Rant

[SPX]

I agree completely that Maserati need a bread and butter vehicle to subsidise the sports cars a la the Porsche Cayenne but you've got to at least keep a halo car otherwise the carrot you're using to entice buyers in (520d M Sport/E220 CDI AMG Line/A6 2.0 TDi S Line etc) simply isn't there and you won't pull the numbers in.

Even during the dark years Jaguar managed to at least muddle through with the XK/XKR to keep the flame just about flickering...

 

[Marco07]

I don't have a problem with Maserati making large volume cars that have no appeal to us lot so long as they keep an ambition alive to make a few smoking headturners available at the same time. I can accept that the company is going through a restructuring phase and needs to provide a solid business base to build from. That's absolutely fine with me and I am prepared to bear with them and be patient whilst they make some average cars in bigger numbers and raise some dosh. However, if what you say about the Alfieri not being made is true then I am seriously disappointed.

They are selling these latest dull variants because people who don't know better are associating themselves with the passion and performance of the marque that we all love and cherish. If there is no sign of the genuine performance cars returning then sales of the rep cars will plummet and that will be the end of that. They absolutely need to invest in a supercar or super bonkers car programme and also think about re-entering a racing competition series. Who on earth would want to watch a ghibli racing? I ask you.

I've been waiting to buy an Alfieri for 4 years. I saw the mock-up one they had at the Chantilly Car Show in 2014 and again at the centenary display in Modena. It was beautiful and just looked fast. The way that only an Italian car (or Aston) can.

A year ago I was told by a senior Maserati employee that the Alfieri would definitely be made but it would be a bin parts special with mostly bought in Ferrari parts used. No idea if that was true but despite my initial resistance I came round to thinking that wasn't such a bad thing. It depends which parts and from which cars.

I think I'm going to have to change my thinking and accept that the current batch of Maserati's aren't really Maserati's and that the marque I love is in suspension for a while but will be relaunched at some time in the future. The question is, will anyone wait?

 

[safrane]

Well it could be worse...although the history was not in the same league, remember what happened to MG and the like.

 

[MrMickS]

It's interesting that we get the usual 'the four door cars' aren't real Maserati comments on here. Let's face it, none of the mass production cars from the 3500 onward are real Maseratis. They were all built to seek rather than to fund the racing programme.

It's worse than the 'I followed X band before they were famous but now they've sold out' bunch that we all knew when we were growing up.

The brand needs to change to survive, just as it did in the late 50's, and in the 80s. The messing about with Ferrari hasn't helped. It did to start with but with Ferrari moving out they didn't really want another marque stealing their sales. The change in grouping with Alfa in a crisis of its own stuffed everything up. Hopefully something good will come in the next couple of years, if not then Maserati needs to be spun off or sold.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Ian996]

Great rant by BJL, but I also think the following is right on the money:

Despite owner changes it is just a typical Italian motor company lurching from one crisis to the next and hopefully getting something right to save their bacon at some point.

I'm a long-term Alfa & Ducati fanatic, and only a very recent addition to the Maserati fold, so the only consolation I can offer is that Alfa have been through some very drawn out bad times (which probably hit rock bottom with the Arna), but they finally seem to be coming up with some seriously credible cars (4C, Quattro-wotnot). Maybe if Maserati sell enough oilers and SUV's , they'll come back with something special in the future.

In the meantime, I'm just counting my blessings that I've got a GT, because I ******* love it.

 

[rockits]

I agree with the sentiment and most here. I can understand why they want to do some bigger sales numbers and some mainstream cars to generate money to invest in an Alfieri type car and to provide more and future Sports cars. If the sports cars don't come then what's the point?

Maserati is a sports car brand first and full of historic motorsport heritage. This should NEVER be forgotten. You cannot buy this and it takes 100 years to create.

Competition is getting stronger in this sector and super/hyper cars are getting more expensive and more sales in numbers than ever before. If it were my business I would have been designing, creating and building more sports cars not less. Also more expensive ones and special stupid expensive small runs. Whey can't Maserati make another MC12 or make a £1m hyper car.

They have lost the plot. The longer they continue to lose the plot and not return to their roots the harder it will be to recover.

We do have a new TVR out soon which excites me. If they do well with the first model we could see TVR expand and grow which would make it harder again for Maserati.

Idiots!

 

[conaero]

We all can see that Maserati is getting upstaged by Alfa presently. I don't have issue with this as Alfa was my first love but always saw the move to Maserati as a step up...not anymore it would seem!

 

[Phil H]

Maserati is a sports car brand first and full of historic motorsport heritage. This should NEVER be forgotten. You cannot buy this and it takes 100 years to create.

IMHO the beancounters calling the shots haven't forgotten that, they didn't know it in the first place and don't care either.

PH

 

[alfatwo]

Were getting to be an old car forum then, nothing wrong with that, the cars are still fantastic..

The Lancia guys had this problem in the late 90's, with no new cars worth mentioning just the lovely old stuff..
There still going strong

Dave

 

[philw696]

Agree the passion is gone, no longer do I think "wow, I want that trident!" As I did with their offerings from the last 20 years. The current 3 are just a little bit Meh!

Thats why I no longer work for the Dealership.
Maybe Im a Dinosaur but I have PASSION and they didn't it bored me senseless in the end and I find it very sad.
Me and my 4200 now live in our own little bubble which I like.

 

[alfatwo]

Thats why I no longer work for the Dealership.
Maybe Im a Dinosaur but I have PASSION and they didn't it bored me senseless in the end and I find it very sad.
Me and my 4200 now live in our own little bubble which I like.

So what are you doing now Phil, are you calling it a day and going fishing..

Can you blag a pension over there.


Dave

 

[philw696]

Presently having a sabbatical Dave.
I will be entitled to a NZ pension as I'm a personal resident and can also get Citizenship.
I'm looking to find a job still on the spanners but away from too much of the modern stuff.
Not taking up fishing just taking it easy and playing with my own little fleet.
Can't rush these things you know

 

[Rwc13]

I agree with the sentiment and most here. I can understand why they want to do some bigger sales numbers and some mainstream cars to generate money to invest in an Alfieri type car and to provide more and future Sports cars. If the sports cars don't come then what's the point?

Maserati is a sports car brand first and full of historic motorsport heritage. This should NEVER be forgotten. You cannot buy this and it takes 100 years to create.

Competition is getting stronger in this sector and super/hyper cars are getting more expensive and more sales in numbers than ever before. If it were my business I would have been designing, creating and building more sports cars not less. Also more expensive ones and special stupid expensive small runs. Whey can't Maserati make another MC12 or make a £1m hyper car.

They have lost the plot. The longer they continue to lose the plot and not return to their roots the harder it will be to recover.

We do have a new TVR out soon which excites me. If they do well with the first model we could see TVR expand and grow which would make it harder again for Maserati.

Idiots!

Not true. Maserati is a GT car (and since the 1960s) sporting saloon car brand with historic motorsport heritage. It has produced the odd sports car in its history, but this has never been the core of its road car brand. It is not and has never been a Ferrari or Lamborghini. So you propose something completely inconsistent with its history and that, frankly, it has no chance of succeeding with financially

 

[P R]

A few points. I wouldn't say a base poverty spec car costing £50k is particularly mainstream.
The bean counters run the show. But if they run out of beans then that's curtains.
The only way Alfa (also my first love ) is now appearing to turn the corner after so many false dawns, is money. Cold hard investment. Maserati needs to be next on their agenda. They have poured money into Jeep, and now Alfa, with good results.
Maserati must build the Alfieri and soon.

 

[rockits]

Not true. Maserati is a GT car (and since the 1960s) sporting saloon car brand with historic motorsport heritage. It has produced the odd sports car in its history, but this has never been the core of its road car brand. It is not and has never been a Ferrari or Lamborghini. So you propose something completely inconsistent with its history and that, frankly, it has no chance of succeeding with financially

I must have missed something growing up as a kid and dreaming of owning a Maserati. I could have sworn it was a sports car brand steeped in motorsport history. You have just ruined my childhood and feel I need to sell my Maserati's now to bring a stop to this facade!

I thought RWD cars with 4.2 V8 N/A Ferrari engines would have been classed as a sports car but clearly not. I thought sports adjustable suspension, F1 gearboxes sitting at the back and sleek Coupe 2+2 lines made this​ a sports car. What have I been thinking! I'm the idiot!!

I need to sell them all quick and by a proper sports car then. What do you propose instead?

 

[Vampyrebat]

I first fell in love with Maserati when I came across a red Ghibli Cup in a car park in Cornwall in the mid 90's. I then knew I had to have one!...........The latest Ghibli just leaves me feel numb!!........It has just become a totally different car with the same name IMHO!!
Very sorry, I don't mean to offend any Ghibli owners on here, as I say it is just my opinion. We all have our own tastes and I'm not saying mine is right!

 

[CatmanV2]

I must have missed something growing up as a kid and dreaming of owning a Maserati. I could have sworn it was a sports car brand steeped in motorsport history. You have just ruined my childhood and feel I need to sell my Maserati's now to bring a stop to this facade!

I thought RWD cars with 4.2 V8 N/A Ferrari engines would have been classed as a sports car but clearly not. I thought sports adjustable suspension, F1 gearboxes sitting at the back and sleek Coupe 2+2 lines made this​ a sports car. What have I been thinking! I'm the idiot!!

I need to sell them all quick and by a proper sports car then. What do you propose instead?

Not to be quite so blunt, I have to agree with RWC. They really aren't sports cars. Too big and heavy.

Lotus would be my classic example of a sports car. Porsche 911 perhaps?

C

 

[rockits]

Fair enough...I need to address my balance I think. I thought 0-60 in under 5 secs was fairly brisk and could be construed as sporty. I'm never getting in a car with you guys!

 

[CatmanV2]

Fair enough...I need to address my balance I think. I thought 0-60 in under 5 secs was fairly brisk and could be construed as sporty. I'm never getting in a car with you guys!

Oh they are sporty or sporting cars, no doubt! It's a bit like me. I'm sporty. I run, I teach my classes. But Mo Farah is a sportsman.

C

 

[MrMickS]

Were getting to be an old car forum then, nothing wrong with that, the cars are still fantastic..

The Lancia guys had this problem in the late 90's, with no new cars worth mentioning just the lovely old stuff..
There still going strong

Dave

If the Internet had been in widespread use in the 1980's I reckon you'd have had the same discussions then. Those people with the older cars despairing over the Bi-Turbos.

Lancia has fallen away because FCA don't have a space for them in the range. They have one sporty consumer brand, Alfa Romeo, and don't really need another one to compete with it. At present Maserati has a space in the FCA plan, but maybe they'll just expand Alfa upwards to take that space in which case Maserati will disappear as a brand as well. I don't see this happening myself though there may be some blur between them.

Since the '60s Maserati has been a company making GT cars and luxury Saloons, it has never been about ultimate performance. At present the GT is on its last legs and desperately overdue a replacement, the remaining cars fit the luxury Saloon part of Maserati. The Levante sort of fits into the luxury part because people are moving from buying normal luxury, and performance cars, to buying Shopping Unlimited Vehicles.

All IMO of course.

I thought that 5s 0-60 was sporty too. I'm wrong though, all rep mobiles do that