen fit to give the vehicle a more straightforward name in North America.
When the GranCabrio goes on sale in the United States, Canada and Mexico – as well as Australia and New Zealand – it will be sold as the GranTurismo Convertible. Pricing has yet to be officially announced, but dealers are already taking orders for the new cabrio in advance of its arrival in time for next summer. Details in the press release after the jump.
[Source: Maserati]
PRESS RELEASE:
WORLD DEBUT FOR THE NEW MASERATI GRANCABRIO*
The GranCabrio, the first four-seater convertible in the history of Maserati, makes its international début at the Frankfurt International Auto Show. The GranCabrio – the third prong of the Trident – completes Maserati's product line-up that now consists of three different families of models: Quattroporte, GranTurismo and GranCabrio – sedan, coupe and convertible.
The GranCabrio continues in the footsteps of the Maserati tradition in open-top models, and adds to a line-up of models that has made the history of the Modena manufacturer, such as the 1950 A6G Frua Spyder, the 3500GT Vignale Spyder (1960), the Mistral Spyder (1964), the Ghibli Spyder (1968) and the 2001 Spyder, the car Maserati chose for his comeback to the United States.
True to its tradition, the Maserati GranCabrio yet opens a new chapter, because never before have four-seater top-down models been produced at the Viale Ciro Menotti Maserati factory in Modena. There are four proper seats, so that the rear passengers are not merely supporting actors, but co-stars of the journey.
* In the United States, Canada, Mexico, Australia and New Zealand, the GranCabrio will be marketed as "GranTurismo Convertible"
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Paul 10:24AM (10/26/2009)
If I may be so bold, Maserati makes the most beautiful cars on the market today.
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la 10:38AM (10/26/2009)
how is that a PSA?
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Kattleox 10:47AM (10/26/2009)
I suppose that Cabrio just reminds too many people of the oh-so-feminine VW Cabrio, which is a bad thing when your market tends to be upper class males.
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hbennick 11:21AM (10/26/2009)
That is sex on wheels!
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Trent 11:20AM (10/26/2009)
That is one sexy looking ride.
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VORTEX 12:39PM (10/26/2009)
The buttons are fugly outdated from the 90ties!
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TigerMil 1:20PM (10/26/2009)
Still needs four portholes on the side. Three is so six.
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Ashley Jones 1:26PM (10/26/2009)
I wanna have sex in this car with anybody so bad.. It would be awesome!
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Davin Black 3:07PM (10/26/2009)
Lol, I wouldn't care if they called it the Tattertotmobile - I'd still snap it up in a heartbeat.
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