The Australian and New Zealand Maserati importer is taking on distribution in South Africa as well.
Sydney based European Automotive Imports (EAI) takes over in South Africa from 1 May through subsidiary European Automotive Imports – South Africa (EAI-SA).
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“We are delighted to be able to announce the appointment of EAI to handle Maserati in South Africa,” said Umberto Cini, managing director of Maserati general overseas markets.
“EAI not only has a proven track record of handling Maserati with sales and customer satisfaction consistently rising since its appointment, it can also draw on the unique expertise its company owner, Neville Crichton, and his companies that have been at the forefront of vehicle distribution in Australasia and the US for nearly 50 years.”
EAI took over the distribution of Maserati in Australia and New Zealand in 2005. New Maserati dealers opened in all the state capitals of Australia and in New Zealand’s largest city, Auckland, as well as Maserati’s first customer service centre in New Zealand’s South Island.
Coinciding with the arrival of the new Quattroporte and Ghibli, all the existing dealers have been upgraded, additional dealerships opened in Sydney and Melbourne and the first stand alone Maserati dealerships opened.
Last year saw a 199.3% year on year increase in Australian sales and a 400% rise in New Zealand.
“We are extremely honoured to be given the opportunity to handle Maserati in South Africa,” said Crichton, the executive chairman of European Automotive Imports.
“This is not just an outstanding vote of confidence in what we have achieved in Australia and New Zealand. It is also a clear acknowledgement that we have the people and the expertise to transform Maserati’s position in the South African market to offer a new benchmark for exclusivity and dedicated customer service supporting Maserati’s unique range of performance cars.”
The launch in South Africa is being overseen by Glen Sealey, general manager of Maserati’s EAI operations. EAI-SA is based in Johannesburg with a dedicated local team managing the new business and able to draw on the expertise of the parent company.
In addition to running the national distribution of Maserati products and services, EAI-SA will open and run the Johannesburg Maserati dealership. It is looking for partners to establish representation in Cape Town and a dealership in Durban is planned for 2016.
“South Africa holds considerable potential for Maserati and has a wide range of synergies with Australia and New Zealand well beyond that they are all right hand drive markets,” said Sealey.
“These include a larger than average performance market sector, similar specification requirements and customers who demand real exclusivity and high levels of personalisation. For European Automotive Imports the move into South Africa is a unique opportunity to expand our company into a growing market, with a dynamic economy and an outstanding future.”
