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August 6, 2009

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Maserati's new GranTurismo MC debuts at Spa, during the GT4 European Cup


Maserati GranTourismo

The new model is an offshoot of the Maserati GranTurismo MC Concept introduced last September in Monza and based on the Maserati GranTurismo S road version, with electro-actuated gearbox system.

A limited series of the Maserati GranTurismo MC produced for gentlemen drivers who wish to race in the 2010 GT4 European Cup and the national series, will be on sale as of November 2009. The indicative price is 135,000 Euro + VAT. The cars will be sold directly through Maserati Corse.

After excellent results during development tests carried out by Andrea Bertolini, the car will hit the track backed by the private team AF Corse, which entered two Maserati MC12 in the FIA GT Championship in 2004.

At Spa the Maserati GranTurismo MC GT4 will be driven by the gentlemen drivers - as per regulations - Lorenzo Casè and Cédric Sbirrazzuoli. For Casè, winner of the GT 2007 Italian Championship, it is a return to being at the wheel of a Maserati.

On the other hand, it will be the first time 21-year-old Monte Carlo-born Cédric Sbirrazzuoli races with the Trident. After getting podium results in karting and in single seater formulas (F. Gloria, F. Azzurra and F. Renault), he decided to try his hand at racing GT and he obtained third place in the 2008 GT3 Italian Championship.

MC are the letters that represent the Principality of Monaco, so racing a GranTurismo MC also means he is taking the National symbol to the race...

With the creation of the Maserati GranTurismo MC, the tradition of the Trident logo car manufacturer who remains loyal to its origins - those of a company founded in 1914 to tune and subsequently build racecars - lives on. The Maserati list of victories is abundant and it includes a two consecutive wins at the famous Indianapolis 500 in 1939 and in 1940, with Wilbur Shaw at the wheel of the 8CTF "Boyle Special". This year is the 70th anniversary of that first success. Juan Manuel Fangio won two F1 world titles in 1954 and in 1957 at the wheel of a Maserati 250F. In the 1950s and 1960s cars with the Trident logo won a good many Endurance races, while the last victory in a Formula 1 GP was clinched by Pedro Rodriguez on a Cooper-Maserati in 1967.

In 2004 Maserati Corse started racing again internationally in the FIA GT Championship featuring the MC12; it achieved three victories at the prestigious Spa 24 Hours (2005, 2006, and 2008 with Vitaphone Racing Team) and no less than ten absolute titles.

Race have always been the most demanding test-bench for all cars. Traditionally, reliability and performance are checked on track. It is in races that new technologies and materials are tested. And it is on the circuit that Maserati has decided to raise the much praised-sporty verve of its Maserati GranTurismo S to even higher levels to create the Maserati GranTurismo MC.

The GT4 European Cup free practices will be held on Thursday. Friday there will be the qualifying practices and race 1, which will last 40'. Race 2 will be held on Saturday and will also last 40'.

(July 23, 09)

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