Maserati of Pasadena Stands Out
Historic Premises, Superb Service, Relaxed Atmosphere

Every auto dealership likes to portray itself as exceptional, offering its customers something special. Given the cars, Maserati dealers naturally have something of a head start in this particular realm – and Maserati of Pasadena can go one further. How many dealerships do you know of which are housed in a historic building, and which can lay claim to a small portion of TV stardom?

This was just one of the topics covered when we met Giacomo Mattioli, the principal of Maserati of Silicon Valley, Maserati of Beverley Hills and Maserati of Pasadena, and Rosella Locatelli, their marketing and event coordinator. Giacomo explained that the Pasadena store is an offshoot of Beverley Hills, but that this brings its own advantages. “Pasadena is an old community, it was one of the first areas in the Los Angeles area to be developed. As a result, it can be fairly conservative about new products,” he told us. “So the Pasadena showroom is focused solely on Maserati. Of course, the exclusivity of Maserati is a factor in every purchase decision – but we want people to understand that it’s a car you can use as a daily driver, as well.”

The building itself is sufficient reason to pay Maserati of Pasadena a visit. Over eighty years old, the brick building has a long automotive history – it was once a Ford dealership, selling the Model T, then later it was home to an Auto Union dealership. It was also used to house the private car collection of industry legend Lee Iaccoca. More recently, it was used as offices before Maserati of Beverley Hills acquired it in 2002 and returned it to its long-time use as an automotive showroom.

“The people who live here are very proud of the area, and how it looks,” explained Rosella. “We like to feel that we are a part of the community, so we get involved in local events. During some of those events I’ve met people who have thanked us for restoring the building, and who are proud to have Maserati as part of the community.”

The dealership is involved with a number of local organizations, most notably the Pasadena Symphony and the Pasadena Museum of History. “We are also hoping to be involved in the Los Angeles Concours d’Elegance at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena on 3rd June,” Giacomo continued. “The Rose Bowl is a beautiful, historic arena, but it also has some unhappy memories for me personally, as it’s where Roberto Baggio missed the penalty kick which cost Italy the 1994 Soccer World Cup Final! But that’s okay, because we’re world champions right now.”  Giacomo noted that Maserati of Pasadena’s sister store, Maserati of Beverly Hills, expects to participate once again in the Rodeo Drive Concours d’Elegance on 19th June.

As an Italian, you would naturally expect Giacomo to have a deep understanding of Maserati – particularly as he grew up in Modena, the home to the Trident’s factory and headquarters. Sure enough, he frequently talks about his passion for Maserati, for the current Quattroporte and the heritage of the company stretching back over 90 years. “Our first approach is to truly understand and explain what the Maserati brand means – we call it passion, we’re very proud of what we’re doing, and we aim to provide the best possible experience to our customers,” he said. “Maserati is a very sophisticated brand, it’s existed for a long time and it has a long and successful racing heritage. Some people don’t know all that, and it’s very interesting to take them through it.”

But what of the building’s claim to fame, its place in TV history? “Since we have been here, it has been used for three TV shows,” Giacomo told us. “When you look at it, you can understand why they like to use it. It’s been used for Grey’s Anatomy, CSI: Las Vegas, and this was actually the place where Gabrielle, played by Eva Longoria, told her husband she was pregnant in Desperate Housewives.”

The building certainly makes a beautiful and distinctive setting in which to display the finest that Maserati has to offer, something Giacomo is keen to capitalize on. “We want to ensure that people associate us with the brand. It’s Italian, it’s beautifully designed, it’s an exclusive product; you must appreciate the beauty, the sophistication. We like to meet people face to face, have them get to know us and understand that we are dedicated, we are here to stay and that we stand behind our products.”

One way of getting that message across is to show people that the dealership is genuinely a part of the community, that it is something that Pasadena can be proud of. That explains the selection of local institutions with which Maserati of Pasadena collaborates. “We constantly try to maintain good relationships with the community, we try to be a part of that community – we have already mentioned the Symphony and the Museum,” Rosella said. “We’ve worked with the Flintridge Riding Club, and we help put on a children’s riding show there every year, which supports a non-profit community hospital.”

Of course, a successful business can only flourish if it has a strong product to offer its clientele – and on that score, Giacomo has no concerns. “In the future, we’re going to have some exciting products, which I think will excite people,” he said. “There is a lot of interest in the Quattroporte Automatic – in fact some people pre-ordered it without even driving,” he continued. “And the GranTurismo – when that was unveiled, we were getting several calls, serious calls, every day. So when that arrives, we expect demand for that to be overwhelming.”

A dedicated, passionate workforce, a desirable product line-up with more to come, and a wonderful historic building in which to conduct business; Maserati of Pasadena looks set to continue being an important part of the community for many years to come.  It’s definitely worth a visit.