Robert ‘Bob’ Gabardy is the new general manager at the new location of Scottsdale Ferrari-Maserati, 18118 N. Scottsdale Road, just south of the Loop 101.
The state-of-the-art facility, a Penske Automotive Dealership, opened Dec. 2, 2013, replacing the familiar 68th Street and McDowell Road showroom and service facility that had served dealership clients for many years.
In this spirit of innovation, the new facility, with a 9,000-square-foot showroom and comprehensive 18-bay service department, sells and services the new Ghibli, Gran Turismo/ Gran Cabrio and Quattroporte Maserati’s, Ferrari’s and pre-owned exotic and premium luxury marques. The dealership also can arrange financing and transportation for a purchase.
“We are the only authorized dealer for Ferrari and Maserati in the state and we also sell most other highline brands in our used car inventory,” says Gabardy, who has been in the car business for 24 years, 12 with the Penske group and 12 with another local dealer.
“I have had the honor to represent Bentley, Rolls-Royce, Bugatti, Lamborghini, Jaguar, Aston Martin and now Maserati and Ferrari, and I look forward to a great year with many activities and events planned for our Ferrari and Maserati clients,” he adds. “We expect Scottsdale Ferrari-Maserati to continue to be a leader in client service, innovation and sales.”
The shop services Ferrari and Maserati as well Jaguar, Land Rover, Mini, Bentley, Rolls, Lamborghini, Aston Martin and Bugatti. All service departments are in the same building, and they provide routine maintenance as well as more extensive car repairs. Genuine Ferrari and Maserati parts are also available as needed.
Among the 24 Scottsdale Ferrari-Maserati employees are seven marque-certified technicians, regularly sent by the dealership to Italy to attend factory-required courses. John Schlitt serves as general manager of pre-owned premium luxury vehicles at the dealership, Chad Morgan is the sales manager and J.B. Saunders the Maserati brand manager.
“The convenience of our location near Scottsdale and the Loop 101 also sets us apart, in addition to our level of customer service,” Saunders says. “Clients expect exemplary service for Ferrari and Maserati, and they receive it.”
In the now 100-year tradition of The Trident marque, each of the Maserati cars is exemplary.
The third-generation Ghibli recalls the superb Giorgetto Giugiaro-styled car that the Modena-based company produced from 1967 through 1973 –– one of the all-time great sports cars.
Two twin-turbocharged 3.0-litre V-6 engines are available, linked to an eight-speed automatic transmission with either rear-wheel drive or the new Q4 all-wheel-drive system. These potent six cylinders incorporate the direct injection technology of the V-8 used in the flagship Quattroporte, with two low-inertia parallel turbochargers, each with an intercooler, and an ECU whose processors handle the always changing shifting functions in real time.
The more powerful Ghibli SQ4 puts down 410 horses and 406 lb./ft. of torque, with 0 to 60 times under five seconds. Top speed is 177 mph, maximum engine speed is 6500 rpm, with 90 percent of its torque at a low 1600 rpm. An overboost function provides the maximum boost between 1750 rpm and 5000 rpm. The Ghibli starts at $71,040, the Ghibli SQ4, $78,150.
The 2014 Maserati Gran Turismo is a four-passenger Italian grand touring exotic, available as a coupe or Gran Cabrio convertible. The coupe can be ordered as the MC and the Sport, and the convertible in base trim or as a Sport or MC.
The Gran Turismo Sport and MC coupe as well as the Sport and MC convertible carry a Ferrari-built 454-horsepower 4.7-liter V-8 with a 6-speed ZF automatic transmission. The base convertible’s 4.7-liter V-8 produces 444 horsepower. The Gran Turismo MSRP begins at $130,000 and the Gran Cabrio, $142,300.
On all Gran Turismo’s, the electronically-controlled Skyhook suspension automatically adjusts to road conditions. Standard features include Brembo brakes, directionally-adaptive bi-xenon headlights, heated power sport seats, automatic dual-zone climate control, rear parking sensors and a Bose sound system with hard drive and navigation system. A wide variety of alloy wheels, brake caliper colors and leather and wood trims are available for all varieties.
The 2014 Quattroporte is available as an S Q4 all-wheel drive or GTS Sedan. The former’s turbocharged 3.0-liter DOHC fuel-injected V-6 delivers 404 horsepower at 5500 rpm and 406 ft./lb. of torque at just 1500 rpm.
Also turbocharged and fuel injected, the GTS Sedan is powered by a 3.8-liter DOHC V-8, outputting 523 horses @ 6800 rpm and delivering a potent 524 ft./lb. of torque @ 2000 rpm. The Quattroporte SQ4 sedan starts at $143,600, the Quattroporte GTS, $104,300.
Scottsdale Ferrari-Maserati, www.penskeautomotive.com,
www.scottsdalemaserati.com, www.scottsdaleferrari.com, 1.888.964.6056
