Monday 22nd March 2010

Alonso Gets His Mitts On A Maser

Ferrari F1 star takes delivery of his new GranCabrio

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It's tough being an F1 racing driver at the height of your career. Aside from the glamour, the girls and the parties, there are the exotic new company cars being shoved at you from all sides. No wonder PH's novice racer Riggers is so fired up by his opportunity in the Caterham Academy this year...

Back in the real world, and hot on the heels of Ron Dennis promising to sort out a McLaren 12C each for Lewis and Jenson last week, comes news that Ferrari driver Fernando Alonso has just taken delivery of a rather delectable Maser GranCabrio.

According to Maserati's press release, the Spanish driver has chosen Grigio Granito (granite grey) for his GranCab's bodywork, while the interior features a combination of Pearl Beige and Bordeaux leather, matching a soft top in the same Bordeaux shade.

Senor Alonso was particularly impressed with the roominess offered by the GranCabrio, the company says, as it's perfect for four adult passengers. (In fact the GranCabrio is the first four-seater convertible in the history of Maserati.)

Well, we're glad he likes it, but we sort of wish he'd been more impressed by the 440hp V8 and the driving performance. Still, that's publicity gigs for you!

Either way, Maserati tell us the first right hand drive examples of the GranCabrio will reach UK showrooms in April at a price of £95,510. And after posting this shameless plug here's hoping they let us have a go in one...

[Loki660]

I'll have that car. Nice

[soad]

Jammy sod. Me so jealous

[The Dirty Bubble]

What was he thinking with that interior combination? Other than that, a tasty motor.

[AndySA]

Well at least it is better than the clio that his last employer could offer him!

[teen_cerbera]

How good is a cream roof gonna look on such a car though?

[FWDRacer]

He drives for Ferrari F1 and then decides to drive a Maserati as a company motor. What a plum

Either that or it is shameless plug for Maserati's new product...

[PhantomPH]

At least when McLaren launched the MP12412-ZQ4thrust, they spared their drivers having to dress like knobs.

[Belfast Boy]

I love these Masers but not sure about a convertable, and really not sure about a cream roof, I had one on my Skoda Cabrio and living near the main Croydon to Brighton railway line left it coffee colored after a few weeks.

[detomaso]

Where's everybody getting cream roof from?

[Garlick]

FWDRacer said:

He drives for Ferrari F1 and then decides to drive a Maserati as a company motor. What a plum

Either that or it is shameless plug for Maserati's new product...

I'd say that he has been told to have this car, rather than him choosing it himself.

Cynical? Me?

[Crusoe]

some people can't read "matching a soft top in the same Bordeaux shade" sure it will look great with a dark red soft top on a grey car.

Edited by Crusoe on Monday 22 March 12:11

[RicksAlfas]

The roof is Bordeaux coloured!

[tog]

[PH spelling police]

By 'Senor Alonso' would you be meaning 'Señor Alonso'? N and Ñ are different letters in Spanish, it's not just not just an n with an acccent. If you don't believe me, try looking up the difference between 'año' and 'ano' in Spanish (clue: only one means 'year', so get the right one when giving your age in Spanish.)

[/ PH spelling police]

[sleep envy]

Garlick said:

FWDRacer said:

He drives for Ferrari F1 and then decides to drive a Maserati as a company motor. What a plum

Either that or it is shameless plug for Maserati's new product...

I'd say that he has been told to have this car, rather than him choosing it himself.

Cynical? Me?

or just been told to turn up wearing his work coat for a Maserati press shoot at Fiorano

[sprinter1050]

Does anybody else think that he looks like a chavved-up dwarf courtesy of Hal*ords in that picture ?

Enlarge it & see.

Edited by sprinter1050 on Monday 22 March 12:18

[SleeperCell]

He's hardly going to be impressed by the power or performance considering he's an F1 driver, he probably just wanted something comfortable and stylish so he can fit in all the women he will be pulling now he's driving for Ferrari. It's also a bit of a step up from the Megane he had as a Renault driver .

[AndrewW-G]

It's a company car, he'll be given one of each new model FIAT/Ferrari/Maserati bring out, for his own use (and no doubt one for Raquel) as well as a car to use during each race meeting and access to FIAT's press / demo fleet should he need anything else.

[Oddball RS]

All that money can't get buy him an eye for interior taste though can it?

[TonyHetherington]

£95k? Oooff.

[Chris-R]

tog][PH spelling police said:

By 'Senor Alonso' would you be meaning 'Señor Alonso'? N and Ñ are different letters in Spanish, it's not just not just an n with an acccent. If you don't believe me, try looking up the difference between 'año' and 'ano' in Spanish (clue: only one means 'year', so get the right one when giving your age in Spanish.)

[/ PH spelling police]

Yes - but I can't get the Ñ to work in our content management system!