Inheriting Current Business Activities with Cornes' Support

According to a joint statement made on May 11, 2010, the importer rights for Maserati will be transferred to Maserati Japan with the full support of Cornes, and the current business activities will be inherited as they are.

Maserati Japan has already opened an office in Tokyo, with Fabrizio Cazzoli, former Country Manager of Maserati S.p.A. in Japan, appointed as its representative. The current Maserati sales network will continue as is, and a strong partnership will be maintained with Cornes, which will open three showrooms in Tokyo, Nagoya, and Osaka.

According to the financial results for the fourth quarter of 2010, Maserati's performance increased by 10.4 percent compared to the same period last year, with operating revenue of 127 million euros. In terms of sales volume, 1,205 vehicles were delivered in the first quarter of 2010, a 4.1 percent increase compared to the same period last year, and operating profit reached 4 million euros. This represents an increase of 3 million euros compared to the same period in 2009.

Cornes, which will celebrate its 150th anniversary in 2011, will now operate as a dealer rather than an importer, becoming a comprehensive provider for the popularization of Maserati vehicles in the Japanese market, covering new car sales, after-sales service, and used car sales.

Currently, the Maserati domestic sales network directly managed by Cornes consists of five locations: Tokyo Shinonome, Setagaya, Kanagawa Yokohama, Nagoya Kanayama, and Osaka Nanko. As a dealer, they will sell four brands in total: Maserati, Rolls-Royce, Ferrari, and Bentley.

BRAND HISTORY
While there are several places in the world known as the "holy land of sports cars," few are as fitting as the province of Modena in Italy. This is because within Modena province lie both Ferrari and Maserati, both under the Fiat umbrella. If Maranello is for Ferrari, then Maserati is sent out into the world from Modena, the provincial capital.

The Trident emblem, a three-pronged spear, is inspired by the statue of Neptune, a symbol of Bologna, and signifies that Maserati's history began in Bologna. The foundation was laid by the Maserati brothers, born between 1881 and 1898 in this region. Most of them would become involved in automobiles, but Alfieri Maserati, the fourth son (the third was also named Alfieri but died shortly after birth), played a central role. His career began as a racing driver, but after twists and turns, he established Officine Alfieri Maserati in 1926. Alfieri himself took the wheel of the "Tipo 26" bearing the Trident and competed in the Targa Florio, winning his debut race with a superb class victory.

In 1929, the "V4" set a world speed record of 246.029 km/h, and the Maserati name became widely known. Maserati continued to etch its name into the history of Grand Prix racing through the exploits of renowned drivers like Tazio Nuvolari. However, in 1937, ownership changed to Adolfo Orsi, and the following year, 1938, the company moved its headquarters to the current location in Modena. From this point until 1957, the company's motorsport activities entered a golden age. The most notable achievement was the F1 series title won by the master driver Juan Manuel Fangio in the "250F" in 1957. However, in the same year, Maserati concluded its works racing activities, and through models like the "3500GT" in 1958, the "Ghibli" in 1966, and the "Bora" in 1971, it solidified its position as a sports car manufacturer.

Carrying on the tradition of sports car manufacturing today are the two-door coupe "GranTurismo" and the four-door sedan "Quattroporte." They convey to us the allure of Italian sports cars, distinct from those of Ferrari.