Americans are lucky to live to be 90 years old, which is the number of years that Italian automaker Maserati has been in existence. Founded in Bologna, Italy, an industrial city halfway between Venice and Rome, Maserati was the first car company to use magnesium alloy cylinder heads, hydraulic brakes in a racing car, and to fit air conditioning as standard equipment in a luxury sedan.

To celebrate this milestone, Maserati will produce 90 copies of its 90th Anniversary edition of the Spyder convertible, painted Blue Anniversary, though we see no reason for the company to be sad about its advancing age. The car debuted at the 2005 Los Angeles Auto Show, the first major gathering of press following the company's December 1, 2004, birthday.

Despite nearly fatal moves in the past couple of decades (remember the Maserati Biturbo and Chrysler's TC by Maserati?), the company is enjoying significant sales success in North America and other parts of the world today. In fact, 60 Neiman-Marcus edition Quattroporte sedans sold out in three minutes when the fashion retailer began accepting orders from its 2004 Christmas catalog, which speaks volumes either to the desirability of Maserati's handsome luxury sedan or to American conspicuous consumption.

Regardless, people who missed out on the N-M Quattroporte may wish to consider the new Spyder 90th Anniversary Edition. Sure, it's got the same 390-horsepower, 4.2-liter V8 and Cambiocorsa sequential manual transmission as regular Spyders, but the gearbox in this limited-production Italian droptop produces 35-percent faster shifts, getting the car to 60 mph in 4.9 seconds on the way to a 175-mph top speed, according to Maserati.

Unfortunately, the remaining modifications are mostly cosmetic. The Maserati Spyder 90th Anniversary Edition includes an aerodynamic (and gaudy) body kit; chrome detailing for the front grille, rear valence, and door handles; and carbon fiber headrest fairings atop the tonneau cover that hides the roof when it's lowered. Other modifications include prominent Maserati badges on the front fenders, polished 19-inch wheels shod with 235/35 front and 265/30 rear tires, and a racing exhaust system.

Inside, the cabin is decked out in carbon fiber trim, aluminum racing pedals, electric "body hugging" seats, blue-faced gauges with special graphics, and a 90th Anniversary commemorative plate engraved with the serial production number. Owners will fire the ignition via a "start" button.

Maserati's Spyder may not be one of our favorite exotics, but there's no denying that a program of continual improvement has made the model more desirable than ever. Fans of the trident badge will want to seriously consider this rare bauble for their collections.

By Christian J. Wardlaw