Among the 14 brands that make up the Stellantis galaxy, only one currently seems to be in difficulty and is not making money. It’s Maserati, and contrary to recent rumors which could suggest a sale of the Italian manufacturer, Carlos Tavares is committed to making the brand shine again.
At Maserati, times are complicated, despite a range of recently renewed products. The brand’s strategy, focused on electrification, seems to be having difficulty taking hold, and Carlos Tavares has clearly not minced his words about the Italian manufacturer in recent months. Obviously enough to light the fuse and suggest that Maserati will potentially be sold before the ten-year deadline announced by the group’s leader at the time of the merger between FCA and PSA.
But even if Maserati doesn’t make money today, Carlos Tavares does not intend to leave his group’s only luxury brand on the sidelines. To set things right, the CEO of Stellantis traveled to Maserati headquarters in Modena, Italy, where he met with teams and unions to outline the broad outlines of a “strategic plan to bring the brand back to the top of the industry”according to an official press release.
An ambitious recovery plan focused on innovation
This new recovery plan promises to provide Maserati a continuous flow of new products and technologies for years to come. Stellantis wants to make Maserati a “pride” of its portfolio, meeting the challenges posed by the transition to electrification. This plan will include “a range of fully electric models as well as innovative technological advances, designed to reinforce Maserati’s premium image”.
To breathe new life into the Italian brand, Stellantis entrusted the management of Maserati and Alfa Romeo to Santo Ficili, an experienced Italian manager. Carlos Tavares also emphasized that Maserati suffered from too vague a market positioningcombining a style “performance grand tourer” with a touch of “sweet life” which has not yet been well communicated to customers. In other words, according to Carlos Tavares, the marketing department did its job poorly. The high price of the models could also be a hindrance to its commercial performance, according to him.
Falling sales figures
Maserati sales plunged 58% in the first nine months of the year, reaching only 8,600 units. Its turnover was halved, reaching 800 million euros. The manufacturer is also struggling to sell its Grecale SUV, while demand for European luxury cars weakens in China, a key market for Maserati. This drop in sales can also be explained by the discontinuation of certain models, while waiting for the brand to deploy its new range of electric sports cars.
To position itself in the electric luxury car market, Maserati launched its electric versions of the GranTurismo and the Grecale SUV at the beginning of the year, under the name Folgore. These models are aimed directly at Porsche customersthe well-established German competitor in this segment.
In the coming years, the Ghibli and Quattroporte could also return, but certainly electric, with the group’s new STLA Large platform soon to be inaugurated in Europe via the new electric Alfa Romeo Giulia.
Source: www.autoplus.fr
