Maserati A6 were a series of grand tourers , racing sports cars and single seaters made by Maserati of Italy between 1947 and 1956. They were named for Alfieri Maserati (one of the Maserati brothers , founders of Maserati ) and for their straight-six engine .
103-514: Maserati S.p.A. ( Italian: [mazeˈraːti] ) is an Italian luxury vehicle manufacturer. Established on 1 December 1914 in Bologna , Italy, the company's headquarters are now in Modena , and its emblem is a trident . The company has been owned by Stellantis since 2021. Maserati was initially associated with Ferrari . In May 2014, due to ambitious plans and product launches, Maserati sold
206-492: A front-engine, rear-wheel drive (FR) layout. The FR layout is more expensive to produce and produces lower fuel economy than a front-wheel drive layout; however, it allows for larger engines (particularly straight-six , V8 , and V12 ) to be used. Some American luxury cars during the 1970s through the 1990s switched to a front-wheel drive layout with transverse engine , due to the Arab Oil Embargo of 1973 and
309-610: A transaxle gearbox. In turn Coupé and Spyder were replaced by the GranTurismo and GranCabrio . Meanwhile, two new models were shown to the public: the MC12 road supersports and successful GT racer with a Ferrari Enzo –derived chassis and engine and the new Quattroporte , a luxury saloon with the 4.2-litre V8 engine of the Gran Turismo. In 2001, Ferrari decided to change all of the old tooling and installed high-tech devices in
412-516: A 2-rows option with four seats, which typically have more features than their cheaper counterparts. By the early 2020s, manufacturers have found additional strategies to improve technologies, such as new materials, new systems, and improving exteriors. Examples of luxury MPV models include Mercedes-Benz V-Class , Lexus LM , Buick GL8 , Hongqi HQ9 , Toyota Alphard , Volvo EM90 and the Zeekr 009 . Maserati A6GCS The 1.5-litre straight-six
515-516: A 6-speed gearbox. 2.0-litre, 24-valve V6 engines were also added to the Shamal range. In October 1989, De Tomaso bought the remaining GEPI quota. In December, FIAT entered in Maserati's history. Maserati and Innocenti were separated; Innocenti Milano S.p.A., the company that sold Innocenti cars, continued its business under a 51% FIAT Auto ownership. All of the Modena and Lambrate plants went to
618-575: A Maserati for the next five decades, on a commission by Rome dealer Guglielmo Dei who had acquired six chassis. Vignale also made one spider. In 1955, Guglielmo Dei bought two more chassis, numbers 2109 and 2110, and employed Carrozzeria Frua to create two open-top models. Those cars received A6G/54-sourced engines with racing modifications like a dry sump lubrication. This car won the Polyphony Digital Award (an award given by Kazunori Yamauchi , creator of Gran Turismo game series) at
721-447: A V16 town car for Benito Mussolini before Ferry Porsche of Volkswagen built one for Adolf Hitler . This failed, and the plans were scrapped. Once peace was restored, Maserati returned to making cars; the A6 series did well in the post-war racing scene. Key people joined the Maserati team. Alberto Massimino , a former FIAT engineer with both Alfa Romeo and Ferrari experience, oversaw
824-645: A distinctive coupé Panoramica body by Zagato in 1949, featuring an extended greenhouse . Sixty-one A6 1500s were built between 1947 and 1950, when it began to be gradually replaced by the A6G 2000. The A6 1500 was powered by a 1,488 cc (1.5 L) inline-six (bore 66 mm, stroke 72.5 mm), with a single overhead camshaft and a single Weber carburettor , producing 65 hp (48 kW); starting from 1949 some cars were fitted with triple carburettors. Top speed varied from 146 to 154 km/h (91 to 96 mph) depending on gearing and bodywork. The chassis
927-510: A dozen Quattroporte IIs were ever produced, all with the V6. The replacement for the successful Ghibli was the Bertone -designed Khamsin , a front-engine grand tourer introduced in 1972 and produced until 1974; it combined the traditional Maserati V8 GT layout with modern independent suspension , unibody construction, and refined Citroën technologies such as DIRAVI power steering. Meanwhile,
1030-408: A dozen to a few hundred cars a year. Chief engineer Giulio Alfieri took charge of the project and turned the 3.5-litre inline six from the 350S into a road-going engine. Launched with a Carrozzeria Touring 2+2 coupé aluminium body over superleggera structure, a steel-bodied short wheelbase Vignale 3500 GT Spyder open top version followed in 1959. The 3500 GT's success, with over 2,200 made,
1133-411: A host of new model variants. The same year, the ageing Quattroporte III was updated and marketed as the luxurious Royale , built to order in an handful of examples a year; its discontinuation in 1990 marked the disappearance of Maserati's four-cam V8 engine, a design that could trace its roots back to the 450S racer and the legendary 5000 GT. In 1987, the 2.8-litre 430 topped the saloon range. 1988 brought
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#17327730310491236-601: A long and short wheelbase of the Biturbo platform. During 1984, Chrysler bought a 5% share in Maserati. Following an agreement between De Tomaso's friend and Chrysler head Lee Iacocca , a joint venture was signed. Maserati would go on to produce a car for export to the American market, the Chrysler TC by Maserati , with Chrysler-sourced engines. In July of that same year, a merger between Maserati and Nuova Innocenti
1339-594: A long-travel coil-spring suspension and an aluminium V8 engine. In the mid-1990s, the SUV market expanded with new entrants. By the mid-1990s, the entry-level Ford Explorer and upscale Jeep Grand Cherokee were the market leaders for SUVs. The fastest-growing sector of this market was for the so-called luxury SUVs, which included the Jeep Grand Cherokee ... the Grand Cherokee's allure: "This vehicle
1442-456: A newly created company, the still existent Maserati S.p.A.; 49% of it was owned by FIAT Auto and 51% was controlled by De Tomaso through the old company, Officine Alfieri Maserati. In the early 1990s, a mid-engine sports car was developed, the Chubasco [ it ] — which was to début in 1992. It featured Gandini-designed body, a V8 powertrain, and a backbone chassis . The project
1545-887: A record of over 3,000 cars in one month. This caused them to increase production of the Quattroporte and Ghibli models. In addition to the Ghibli and Quattroporte, Maserati offers the Maserati GranTurismo and two SUV models, the Maserati Levante (the first ever Maserati SUV) and the Maserati Grecale . Maserati has placed a yearly production output cap at 75,000 vehicles globally. The Maserati brothers, Alfieri (1887–1932), Bindo (1883–1980), Carlo (1881–1910), Ettore (1894–1990), and Ernesto (1898–1975), were all involved with automobiles from
1648-553: A separate marque (e.g. Lexus , launched by Toyota in 1989) or purchased one (e.g. Bentley , by Volkswagen in 1998). Occasionally, a luxury car is initially sold under a mainstream marque and is later rebranded under a specific luxury marque (for example, the Hyundai's Genesis to Genesis G80 as well as the Citroën DS to DS 5 ). For mass-produced luxury cars, sharing of platforms or components with other models
1751-481: A status symbol for conspicuous consumption . However, since many European luxury car buyers shy away from conspicuous consumption, brands offer buyers the option of removing exterior badges that identify the model name or engine size. The suspension system of most luxury cars is tuned to prioritize ride quality over handling , however, some are marketed as "sports luxury" and have a greater emphasis on handling characteristics. Traditionally, luxury cars have used
1854-416: A three-box Carrozzeria Allemano coupé (21 made, designed by Michelotti ), a coupé and a Gran Sport Spyder by Frua (respectively 6 and 12 made); and a competition-oriented fastback by Zagato (20 made) as well as a single Zagato spider, chassis 2101, shown at Geneva in 1955. The Zagato Spider was purchased by Juan Perón , but his regime came to an end before Zagato could finish his ordered revisions and
1957-401: A time when luxury car sales suffered a 1% decline, and non-luxury SUV sales were flat. By 2004, 30% of major luxury brands' U.S. sales were SUVs. Crossover SUVs became increasingly popular in the mid-2000s, and manufacturers also began to produce luxury versions of crossovers. The Lexus RX was the earliest luxury crossover on the market, and it has since been the best-selling luxury vehicle in
2060-452: A total displacement of 1,985.6 cc (2.0 L). Fed by three twin-choke Weber DCO carburettors it put out 150 hp (110 kW; 148 bhp) at 6000 rpm, which gave these cars a top speed between 195 and 210 km/h (121 and 130 mph). Dual ignition was added in 1956 and increased power to 160 hp (118 kW; 158 bhp). Total production between 1954 and 1956 amounted to 60 units. Four body styles were offered:
2163-577: A traditional V8 drivetrain, 1,100 units of the Indy were made. In 1971, the Bora was the company's first series production mid-engine model, an idea agreed with administrator Guy Malleret shortly after the 1968 takeover. The Bora ended Maserati's reputation for producing fast but technologically out of date cars, being the first Maserati with four wheel independent suspension . In contrast, competitor Lamborghini had used independent suspension in 1964. In 1972,
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#17327730310492266-524: A two-seater sports racing car powered by a 2-litre engine called A6GCS . At first it produced 120 hp (88 kW), but it was further upgraded in 1952. The displacement is 1,978 cc (120.7 cu in) from a 72 mm × 81 mm (2.83 in × 3.19 in) bore and stroke. The A6 GCS is often also called Monofaro , referring to its single headlamp. This cycle-winged racing version made its first competition appearance at Modena 1947 with Luigi Villoresi and Alberto Ascari , and won
2369-494: Is a characteristic symbol of the company's original home city. Alfieri Maserati died in 1932, but three other brothers, Bindo, Ernesto, and Ettore kept the firm going. In 1937, the remaining Maserati brothers sold their shares in the company to the Adolfo Orsi family, who, in 1940, relocated the company headquarters to their home town of Modena , where it remains to this day. The brothers continued in engineering roles with
2472-515: Is common, as per modern automotive industry practice. A compact executive car or a compact luxury car is a premium car larger than a premium compact and smaller than an executive car . In European classification, compact executive cars are part of the D-segment . In North American terms, close equivalents are "compact premium car", "compact luxury car", "entry-level luxury car" and "near-luxury car". Compact executive cars are usually based on
2575-461: Is proof you can have a true off-road vehicle without giving up luxuries and amenities" with the Jeep providing a crucial new intangible factor for buyers—image. The SUV models generated higher profit margins than passenger cars, and car manufacturers began introducing new luxury SUVs during the late 1990s. SUVs such as the 1995 Lexus LX , 1997 Mercedes-Benz M-Class , and 1998 Lincoln Navigator were
2678-567: Is structured under FCA, whereas Maserati is structured solely under FCA. In addition, in an interview with Wester in 2015, he clarified that his "role at Maserati is different from that in the Alfa Romeo as the latter is better integrated into the FIAT Group" and that "the new Alfa car won't share any parts with the current Maserati model. I'm not planning any technical merging of these two makes." In 2013, Maserati started its expansion with
2781-564: The 1973 oil crisis put the brakes on the ambitious expansion of Maserati; demand for fuel-hungry sports cars and grand tourers shrank drastically. Austerity measures in Italy meant that the domestic market contracted by 60–70%. All of the main Italian GT car manufacturers were heavily affected, having to lay off workers in order to empty lots of unsold cars. Maserati received the hardest blow, as its home market sales accounted for over half of
2884-480: The 4CLT , the A6 series, the 8CLT, and, pivotally for the future success of the company, the A6GCS . The famous Argentinian grand prix driver Juan-Manuel Fangio raced for Maserati for a number of years in the 1950s, achieving a number of stunning victories including winning the world championship in 1957 in the 250F . Other racing projects in the 1950s were the 200S , 300S , 350S , and 450S , followed in 1961 by
2987-566: The Karif , a two-seater, based on the short wheelbase Spyder chassis. Meanwhile, the Biturbo name was dropped altogether, as updated coupés and saloons were updated and became the 222 and 422. 1989 marked the reintroduction of an eight-cylinder grand tourer: the Shamal , built on a modified short wheelbase Biturbo chassis, clad in new muscular bodywork styled by Marcello Gandini . It was powered by an all-new twin-turbocharged 32-valve V8 engine paired to
3090-556: The Ligier JS2 . With secure financial backing, new models were launched and built in much greater numbers than years prior. Citroën borrowed Maserati's expertise and engines for the SM and other vehicles, and Maserati incorporated Citroën's technology, particularly in hydraulics . Engineer Giulio Alfieri was key to many of the ambitious designs of this period. The first new arrival was the 1969 Indy —a Vignale-bodied four-seater GT with
3193-559: The Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance in 2014. After a two-year hiatus at the 1954 Mondial de l'Automobile in Paris Maserati launched a new grand tourer, the A6G 2000 Gran Turismo—commonly known as A6G/54 to distinguish it from its predecessor. It was powered by a new double overhead camshaft inline-six, derived from the racing engines of A6GCS and A6GCM, with a bore and stroke of 76.5 mm x 72 mm for
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3296-884: The Quattroporte VI , which was designed to better compete with the Mercedes-Benz S-Class . This was followed by the introduction of the Ghibli , which was slated to compete against the Mercedes-Benz E-Class and the BMW 5 Series . On May 6, 2014, Maserati confirmed production of the Levante SUV and the Alfieri (previously a 2+2 concept sports car that was named after Alfieri Maserati). The Alfieri has not started production as yet. At this event, it
3399-613: The Rolls-Royce Phantom , Maybach 57 and 62 , Hongqi L5 , Bentley Mulsanne , Cadillac Celestiq , Toyota Century , and Aurus Senat . High-end sports cars which are targeted towards performance rather than luxury are not usually classified as ultra-luxury cars, even when their cost is greater than US$ 100,000 . The history of a brand and the exclusivity of a particular model can result in price premiums compared to luxury cars with similar features from less prestigious manufacturers. Ultra-luxury cars are usually selected as
3502-422: The official state car . Grand tourers are essentially high-performance luxury vehicles. These vehicles are generally two-door coupes and are made for long-distance driving, combined with the luxury of an executive car or full-size luxury car . Long before the luxury SUV segment was defined and became popular, the 1966 Jeep Super Wagoneer was marketed at the time as a fully-equipped station wagon. It
3605-431: The share capital . On 22 May 1975, a press release from Citroën management abruptly announced Maserati had been put into liquidation . The workforce immediately picketed the factory, but production was not halted. Trade unions , the mayor of Modena , and local politicians mobilised to save the 800 jobs; industry minister Carlo Donat-Cattin even flew to Paris to meet Citroën chairman Francois Rollier . An agreement
3708-602: The spider shown at the 1948 Salone dell'automobile di Torino (2 made). A 2-litre, 120-horsepower straight-six was used in the A6 GCS two-seater, "G" denoting Ghisa , cast iron block, and "CS" denoting Corsa Sport . The A6G were a series of two-door coupés and spyders for street, rather than competition use. These were bodied by Pinin Farina , Pietro Frua , Ghia , Bertone , Carrozzeria Allemano , Zagato , and Vignale . These have cast iron engine blocks. The Maserati A6
3811-472: The 1947 racing season. The 6CS/46 used the 1.5-litre (1,493 cc) straight-six engines from the pre-war Maserati 6CM . These took the first two places at Circuito di Piacenza on 11 May 1947, driven by Giulio Barbieri and Mario Angiolini. It is likely that the "Maserati 6CS 1500" which won at Voghera in October 1946 with Luigi Villoresi at the wheel is also one of this type. In 1947 Maserati developed
3914-468: The 1948 Italian Championship with Giovanni Bracco at the wheel. Weight ranged from 580 to 670 kg (1,280 to 1,480 lb). Fifteen cars were made between 1947 and 1953, two being exported to Brazil and one to the United States. The A6 1500 (officially 1500 Gran Turismo ) grand tourer was Maserati's first production road car. Development was started in 1941 by the Maserati brothers, but it
4017-531: The 1950s, including the Toyota Crown (1955–present), Prince/Nissan Gloria (1959–2004), Nissan Cedric (1960–2015), Mitsubishi Debonair (1964–1998), Nissan President (1965–2010), Toyota Century (1967–present), Mazda Luce/929 (1969–1991), and Honda Legend (1985–2021). Since the 1980s, overseas sales of Japanese luxury cars have increased, challenging traditional European luxury brands. Several East Asian manufacturers have created sub-brands for
4120-738: The 1979 fuel crises which eliminated many FR platforms in favor of the more economical front-wheel drive (FF) layout. From the early 2000s, several of these American luxury cars reverted to FR layouts. Since the introduction of the Bentley Continental GT in 2003, additional luxury grand tourers feature all-wheel drive . Prior to World War II , a wide array of European producers made luxury cars, including Rolls-Royce , Bugatti , Delage , Delahaye , Talbot-Lago , Bentley , Alvis , Avions Voisin , Isotta Fraschini , Horch , Simson , Stoewer , Maybach , Mercedes-Benz , Hispano Suiza , Daimler Company , and Spyker . France
4223-427: The 1990s. The personal luxury car emerged into mass popularity and affordability as an America-specific category of popularly-priced cars made from the 1950s by the four domestic manufacturers (GM, Ford, Chrysler, and AMC) that reached peak popularity in the 1970s. The cars were stylized, mass-produced two-door coupés or convertibles , relying on standard components. These distinctively styled cars were targeting
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4326-418: The 20,000th Maserati, a Quattroporte V, left the factory. In the second quarter of 2007, Maserati made profit for the first time in 17 years under FIAT ownership. On January 22, 2010, FIAT announced that it had created a new partnership/brand group for Alfa Romeo, Maserati, and Abarth. The group was led by Harald J. Wester, the current CEO of Maserati. Sergio Marchionne stated that "[the] purpose of bringing
4429-590: The 2010s. For example, Rolls-Royce Cullinan , Bentley Bentayga , Aston Martin DBX , Maserati Levante , Lamborghini Urus , and Ferrari Purosangue . Some brands, such as Lincoln , have even moved to an all SUV and/or crossover lineup. Manufacturers such as Mercedes-Benz , Toyota , Lexus , Buick , Hongqi , Zeekr and Volvo have marketed upscale luxury MPVs as luxury vehicles, mainly marketed for Asian markets. Luxury MPVs generally have 3-rows of six or seven seats; however, range-topping flagship models may also offer
4532-461: The 3500 GT evolved into the Sebring , bodied by Vignale and based on the shorter wheelbase convertible chassis. Next came the two-seater Mistral coupé in 1963 and Spider in 1964, both powered by a six-cylinder engine and styled by Pietro Frua . In 1963, the company's first saloon was launched, the Quattroporte , also styled by Frua. If the 5000 GT inaugurated the marque's first road-going V8,
4635-448: The Alfa Romeo, Maserati and Abarth brands under the same leadership is to emphasize and leverage the value of the shared qualities of the three brands in terms of their sporting characteristics and performance." Abarth stayed under Wester's leadership until 2013, leaving Maserati and Alfa Romeo in the brand group, led by Wester. Although Maserati and Alfa Romeo are in a brand group, Alfa Romeo is structured under FCA Italy S.p.A., which itself
4738-578: The Bora was transformed to the Merak , now employing a Tipo 114 SM-derived V6 enlarged to 3.0-litres. Citroën never developed a 4-door version of the SM – instead Maserati developed the Quattroporte II , which shared most of its mechanical parts with the SM, including the mid-engine, front-wheel-drive layout , and six headlight arrangement. To power this large car, Alfieri developed a V8 engine from
4841-673: The European Commission. The next category of luxury cars is known in Great Britain as a "luxury saloon" or "luxury limousine," and is known in the United States as a full-size luxury sedan, large luxury sedan, or flagship sedan. It is the equivalent of the European F-segment and the German Oberklasse segment. Many of these luxury saloons are the flagship for the marque and include
4944-464: The Maserati car company, designed by Mario Maserati, is based on the Fountain of Neptune in Bologna 's Piazza Maggiore . In 1920, one of the Maserati brothers used this symbol in the logo at the suggestion of family friend Marquis Diego de Sterlich. It was considered particularly appropriate for the sports car company due to the fact that Neptune represents strength and vigour; additionally the statue
5047-541: The Mercedes-Benz brand, later joined by BMW , which acquired Rolls-Royce Motor Cars in 1998, as well as Volkswagen which much later controlled or acquired additional brands such as Audi , Porsche , Bentley , Lamborghini , and Bugatti brands. In the Soviet Union, the manufacturer ZiL (then called Zis) began producing representational limousines in the mid-1930s. In the early 1950s, GAZ joined with
5150-685: The Modena factory. Since early 2002, Maserati once again entered the United States market, which has quickly become its largest market worldwide. The company has also re-entered the racing arena with their Trofeo and, in December 2003, the MC12 (formerly known as the MCC), which was developed according to FIA GT regulations and has since competed with great success in the world FIA GT championship, winning
5253-471: The Quattroporte's Tipo 107 4.2-litre DOHC V8 was the forefather of all Maserati V8s up to 1990. The Ghia -designed Ghibli coupé was launched in 1967. It was powered by a 4.7-litre dry sump version of Maserati's quad cam V8. The Ghibli Spyder and high performance 4.9-litre Ghibli SS followed. In 1968, Maserati was taken over by Citroën . Adolfo Orsi remained the nominal president, but Maserati
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#17327730310495356-411: The SM's V6 on the behest of Factory Manager Guy Malleret. The engine was rated at 260 PS (190 kW; 260 hp) and fitted to a lightly modified SM, which proved that the chassis could easily handle the power increase. Citroën's and Maserati's financial difficulties hampered the type homologation process; the development costs for the stillborn saloon further aggravated Maserati's situation. Only
5459-471: The Stellantis merger in 2021. In July 1997, FIAT sold a 50% share in the company to Maserati's long-time arch-rival Ferrari (Ferrari itself being owned by FIAT ). In 1999, Ferrari took full control, making Maserati its luxury division. A new factory was built, replacing the existing 1940s-era facility. The steps taken by the new parent company resulted in the improved Quattroporte Evoluzione which
5562-576: The US. Some luxury crossovers are built on a platform shared with sedans or hatchbacks. For example, the Infiniti FX is based upon the same platform as the Infiniti G35 sedans and coupes. While early luxury crossovers released in the late 1990s have resembled traditional boxy SUVs, later crossovers, such as the Infiniti FX and BMW X6 , have been designed with a sporting appearance. Despite
5665-466: The beginning of the 20th century. Alfieri, Bindo, and Ernesto built 2-litre Grand Prix cars for Diatto . In 1926, Diatto suspended the production of race cars, leading to the creation of the first Maserati and the founding of the Maserati marque. One of the first Maseratis, driven by Alfieri, won the 1926 Targa Florio . Maserati began making race cars with 4, 6, 8, and 16 cylinders (two straight-eights mounted parallel to one another). The trident logo of
5768-554: The company. Racing successes continued, even against the giants of German racing, Auto Union and Mercedes . In back-to-back wins in 1939 and 1940, an 8CTF won the Indianapolis 500 , making Maserati the only Italian manufacturer ever to do so. The second world war then intervened and Maserati abandoned car making to produce components for the Italian war effort. During this time, Maserati worked in fierce competition to construct
5871-705: The day of taking over the business. Beginning in 1976, new models were introduced, sharing their underpinnings—but not their engines—with De Tomaso cars; first came the Kyalami grand tourer, derived from the De Tomaso Longchamp , restyled by Frua and powered by Maserati's own V8. Following the Kyalami was the Giugiaro -designed Quattroporte III based on the De Tomaso Deauville , which
5974-426: The design of all racing models for the next ten years. With him joined engineers Giulio Alfieri , Vittorio Bellentani , and Gioacchino Colombo . The focus was on the best engines and chassis to succeed in car racing. These new projects saw the last contributions of the Maserati brothers, who, after their 10-year contract with Orsi expired, went on to form O.S.C.A. This new team at Maserati worked on several projects:
6077-576: The entry-level luxury segment remained strong throughout the GFC, due to prices being lowered to compete with well-equipped non-luxury cars. For example, in Canada, several luxury manufacturers set sales records in August 2009, due mostly to discounted pricing on entry-level luxury vehicles. Some auto manufacturers market their luxury models using the same marque as the rest of their line. Others have created
6180-503: The famous Tipo 61 . Maserati retired from factory racing participation because of the Guidizzolo tragedy during the 1957 Mille Miglia , though they continued to build cars for privateers . Maserati became more and more focused on building road-going grand tourers . The 1957 3500 GT marked a turning point in the marque's history, as its first ground-up grand tourer design and first series-produced car. Production jumped from
6283-421: The first SUVs produced by these luxury car brands. Some of these early luxury SUV models used unibody construction, becoming part of the trend moving away from the body-on-frame construction traditionally used by off-road vehicles. During the mid-2000s, SUVs from luxury car brands grew by almost 40% in the United States to more than 430,000 vehicles (excluding SUV-only brands like Hummer and Land Rover ), at
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#17327730310496386-505: The history of the automobile. Several car classification schemes include a luxury category, such as: Luxury cars have traditionally emphasized higher levels of comfort and safety. Manufacturers often introduce new safety technologies and comfort amenities on luxury models before they are available on more affordable models. Some brands, like Audi and BMW have expanded their marketing by "introducing lesser priced and strip-down economy versions of their products." Luxury vehicles can be
6489-526: The increased popularity of crossover models, traditional luxury SUVs remain in production. Examples include the Lexus LX , Infiniti QX80 , and Lincoln Navigator . Research data from the mid-2000s suggested that luxury SUV buyers did not consider traditional luxury cars (e.g. sedans and coupes), therefore the SUV is becoming the key to bringing new customers into luxury dealerships. Luxury car companies have increasingly introduced SUV or crossover models in
6592-482: The lack of a historical legacy has hindered these efforts. In 2014, Citroën introduced DS Automobiles sub-brand to market luxury cars. Pre World War II intermediate car manufacturers like Renault , Fiat , Opel , Lancia , Škoda , Riley , Praga , Peugeot , Hillman and Tatra made luxury cars but were forced to make economy cars and superminis post World War II . Following World War II, Germany rose to become an export powerhouse, building on success with
6695-453: The lyrics "My Maserati does one eighty-five." The 1980s saw the company largely abandoning the mid-engine sports car in favour of a compact front-engine , rear-drive coupé, the Biturbo . Of fairly conventional construction, the Biturbo's highlight was its twin-turbocharged V6 engine , the first for a production car . This engine, descending from the 90° V6 engineered by Giulio Alfieri,
6798-551: The market. In the 2000s, both Ford and General Motors produced luxury pickups: 2002-2013 Cadillac Escalade EXT , 2002-2003 Lincoln Blackwood , and 2006-2014 Lincoln Mark LT . In the late 2000s, the Cadillac CTS and Cadillac DTS led to a resurgence in the brand's luxury sedans. The equivalent sedan from the Ford group, the 2008 Lincoln MKS , was also regarded as a significant improvement over previous models. In 2010, BMW
6901-642: The marketing of luxury cars. The first of these was the 1986 launch of Acura (a Honda sub-brand), followed by Lexus (Toyota) in 1989, Infiniti (Nissan) in 1989, and Genesis (Hyundai) in 2015. The time of the 2007–2008 financial crisis and the Great Recession was the first time since the Great Depression that the luxury car market suffered considerably, something not seen in previous economic downturns. Many such customers saw their net worth decline during this time. For example, some of
7004-474: The needs of individual customers, not an entire family. The longest running model lines were the 1958-1997 Ford Thunderbird , 1956-1998 Lincoln Mark Series , and the 1967-2002 Cadillac Eldorado . In 1990, American luxury brands dominated, with Cadillac selling over a quarter-million cars, and Lincoln had its best year ever at 231,660 units. However, the market was changing with an ever greater acceptance of smaller, more efficient imported luxury brands while at
7107-536: The newest automotive technology. Several models are available in long-wheelbase versions, which provide additional rear legroom and may have a higher level of standard features. Examples of luxury saloons / full-size luxury sedans include the BMW 7 Series , Jaguar XJ , Cadillac CT6 , Genesis G90 , Audi A8 , Mercedes-Benz S-Class , Lexus LS , Hongqi H9 , Porsche Panamera and Maserati Quattroporte . Luxury cars costing over US$ 100,000 (as of 2007) can be considered as "ultra-luxury cars". Examples include
7210-427: The platform of a mid-size car (also known as large family car or D-segment ), while some models may be based on a compact car (also known as small family car or C-segment ). Executive car is a British term for an automobile larger than a large family car . In official use, the term is adopted by Euro NCAP , a European organization founded to test for car safety. It is a passenger car classification defined by
7313-565: The postwar era. From 1946 until the late 1990s, Cadillac was the top-selling brand of luxury cars in the U.S., while Lincoln was second. The most successful and long-running model names during this era were the Cadillac DeVille , Lincoln Continental , and the Chrysler Imperial . The Lincoln Mark Series and Cadillac Eldorado were positioned in the personal luxury category, and competition between them continued into
7416-497: The same time, the domestic manufacturers were downsizing their models with product decisions that backfired on quality and brand respect. Since the late 1990s, Japanese and German brands have sold the most luxury-type cars in the United States. However, the Cadillac Escalade has led the luxury SUV segment sales in the United States since its introduction in 1998, with the highest sales for 15 out of its first 20 years on
7519-947: The single overhead camshaft. Also thanks to triple carburettors, output was between 90 and 100 hp (66 and 74 kW) and top speeds ranged from 160 to 180 km/h (99 to 112 mph). The chassis retained the same measurements of the A6 1500, but the rear axle was now sprung on semi elliptic leaf springs . The model debuted at the 1950 Turin Motor Show , wearing Pinin Farina coachwork. Just sixteen cars were built, all between 1950 and 1951. Nine received 2+2 fastback bodies by Pinin Farina; Frua built five convertibles and one coupé; lastly one got Vignale coupé bodywork designed by Giovanni Michelotti . Maserati A6GCM (1951–53) were twelve 2-litre single-seater («M» for monoposto ) racing cars (160-190 bhp), developed by Gioacchino Colombo and built by Medardo Fantuzzi . The A6 SSG (1953)
7622-600: The sole owner. In 1994, the aging Quattroporte III/Royale was replaced by the Quattroporte IV which was ultimately based on Biturbo underpinnings. Styled by Marcello Gandini, it was initially available with a V6 engine shared with the Ghibli II. A more powerful V8 variant was made available in 1996 and "Seicilindri" and "Ottocilindri" (six and eight cylindres in Italian) badging was introduced to distinguish between
7725-967: The somewhat smaller "Chaika" model range. In 2018, Aurus Motors was established to produce luxury vehicles for the Russian market. The luxury car phenomenon began at the start of the automobile industry when the wealthy frequently invested in manufacturing such models to gain social prestige. Emphasis was also placed on custom-built coachwork. The 1920s and 1930s were the apogee of production of these very large luxury automobiles from many manufacturers. The significant North American manufacturers from 1910 until 1940 included Auburn , Buick , Cadillac , Chrysler , Continental , Cord , Daniels , DeSoto , Duesenberg , Franklin , Imperial , LaFayette , LaSalle , Lincoln , Marmon , Packard , Peerless , Pierce Arrow , Ruxton , Stearns-Knight , and Stutz . The Great Depression put many luxury car manufacturers out of business; others would hold on before going defunct during
7828-537: The steepest drop-offs came at the high end, including the BMW 7 Series and Rolls-Royce Phantom , and in 2010 Mercedes-Benz dropped the price of the W212 E-Class . The unusually sharp decline in luxury car sales has led observers to believe that there is a fundamental shift and reshaping of the luxury automotive market, with one industry official suggesting that the marques no longer command the premiums that they used to and another saying that conspicuous consumption
7931-591: The teams championship three consecutive times from 2005 to 2007. The MC12 has also been raced in various national GT championship as well as in the American Le Mans series. The MC12 is based on the Enzo Ferrari sports car; 50 street-legal homologation models (roadsters and coupés) have been sold. The Maserati and Alfa Romeo group, under FIAT Group , started in 2005, when Maserati was split off from Ferrari and partnered with Alfa Romeo. On 9 June 2005,
8034-434: The total—in contrast with Ferrari 's 20%. In this situation, the only Maserati automobile that continued to sell in appreciable numbers was the small-displacement Merak. In 1974, with the 1973–75 recession at its climax, things took a turn for the worse. Citroën went bankrupt and its incorporation into PSA Peugeot Citroën begun. The year closed with domestic sales tumbling from 1973's 360 to 150 units, and losses exceeding
8137-479: The two models. The engine of the V8 model was a development of the Shamal's V8. Over two decades after the ill-fated Chrysler TC by Maserati during Chrysler's brief ownership stake in Maserati, the two companies became interconnected again when FIAT purchased majority control of Chrysler in 2011 as a result of Chrysler's bankruptcy . Maserati and Citroen also later interconnected for the first time since 1975, following
8240-801: The users' higher social status compared to low- and mid-market segment cars. The term is relative and partially subjective, reflecting both objective qualities of a car, as well as the projected and perceived image of the vehicle marque . Luxury brands rank above premium brands , though there is no clear distinction between the two. Traditionally, most luxury cars were large vehicles , though smaller sports-oriented models were produced. " Compact " luxury vehicles such as hatchbacks and off-road capable sport utility vehicles are more recent expansions of luxury qualities in various cars. Increasing comfort features, materials quality, interior space, innovations, and or performance have consistently been competitive strategies between car makers practically throughout
8343-806: Was a GCM-revision pointing to the Maserati 250F . It won the 1953 Italian Grand Prix driven by Juan Manuel Fangio . To compete in the World Sportscar Championship , the A6GCS/53 was developed in 1953. The engine was improved to produce 170 hp (125 kW; 168 bhp). A6GCS/53s were typically spiders , initially designed by Medardo Fantuzzi and then bodied either by Carrozzeria Fantuzzi or Celestino Fiandri of Carrozzeria Fiandri e Malagoli. Fifty-two were made. That number includes four berlinettas designed by Aldo Brovarone at Pinin Farina and one spider, their final design of
8446-563: Was a leading producer of powerful luxury automobiles before World War II. After World War II, the French government used puissance fiscale tax regulations to encourage manufacturers to build cars with small engines, and French motorists to buy them. The Maserati-powered Citroën SM and the Citroën C6 were arguably the last domestic French luxury cars. In the 2010s, some French manufacturers have attempted to develop luxury cars, however
8549-466: Was built out of tubular and sheet steel sections. Suspension was by double wishbones at the front and solid axle at the rear, with Houdaille hydraulic dampers and coil springs on all four corners. The improved A6G 2000 (officially 2000 Gran Turismo ) began to replace the A6 1500 from 1950. The A6 engine was enlarged to 2 litres (1,954.3 cc) with a bore and stroke of 72 mm × 80 mm (2.83 in × 3.15 in); it retained
8652-413: Was cancelled, as part owner Fiat deemed the project to be too close to Ferrari in the marketplace. Starting in 1990, the entire range of the Biturbo received a facelift designed by Marcello Gandini, on the lines of the Shamal's styling. The last version of the Biturbo coupé was called Racing. It was a transitional model in which several features to be found on the upcoming Ghibli were tested. The Ghibli II
8755-592: Was controlled by its new owner. The relationship started as a joint venture, made public in January 1968, in which Maserati would design and manufacture an engine for Citroën's upcoming flagship called SM . Launched in 1970, the SM was a four-seat front-wheel-drive coupé, powered by a Maserati Tipo C114 2.7-litre 90° V6 engine ; this engine and its gearbox had been used in other vehicles, such as rally -prepared DSs used by Bob Neyret in Bandama Rally , and in
8858-563: Was critical to Maserati's survival in the years following withdrawal from racing. The 3500 GT also provided the underpinnings for the small-volume V8-engined 5000 GT , another seminal car for Maserati. Born from the Shah of Persia 's whim of owning a road car powered by the Maserati 450S racing engine, it became one of the fastest and most expensive cars of its days. The third to the thirty-fourth and last example produced were powered by Maserati's first purely road-going V8 engine design. In 1962,
8961-460: Was decided; it was carried out in 1985. Chrysler upped its stake to 15.6% by underwriting three quarters of a 75 billion Lire capital raise in 1986. New Biturbo-based cars and model evolutions were launched year after year. In 1984, it was the 228, a large coupé built on the long wheelbase saloon chassis, with a new 2.8-litre version of the twin-turbocharged V6. Weber Fuel injection was phased in starting in 1986, bringing improved reliability and
9064-479: Was fitted in a large number of models, all sharing key components; every new Maserati launched up to the 1990s would be based on the Biturbo's platform. The Biturbo family was extremely successful at exploiting the aspirational image of the Maserati name—selling 40,000 units. In 1983 and 1984, the range was extended to include saloons (the 425 and 420) and a cabriolet (the Zagato -bodied Spyder), respectively on
9167-541: Was halted as priorities shifted to wartime production and was only completed after the war. The first chassis, bodied by Pinin Farina , debuted at the Geneva Salon International de l'Auto in March 1947. This first prototype was a two-door, two-seat, three-window berlinetta with triple square portholes on its fully integrated front wings, a tapered cabin and futuristic hidden headlamps . The car
9270-543: Was held in 1992 and 1993, using the Barchetta Corsa racing version; the road-going Barchetta Stradale was never put into production. Just 17 units of the Barchetta were produced. Between 1992 and 1994, all models save for the Ghibli and Shamal were progressively discontinued. On 19 May 1993, 17 years after having rescued it from liquidation, Alejandro De Tomaso sold his 51% stake in Maserati to FIAT, which became
9373-531: Was introduced at the March 1998 Geneva Motor Show . In 1998, a new chapter began in Maserati's history when the company launched the 3200 GT . This two-door coupé is powered by a 3.2 L twin-turbocharged V8 derived from the Shamal engine, which is rated at 370 horsepower (280 kW). In 2002 the 3200 GT was replaced by the Maserati Coupé and Spyder; evolved from the 3200, these cars used an all-new, naturally aspirated , dry sump 4.2-litre V8 with
9476-528: Was introduced in 1976 and put on sale in 1979. The Bora's sales dwindled down; the Khamsin was discontinued between 1982 and 1983. Progressively stripped of its Citroën-derived parts, the Merak continued to sell over one hundred units a year, until 1982. Despite the downturn in sales, awareness of the brand increased during this time as a result of the popular song Life's Been Good by Joe Walsh , which contained
9579-561: Was introduced in 1992. It was a six-cylinder coupé, with modified Biturbo underpinnings dressed by new Gandini bodywork (toned down from the Shamal) and the latest evolution of the 24-valve twin-turbocharged V6 with record breaking specific output. The underpinnings of the stillborn Chubasco gave birth to the Maserati Barchetta , a small open top mid-engine sports car styled by Synthesis Design's Carlo Gaino. A one-make racing series
9682-550: Was named A6 TR ( Testa Riportata for its detachable cylinder head ), and was based on the pre-war Maserati 6CM and produced 65 hp (48 kW). It first appeared in the A6 Sport or Tipo 6CS/46, a barchetta prototype, developed by Ernesto Maserati and Alberto Massimino . This became the A6 1500 Pinin Farina -designed two-door berlinetta , first shown at the 1947 Salon International de l'Auto in Geneva (59 made) and
9785-454: Was no longer attractive in poor economic conditions. Additionally, mainstream brands have been able to offer amenities and devices such as leather, wood, and anti-lock brakes, previously found only on luxury cars, as the costs decline. However, luxury vehicle sales remained relatively high compared to their non-luxury counterparts. This was aided by growing interest in luxury vehicles from emerging markets such as China and Russia. Sales in
9888-482: Was put into low volume production, and most received Pinin Farina coachwork. For production Pinin Farina toned down the prototype's design, switching to conventional headlamps; soon after a second side window was added. Later cars received a different 2+2 fastback body style. A Pinin Farina Convertibile was shown at the 1948 Salone dell'automobile di Torino , and two were made; one car was also given
9991-488: Was reached in June, after several meetings and assemblies. During one of these meetings, Citroën liquidators disclosed that a possible Italian buyer had showed up, and the name of Alejandro de Tomaso was put forth for the first time. Citroën accepted to suspend liquidation as requested by the Italian government, which on its part guaranteed six months of special redundancy fund to pay the salaries. On 8 August 1975, an agreement
10094-779: Was revealed that 2014 will be the last year of production for the GranTurismo and GranCabrio (GranTurismo Convertible in the US), although production of the GranTurismo was extended, with a facelifted GranTurismo being unveiled in 2018. The model was finally phased out in November 2019. Luxury vehicle A luxury car is a car that provides above-average to high-end levels of comfort , features, and equipment. Often, more expensive materials and surface finishes are used, and buyers expect better build quality . The usually higher pricing and more upscale appearance are often associated with
10197-677: Was signed at the Ministry of Industry in Rome, and property of Maserati passed from Citroën to Italian state-owned holding company GEPI and Alejandro de Tomaso , an Argentinian industrialist and former racing driver, became president and CEO. As of December 1979, GEPI's quota amounted to 88.75% of Maserati, the remaining 11.25% stake was being controlled by de Tomaso through a holding company which grouped his automotive interests in Maserati and Innocenti . After de Tomaso bought Maserati in August 1975, he dismissed long time Chief Engineer Alfieri on
10300-532: Was the best-selling luxury vehicle manufacturer by sales, with Audi and Mercedes-Benz the second and third highest selling luxury brands. Chinese manufacturer Hongqi was launched in 1958, making it the oldest Chinese luxury car marque. Later newcomers joined taking advantage of the rise of electric powertrains, with NEV brands such as Nio in 2014, Lynk & Co in 2016, HiPhi in 2019, and Zeekr in 2021 producing luxury electric and hybrid vehicles. Japanese manufacturers have been producing luxury cars since
10403-420: Was the first off-road SUV to offer a V8 engine and automatic transmission along with luxury car trim and equipment. Standard features included bucket seating , a center console, air conditioning, a seven-position tilt steering wheel, a vinyl roof , and gold-colored trim panels on the body sides and tailgate. By the late 1970s, optional equipment included an electric sunroof. The 1978 Jeep Wagoneer Limited
10506-488: Was the spiritual successor to the Super Wagoneer and was the first four-wheel drive car to use leather upholstery. The Range Rover was released in 1970 as a two-door vehicle for off-road durability with few "creature comforts." A four-door version was added in 1981, and the model was pushed upmarket in 1983 by introducing an automatic transmission (Chrysler's A727 TorqueFlite ) as an option. The Range Rover had
10609-567: Was typically fitted with 16-inch Borrani Wheels and Pirelli Stella Bianca Tyres. The acronyms identifying each model are interpreted as follows: "1500" or "2000" indicate the rounded up total engine displacement in cubic centimetres ; while suffixes such as "53" denote the year of the type's introduction. Ernesto Maserati started work on the Tipo 6CS/46 , also called A6 Sport or A6CS, in 1945. Designed together with Alberto Massimino, two prototype barchettas had been completed in late 1946 for
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