On the streets of Bari, it's impossible not to notice this sleek, elegant silhouette. In the middle of the usual cab queues, a white Maserati catches everyone's eye. Behind the wheel, Nicola Andrisani, 41, has been a cab driver for over twenty years. What makes it special? Being the only one in Italy to welcome his passengers aboard a Maserati Ghibli.
"I've been in this business for 21 years, but I've only been using this car since July. Before that, I drove a Mercedes," he tells La Repubblica. Passionate about sports cars, he decided to take the plunge and invest in a MaseratiI bought it second-hand, at a price comparable to that of a normal car. A new Ghibli costs over €75,000, but mine had 50,000 km on it, and I paid much less. I simply had it repainted in white to give it more elegance."
A quick tour of the ads confirms his words: a 2015 or 2016 Maserati Ghibli diesel, with around 55,000 km, can be found for between €34,000 and €40,000. In the end, this is much cheaper than some new top-of-the-range German sedans.
A Maserati... but for the price of a regular cab
If passers-by are stunned, customers always ask the same question: is the journey more expensive in a Maserati? Nicola insists: "The rates are exactly the same as for other cabs. I respect the municipal regulations. Travelling in my car doesn't cost a cent more.
And yet, the surprise effect works. Some passengers prefer to avoid it, thinking they'll have to pay more, while others go out of their way to get on board. Nicola, for his part, remains true to his ethics: "If I'm in line with other colleagues and someone absolutely wants to get on with me, I refuse. I respect my turn like everyone else.
A "luxury" cab project in Bari?
With his Ghibli, Nicola also wants to give the cab service a new image. With no logos or advertising on the bodywork, he's banking on sobriety and elegance. "In Rome, there's already the Gold Taxi service, which provides customers with luxury cars. Bari should have the same thing, with 20 or 30 dedicated vehicles," he says.
By replacing his Mercedes with a Maserati Ghibli, Nicola Andrisani has not sought to increase his fares, but to attract more customers and offer a different kind of service. In Bari, his cab doesn't go unnoticed. And if some people are still reluctant to get in, those who step through the back door know they're traveling in a prestigious car... for the price of a standard fare.
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It's commonplace to see Maseratis in Taxis or VTCs (I'm one of them) in Switzerland. Customers are crazy about them, and with regular maintenance there's no problem.
È una fiat con motore vm, il peggior motore del mondo. Si trovano a poco perché non le vuole nessuno. Plastiche rumorose e scadenti. Interfaccia digitale peggiore mai vista e motore che devi farti il segno della croce che non si fonda perché ne abbiamo visti fusi a qualsiasi chilometraggio.
Maserati Ghibli diesel ....ya a typo there!
ahah and yet for a cab, I think it's better
Yes, 275 HP V6 Diesel!
be no, a V6 diesel engine with around 300 hp (US origin), of which there are several on La Centrale.
A Maserati Ghibli as a cab is far more interesting than a Mercedes.
It remains to be seen whether this is really profitable for the cab driver, and whether the Ghibli is not too expensive to maintain.
io ho la Multipla N.P. cab da 18 anni.....pensa te la differenza