Maserati

"Some local leaders held a news conference outside of Maserati’s Tribeca showroom Monday afternoon over the Italian car maker’s continued ties with Iran. The luxury automaker plans to open its new dealership in the Iranian capital of Tehran soon. New York City Public Advocate Bill de Blasio, speaking at the news conference, said Maserati must cut ties with Iran. 'We’ve had some success convincing companies to move out of Iran but, shockingly, Maserati is going in the opposite direction,' de Blasio told reporters including WCBS 880′s Alex Silverman.'We identified both Maserati and Lamborghini as two companies actually having increased their role in Iran. So far, Volvo, Porsche, Fiat, Hyundai have all left Iran but major companies remain,' said de Blasio . . . De Blasio said the first objective is to inform the public about Maserati’s business ties to Iran . . . 'It sends exactly the wrong message,' former U.S. ambassador to the U.N. Mark Wallace said. 'For Maserati to end its business in Iran, it sends a message directly to the regime elites. They must choose between a functioning economy and a nuclear weapon.'" (CBS News, "Community Leaders Call on Maserati To Cut ‘Truly Unconscionable’ Ties With Iran," 10/22/12) (http://www.unitedagainstnucleariran.com/company/lamborghini) (http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2012/10/22/community-leaders-call-on-maserati-to-cut-truly-unconscionable-ties-with-iran/)

"Both Maserati and Lamborghini will no longer do business in Iran The Algemeiner has learned. The announcement comes following a campaign by United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) aimed at pressuring the two car makers into halting their activities in the country. The campaign appeared futile until an October press conference held by Ambassador Mark D. Wallace, CEO of United Against Nuclear Iran, and New York City Public Advocate Bill de Blasio. 'We weren't trying to just embarrass anyone. We sent several letters to both companies asking them about their business in Iran and they just didn't write back,' UANI spokesman Nathan Carleton, speaking of the press conference, told The Algemeiner. The public appeal seems to have worked. 'After the event we were immediately contacted by Lamborghini. They told us they were out, they weren't doing any business in Iran anymore. We're happy with that,' Carleton said. A meeting with representatives from Maserati soon followed. During the meeting Maserati insisted its dealings in Iran had concluded after its parent company, Fiat, announced in May that it no longer had a presence in the Islamic Republic... Ambassador Wallace sent this statement on the affirmations from the car companies: 'We are satisfied with the pledges we have received from both Lamborghini and Maserati, and we applaud both for their responsible action. This campaign proved once again that when a company is forced to choose between the Iranian market and the U.S. market, it will leave Iran. We will continue to work with the Public Advocate, to pressure more and more businesses to pull out of Iran and continue isolating the Iranian regime.'" (Algemeiner, "Exclusive: Maserati, Lamborghini Withdraw Business From Iran," 01/09/13) (http://www.algemeiner.com/2013/01/09/exclusive-maserati-lamborghini-withdraw-business-from-iran/)

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"Wealthy Iranians are fueling an unprecedented luxury car boom despite sanctions hurting their economy, paying up to $360,000 for high-end autos, according to showroom employees and reports Sunday. 'Buyers are paying upfront for these cars, which generally cost two to three times more than abroad,' one car salesman in Tehran told AFP on condition of anonymity. A newspaper citing official customs data, Hafte-Sobh, reported that 'some 563 different Porsche models were sold in the last Iranian year (to March 2012),' worth a total $50 million before a hefty 100-percent import tax... Maserati, the growling musclebrand owned by Italy's Fiat, is also looking to get a slice of the action by opening its own Tehran showroom within weeks, reports say. The ostentatious splurge by Iran's elite starkly contrasts with the straits experienced by ordinary Iranians." (Agence France-Press, "Wealthy Iranians spur lucury car boom despite sanctions," 4/23/12) (http://www.dailystar.com.lb/Business/International/2012/Apr-23/171048-wealthy-iranians-spur-luxury-car-boom-despite-sanctions.ashx#axzz1sprLYiWq)

"Italian luxury sports car maker Maserati plans to open a dealership in Tehran, Iran, next year, as it expands its international network, not only to enhance its independence as a brand within Fiat SpA (F.MI) but also to tap demand from a new, wealthy elite in emerging markets. Maserati won't own the dealership, preferring to import cars to a representative, a spokeswoman for the brand said Friday, confirming a report in Il Sole 24 Ore, an Italian business daily." (Dow Jones Newswire. "Fiat's Maserati Brand To Open Dealership In Tehran," 9/2/11) (http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20110902-707571.html)

Maserati Iran has an official website and Arta Tech Motor Inc sells Maseratis. (http://maserati.ir/)

Maserati is a subsidiary of Fiat S.p.A (http://www.unitedagainstnucleariran.com/company/fiat-spa)

"At a press conference in front of Maserati’s Manhattan showroom Monday Ambassador Mark D. Wallace, CEO of United Against Nuclear Iran, joined New York City Public Advocate Bill de Blasio  Iran180 in  calling on Maserati and Lamborghini to end their business in Iran. Ambassador Wallace was quoted as saying, 'Porsche, Hyundai, and now Kia, [have pulled] out of Iran. … [For] Maserati to end its business in Iran, [would send] a message directly to the regime elites. They must choose between a functioning economy and a nuclear weapon.'... Iran180 Executive Director Chris DeVito announced the addition of Maserati and Lamborghini to the Iran Watch List, given that the two have entered into business agreements in Iran and have refused to renounce their Iranian ties. And in the case of Maserati, which is owned by Fiat–touted the opening of a new dealership in Tehran... 'When an American is looking for a Maserati we don’t think they have any idea that the same car is being driven around by the Mullahs in Iran who bought it with oil money. We hope to educate the consumer, to give them a choice. It’s a choice what brand of car they buy and if we make them aware of the fact that these cars are affiliated with [Iran’s] activities hopefully they’ll make a different choice.' A Maserati Iran Facebook page has 15,440 ‘likes’ at the time of publication. So far Fiat, which owns Maserati, and Volkswagen Group, which owns Lamborghini, have not responded to The Algemeiner’s request for comment." (The Algemeiner, "Activists Call on Maserati and Lamborghini to End Business in Iran," 10/23/2012) (http://www.algemeiner.com/2012/10/23/activists-call-on-maserati-and-lamborghini-to-end-business-in-iran/)