The Alfieri concept car is unveiled at the 2014 Beijing International Auto Show on April 20, 2014.

GranTurismo MC Stradale Maserati Centennial special edition.

Maserati is unveiling three models at the 2014 Beijing International Auto Show to celebrate its 100th anniversary.

The Alfieri concept car, Quattroporte Zegna limited edition and the special edition of GranTurismo MC Stradale Maserati Centennial will be on show to fuel the passion of the discerning aficionado.

The three new models are inspired by the philosophy of "The Opposite of Ordinary", which is considered as a testament to the company's first 100 years and a guideline for the next 100, an executive said.

The Alfieri concept car

The Alfieri has "Maserati's stylistic heritage" and is a "realistic and 100 percent functional prototype that says much about the design DNA of future Maseratis", an executive said.

"In addition, it boasts proportions that might well be archetypal for a future true sport car," he added.

The Alfieri is a sleek, Italian style 2+2 like the 1957 3500 GT, the 1959 5000 GT and the 1969 Indy before it, and clearly affirms Maserati's racing characteristics.

The car designer says he is inspired by the Maserati A6 GCS-53, which is designed by Pininfarina in 1954.

The A6 GCS-53 was an iconic piece of automotive technology and simply breathtaking for its proportions and design features: a diminutive cabin positioned almost over the rear wheels, a seemingly endless bonnet and long, sinuous wings stretching nearly to the rear wheels.

"However, the Alfieri is much more than a futuristic interpretation of the A6 GCS-53 since the company encourages designers to look forward rather than back", said Lorenzo Ramaciotti, head of global design at Maserati.

"We wanted the Alfieri to test future design paths. The car is very aggressive but still sober in style, forceful but understated," he added.

The new concept car bears the name Alfieri in memory of the Maserati brothers, who started the Officine Alfieri Maserati in Bologna, Italy, a century ago.

Its long, low front is a stylistic evolution from contemporary Maserati models.

The grille is divided vertically into two concave sections that seem to hang in the air.

The sleek DRLs are connected by a clear accent line with the iconic "V" motif in the centre, and the aggressive headlights incorporate bi-xenon-LED bulbs and are rendered distinctive by a characteristic eyebrow, which is repeated on the twin exhaust tail pipes.

The three-dimensional candy-cane taillights, together with the air ducts underneath, create an impressive, racing style rear view.

In addition, the 21-inch diameter rear and 20-inch front wheels feature integrated decorative spokes that wink at the classic spoke wheels of the 1950s.

"The designers have developed a streamlined, uncluttered form for the Alfieri," said the executive.

Designers use a liquid metal color called steel flair for the exterior design, which gives the car a refined, technical and contemporary look, he added.

The decorative spokes of the forged wheels, brake calipers, grille, air ducts, rear diffuser and provocative eyebrow of the exhaust tail pipes are all decorated in Maserati Blue.

Designers followed the principles of simplicity and minimalism for the interior look.

The suspended dashboard has a clean, organic appearance conceptually inspired by the Maserati 5000 GT.

The instrument panel has a classic layout with two main dials and two smaller ones in between. Each is embellished with an Officine Maserati label.

The instrument panel, which features TFT displays, is inspired by a modern photography camera menu.

The numbers on the panel rotate around the dials automatically, with speed and RPM highlighted by a magnifying glass effect.

The Alfieri also has some racing car elements, including a floor made of a material very similar to oxidized steel, a material commonly found in the racing cars in 1950s.

The dominant colors of cockpit are luna white and dark basalt blue, while leather covers the seats, dashboard and central console.

Many details and equipment are hand-made, including the pedals, gearbox and the clock on the central console, said one of the designers.

The Alfieri signature, retrieved from an old Maserati document and sculpted in the number plate recess on the rear of the car is also in blue.

In addition to its stunning appearance, the Alfieri has a "sporting DNA", he added, powered by a V8 engine that punches out a 460 bhp at 7,000 rpm and 520 Nm at 4,750 rpm.

The V8 engine also produces a breathtaking sound that "made a real impression in Geneva when the concept was unveiled," said an executive.

"The Alfieri is a transition point between 100 glorious years of history and the future that is opening up before us," Ramaciotti said.

"I sincerely can't say that we'll see this car in production in two years' time, but I'm certain we'll see something very similar," he added.

Limited Edition of Quattroporte Ermenegildo Zegna

The second model unveiled at the Beijing auto show is the Quattroporte Zegna limited edition, a collaboration with clothing fashion brand Zegna that made its world debut at the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show.

The joint production is a limited series, with only 100 cars to go into the market.

"Compared to the current Quattroporte range, the Zegna limited edition boasts a special finish in terms of color, materials and trim, carefully chosen to embody all the personality, quality and exclusivity that link the histories and traditions of the Maserati and Zegna brands," an executive said.

Its exterior color called platinum silk was designed exclusively for the edition.

The paint contains fine aluminum pigment that gives it silk-like touches.

The color with a "warm and soft tint, perfectly expresses the car's classic and sophisticated character", said one of the designers.

The interior cabin is finished in a warm and classical moka color, which conveys a formal and professional character.

Many details in the cabin are made from Zegna fabrics produced for the edition exclusively.

The jersey silk fabric designed by Zegna has been chosen for the roof lining and sunshades.

The model is more than a reflection of the partnership between Maserati and Zegna, more importantly it interprets the cultures and traditions of the two enterprises, an executive said.

Zegna also designed an exclusive owner's kit for buyers of the limited edition that includes leather items and a 3.5-meter cut of fine Zegna silk.

The car has a sunroof, front seat ventilation and a four-zone climate control system.

In addition, it is equipped with an exclusive Bowers&Wilkins Premium Sound System that has 15 speakers including a powerful sub-woofer and a 1,280-watt amplifier.

The limited edition's V8 engine can push the car to a top speed of 307 km/h and accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in just 4.7 seconds.

Special edition of GranTurismo MC Stradale Maserati Centennial

The third model unveiled on April 20 is the special edition of GranTurismo MC Stradale Maserati Centennial.

This edition offers customers a range of choices in body color and wheels along with seven exterior finishes that come with different interior looks.

The seats are all covered with leather, giving the model "a particularly aggressive look," said a designer.

The car's color combination of red and blue emphasizes its sporting nature as well as representing Bologna where Maserati founded in 1914.

The black leather of the seats and dashboard are strikingly offset by the red, white and blue in the interior that mimics the colors on the wheels.

According to the company, the special edition will be available from July .

A brief introduction of Maserati

Alfieri Maserati and his two brothers founded Maserati in December 1914 in Bologna, Italy.

The brothers always have a dream about building a race car for themselves. The dream comes true in 1926, when they successfully created their first Maserati badged car, the Tipo 26.

After 100 years of development, Maserati becomes an important player in global automotive industry and it grows in an enormous speed.

The growth is driven by its style, elegance, great quality and excellent performance as well as a series of outstanding new models.

Quattroporte and Ghibli, the models that are presented in 2013, transform Maserati into a serious player in the premium sports car segment.

In 2013, Maserati had a 148 percent increase in its shipments worldwide driven by the huge success of the new Quattroporte and Ghibli models launched that year.

Its total revenue reached $2.3 billion in 2013, an increase of 120 percent over the previous year.

China, the company's second-largest market, recorded the highest percentage increase in 2013, a sales surge of 334 percent to 3,800 units, he said.

Up to date, Maserati has a complete model range made up of two four-door saloons, two GT sports cars, four engines (a V8, a V6 Twin Turbo, a V8 NA and a turbo Diesel), and two different architectures (AWD & RWD).

"We have an SUV coming soon as well", an executive said.

zhuanti@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 04/20/2014 page35)