Italian luxury carmaker Maserati will recall 56 newly-released Quattroporte sedans sold in China from Oct. 11 due to flaws in the stability control system, according to an announcement from the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (GAQSIQ).

Some of the Italian-made Quattroporte sedans produced before April 5 contained defects in the electronic control system that could render the vehicle uncontrollable at extreme speed, said the administration.

Ferrari Maserati Cars International Trading (Shanghai) Co Ltd, the only importer of Maserati cars in China, has presented a report on the problem to the quality control watchdog. The Shanghai-based joint venture, in which Ferrari is the major shareholder, will notify customers for safety tests and free replacement of electronic control units.

Maserati had received no reports of accidents involving the fault before the release of the recall announcement.

The carmaker has announced a recall of 718 Quattroportes worldwide, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration of the US Department of Transportation.

Maserati, which split from Ferrari in 2005, has sales and service networks in 11 major cities in China, including Beijing, Dalian and Shanghai. The automaker sold 117 cars in China in 2006, an increase of 62 percent over the previous year, according to Guangzhou Daily.

(Xinhua News Agency October 10, 2007)