Silk is tough enough: Maserati boss

Car companies have in recent years promoted sustainable bio materials for upholstering cars, but Maserati has reverted to silk, a renewable material renowned more for its tactile quality than its environmental friendliness.

"Who would have thought you could make something like silk durable enough to survive the seat of a car?" asked Glen Sealey, Maserati Australia COO, during a media briefing for the 2016 model year Ghibli and Quattroporte.

"We all know that the seat of a car has to have a huge amount of durability, because there's a lot of bums in and out of the car, and there's a lot of movement when you're in the car. And Zegna have gone and designed this material exclusively for Maserati."

According to Sealey, there's little to no trade-off in making the silk as resistant to wear and tear as Maserati is claiming.

"You don't lose the feel; it's how you weave it," he replied. "And it's what you do with it. They've had to take a whole new process to develop the silk. The weave helps, but also what they do with the silk itself, in terms of rolling it over and over and over again, to create the strength, is amazing."

As pictured here, the silk is supplied by Ermenegildo Zegna in a micro-chevron weave of vertical braids on the central seat and backrest area for the bespoke interiors. It's described as '100 per cent natural Mulberry silk' and complements the Poltrona Frau leather that is the other component in Maserati’s 'two-colour, two-material concept'.

The anthracite silk can be ordered with black, natural or red leather, the Zegna interior topping the range of interior colour and trim options for the Ghibli and Quattroporte. Sitting below that is a premium, full-leather option, and a full-grain Pelle Frau leather is standard. All leather materials are provided by Poltrona Frau.

According to Maserati, the Zegna interior costs between $11,000 and $22,000, depending on vehicle variant and other options fitted.