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Against the Odds, Maserati Sales Jump

12-MPG, $115K sports car sees 20% US growth so far in '08

By Harry Kimball,  Newser Staff

Posted Jul 10, 2008 5:40 PM CDT
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(Newser) – Buoyed by wealthy, middle-aged men who can afford to defy high gas prices and a plummeting economy, sales of Maserati luxury cars are up in the US this year, Bloomberg reports. Common brands like Lexus and BMW have seen sales fall, but the very rich don't skimp when they see something that will stand out, analysts say.

“When times get tougher, they are losing people at the lower edge of luxury,” one said. But how are people spending $115,000 on a Maserati that gets only 12 mpg in the city? “Exclusivity is a big factor,” one dealer said. An owner got closer to the point: “this car,” which can top 167 mph, “is basically for play.”

The 2008 GranTurismo.
The 2008 GranTurismo.   (AP Photo)
A Maserati in China.
A Maserati in China.   (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)
A Maserati Quattroporte Collezione Centoat is displayed at the North American International Auto Show earlier this year.
A Maserati Quattroporte Collezione Centoat is displayed at the North American International Auto Show earlier this year.   (AP Photo)
Experienced persons examine a 1959 Maserati sports car.
Experienced persons examine a 1959 Maserati sports car.   (AP Photo/Steven Senne)
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COMMENTS
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16% nationwide? Heck, in Houston, it's 86%!
Chicago Tribune

And just last year they posted their first profit (in a while)
Automotive News

Oh, a smaller Maserati! Will it be cheaper, too?
MotorTrend

 
Lexus • luxury car • gas prices • auto industry • BMW • economy • conspicuous consumption • Maserati

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