Model-turned-actor Cha Seung-won, famous for his roles in “Athena: Goddess of War” and “Kick the Moon,” is an avid Maserati fan.

He drives Maserati Quattroporte and has been the brand ambassador of the Italian luxury car for three consecutive years.

At the media presentation for the Seoul Motor Show 2015 on April 2, Cha showed up and posed for the Maserati Alfieri concept car and the Quattroporte.

But Cha is just among a whole legion of celebrities who drive Maseratis. Famous Maserati drivers include rapper 50 Cent, actresses Lindsay Lohan and Cameron Diaz, actor Tyrese Gibson, and singers Kylie Minogue and Gwen Stefani, Britney Spears and Katy Perry. Footballers Lionel Messi and Mario Balotelli as well as skater Apolo Ono are also Maserati owners. 

Maserati was established by Alfieri Maserati and his brothers in 1914. The brand became an overnight sensation when it won the grand prix at the Targa Florio in 1926. Since 1957, the company has shifted its focus to ordinary vehicles than racecars.

It is largely three things that make Maserati stand out: The unmistakably powerful nose, strong performance and the unique exhaust sound.

Maserati hires classical musicians when designing its cars’ exhaust sound, alongside a specialized engineer. Powerful performance also contributed to the car’s international fame. People can identify Maserati cars with the trident emblem, inspired by a fountain of Neptune in Bologna.

The carmaker, whose models are usually priced at well over 100 million won ($99,000), has recently launched the Ghibli, a more affordable sports sedan to reach out to a wider market. The company will launch its first sport utility vehicle next year.

According to FMK, the official Korean dealer of Maserati, a total of 36,500 Maseratis were sold across the world in 2014, a 600 percent jump from 2012. In Korea, 723 units were sold last year, up 469 percent from 2013.

The Alfieri concept car was created to commemorate Maserati’s centenary.

The sports sedan explores the stylistic heritage of the brand and anticipates future design trends with twists on the brands signatures: restyled triple air ducts on the wheel arches; the Trident emblem in a central position on the front grille; the “Saetta” logo on the rear pillar; and forged wheels with a spoke design that nods to the Trident profile.

Poltrona Frau aniline leather was used for the interior, matched with copper, aluminum and other materials reminiscent of the oxidized steel that was commonly used in the racing cars of the 1950s. Vintage racing also inspires the wraparound design of the seats, offset by their futuristic look and modern structure.

The main inspiration of the Alfieri is the A6GCS, a classic car designed by Pininfarina in 1954.

By Bae Ji-sook (baejisook@heraldcorp.com)