Maserati to join ultra-luxury peers in Indian market

(Maserati)

Luxury auto marque Maserati is to open its first outlet in India this year, it confirmed April 6.

The top end brand, which produces supercars such as the Maserati Quattroporte and GranTurismo, will open a showroom in Mumbai this year, followed by another dealership in the capital New Delhi in early 2012.

By 2015, the Italian automaker plans to have showrooms in seven major Indian cities, it said in a statement, although buyers in Mumbai and New Delhi are expected to account for three quarters of all Maserati sales.

Sedans such as the Quattroporte are expected to be by far the most popular models, accounting for some 80 percent of sales, with GranTurismo models making up the remaining 20 percent.

With China already holding fourth place in terms of Maserati sales (behind the US, Italy and the UK) Maserati believes that its fellow developing giant India's rapidly growing group of wealthy residents could bolster its global sales, which were already up by over a quarter in 2010.

Earlier this week, it was reported that Aston Martin will open its first showroom in Mumbai later this month, adding yet another name to the collection of ultra-luxury brands already available in India.

Like Maserati, Aston Martin will open its doors first in Mumbai before opening a showroom in Delhi later this year.

http://www.maserati.com