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Mike Sinclair17 Jul 2014
NEWS

Drivers to stay in charge: Maserati

Drivers are the focus of Maserati’s development, not active or autonomous safety

Maserati will continue to put enthusiast drivers’ needs ahead of safety technologies. That’s the unmistakable message of the company's regional boss and Managing Director Overseas General Markets, Umberto Cini.

Speaking during a visit to Australia earlier this month, Cini conceded the exclusive Italian sporting brand was behind other key luxury marques in the implementation of the latest active safety features. But he was unapologetic.

“It’s [about] different DNAs… Different USPs,” Cini stated.

“Maserati is known for its handling, for its performance and for its pleasure to drive. And, as such, we believe… the driver has to be in charge of the car, especially [when it comes] to maintain the pleasure of driving,” the Maserati exec explained.

Luxury brands including Mercedes-Benz, Audi and BMW have accelerated the pace of release of active driver safety aids.

By way of example, the Mercedes-Benz Intelligent Drive suite of driver aids includes adaptive cruise control, autonomous braking and steering assist that will effectively control the car with minimal driver input during, for example, heavy stop-start traffic. The latest version was released on the new S-Class but will also available on the all-new C-Class range.

Other features common across prestige marques include pedestrian recognition, night vision systems and active headlight systems that maximise illumination without dazzling oncoming drivers.

Even small mainstream models like the latest Mazda3 are available with technologies like lane-departure warning, blind-spot monitoring, radar cruise control, head-up display, rear cross-traffic alert, automatic high-beam and automatic low-speed braking.

A direct S-Class and 7 Series competitor, Maserati’s latest Quattroporte eschews most if not all of the above assistance systems. The newer, smaller Audi A6-sized Ghibli is also barren in terms of high-tech aids.

Cini contends Maserati has the main boxes ticked but when it comes to a lack of advanced systems he’s not fussed.

“Of course, all the features [stability control and anti-lock brakes], in terms of security, are there… But definitely… we don’t go for drive assist or for air suspension or for these kind of things…

“Because all of these things, they are against the driving, the handling and the pleasure of being behind the wheel,” he said.

Cini says Maserati may consider high-tech aids in the future, but they are not a priority.

“We are part of a big group and [it is] a group where you have almost everything available.

“So its [absence is] in alignment with our brand DNA.

“We don’t have the electronic features as our main priority,” he stated.

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