Maserati Ghibli debuts in Sports Illustrated Swimsuit anniversary issue

The seven-page spread includes photos of the star of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, Heidi Klum, posing with several Maserati models, including the Quattroporte (above), Ghibli, and others. The spreads are beautifully done and tastefully rendered, including some unusual photos that one might not expect to see in the Swimsuit Edition of SI.

"We started our next 100 years of craftsmanship by kicking off 2014 with the launch of one of the best received Super Bowl commercials "Strike", featuring the all-new Maserati Ghibli, and extending the brand to another massive cultural icon, Sports Illustrated Swimsuit 50th Anniversary issue," said Harald Wester, CEO of Maserati S.p.A.

Italian photographer Francesco Corrozzini did the photo shoot with Klum, titled Beyond the Swimsuit to make a sort of "day in the life" of a dreamy Sports Illustrated model's activities. If those activities include a black dress night out on the town, some time on the race track and in the garage, that is. Shots include Klum as a Hollywood star (above) with the Quattroporte, as a business woman with the Ghibli S Q4, and a thrill-seeker with the GranTurismo MC Stradale Trofeo.

"I had a great time driving the new Maseratis for their photographic campaign shot by photographer Francesco Carrozzini," said Heidi Klum.

The photos are meant to exhibit the Maserati style as well as showcase that the car has often been the choice of powerful women. Maria Teresa De Filippis was the first woman to compete in Formula One and she did that in the Maserati 250F in the 1950s. Supermodel Jodie Kidd turned race driver in the Maserati Trofeo Championship as did TV personality Vicki Butler-Henderson. Continuing the trend, many European women prefer the Maserati and in China, it's the choice as well, with nearly a third of all Maserati buyers being women.

A fitting tribute to the cars, the magazine, and the women who grace both.