Maserati halting production in Turin for a week

Fiat Chrysler definatly have a long term plan for the "Maserati" brand for sure,if it happens is another thing though

lets not forget Alfa Romeo and Maserati make little profit for Fiat!

Dave

Their plan is probably a spin off

Maserati should have stayed as the GT option of Ferrari. The exclusivity was lost the moment it appeared in competion with other rep mobiles.

Just got back from Italy and had a VIP tour of the Ferrari factory and half day on the Fiorano. They have definately pegged production at 7000 units and order books are bursting with prices for used examples going up monthly. Scuds 200k plus, Super americas 300k plus. 360 strads 200k plus. 355s going up daily, even 612s hardening and tidy 599s starting at 120k. Exclusivity is everything at this end of the market so to promise up to 70,000 units a year screws that good and propper. Plus Ferrari have refused to have any association with anything from Maserati with a diesel in it. Good for them.

Worst of all for Maserati is the new Alfa will blow the Ghibli out of the water

Yes, Ferrari have got it right for sure. They need to lend their business management team to Maserati

BJL said:

Maserati should have stayed as the GT option of Ferrari. The exclusivity was lost the moment it appeared in competion with other rep mobiles.

Just got back from Italy and had a VIP tour of the Ferrari factory and half day on the Fiorano. They have definately pegged production at 7000 units and order books are bursting with prices for used examples going up monthly. Scuds 200k plus, Super americas 300k plus. 360 strads 200k plus. 355s going up daily, even 612s hardening and tidy 599s starting at 120k. Exclusivity is everything at this end of the market so to promise up to 70,000 units a year screws that good and propper. Plus Ferrari have refused to have any association with anything from Maserati with a diesel in it. Good for them.

Worst of all for Maserati is the new Alfa will blow the Ghibli out of the water

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This.

Nailed it IMO BJL.

In trying to expand sales and appeal to a broader market with the Ghibli, seems they appealed to very few.

Of the same line of thought. At this price point and end of the market, it's all about exclusivity.

The connection with Ferrari and its atmo V8s worked brilliantly with the QP V and GT.

These are still two highly sought after models even today in Australia with very strong residuals.

I really hope they don't disappoint with the Alfieri. Such a gorgeous design deserves a great engine and attractive interior.

Not a parts bin Chrysler job as some of the interior fittings and satnav in the Ghibli.

From the Grauniad today

Aston Martin is planning “meaningful” job cuts as part of a restructuring that will involve the British luxury carmaker expanding into electric and “crossover” sport utility vehicles.

I saw the Aston Sports Utility Vehicle, as they call it, at Salon Privee last month and it's hideous. so behind the curve on style and presence. looked to me like a DB9 that had a make over by Brylcreem and viagra. Total joke price point of 150k against the sublime Range Rover top gun at 90k.

Paul Hollywood's programme on Aston confirmed to me that they are hanging their hat entirely on the link with James Bond. 2600 cars so far this year wont buy them many vodka martinis.

BJL said:

Maserati should have stayed as the GT option of Ferrari. The exclusivity was lost the moment it appeared in competion with other rep mobiles.

Just got back from Italy and had a VIP tour of the Ferrari factory and half day on the Fiorano. They have definately pegged production at 7000 units and order books are bursting with prices for used examples going up monthly. Scuds 200k plus, Super americas 300k plus. 360 strads 200k plus. 355s going up daily, even 612s hardening and tidy 599s starting at 120k. Exclusivity is everything at this end of the market so to promise up to 70,000 units a year screws that good and propper. Plus Ferrari have refused to have any association with anything from Maserati with a diesel in it. Good for them.

Worst of all for Maserati is the new Alfa will blow the Ghibli out of the water

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With respect to BJL, and without meaning to cause upset... What a load of nonsense.

To start with the last point first, the new Alfa will be no more of a competitor for the Ghibli than a 3 Series is to a 5 Series, or a C Class is to an E Class.
This romantic idea of Maserati being able to survive selling a 2 dr sports car and a large saloon is just utterly absurd. The only reason a replacement QP could be produced was using the economies of scale of developing a common platform where the costs can be spread over as many model ranges as possible. I have no doubt that Maserati would be only to happy to spin off other new ranges beyond the Levente and Ghibli. In fact those traditionalists should consider themselves lucky that Fiat Chrysler decided to come up with the budget for an entirely new platform. Its not inconceivable in past mismanagement, that you could have ended up with a reheated Chrysler 300C platform, which I think was based on the old model E Class Mercedes.
Fortunately those in charge, it would seem, realise it could take a decade to turn Maserati into a competitive premium brand with the investment that goes with it, comprising a proper range of models including Diesel, Hybrid, or even all electric drive. Using structures such as developing MTC from Chrysler for example are an essential means of producing a modern car profitably.
The Ferrari business model is a world apart from Maserati, and I would guess one of the reasons the GT has yet to be replaced, is the financial case is proving very difficult. Maybe something could be done with the Alfere in that direction, but as it stands the GT is in danger of becoming an anachronism such is the level of out of date technology it contains. The multimedia I am told first saw light of day in several previous generations of Citroen.
The current short term situation will have no bearing on future model plans, although if these ranges all fail to deliver sales in the medium or long term, its possible Maserati relevance no longer exists and it could go the way as Lancia.
So whilst the idea of a cheaper diesel car or an SUV may offend, if owners of GT and QP want to be able to buy new versions in the future, we had better hope the new ranges succeed!!
Nothing like setting the cat amongst the pigeons, to spark some debate!!

Regards
Keith

Aston and Maserati have not moved with the times.
The last new model for Aston was the DB7 and when was that introduced?
The DB9 followed slightly different and then everyone after that has been the same
The awful Lagonda hopefully has /will be ditched too ugly too late so there is no new Aston for whatever reasons

Maserati have left it too late for the SUV market again it is not pretty. The new QP is too big (apparently - never seen one), the Ghibli is not exclusive enough and the GT is long in the tooth

Both managers need a rollickin' at the very least

I think there is a general lack of understanding of the Maserati brand in large segments of their proposed customer base. We are all familiar with its history but its surprising how many people I know have never heard of Maserati or have no idea that they make anything other than cheap Ferraris.

The Ghibli hasn't pulled in the sales is was supposed to and the majority of potential purchasers just don't see it as a replacement for an decent spec 5 series or E class. I don't honestly believe building an SUV or introducing an Alfa into the same market sector as the Ghibli are going to help either.

I honestly only see hard times for Maserati especially as they are even trying to p155 off the few loyal fans they have by over pricing parts availability and **** customer service shown by the wishbone debacle.

With you there Zag

No offence Keith, your opinion is as relevant as any others but Luca Montezemelo understood the desire and passion of owners of Ferrari and Maserati to such an extent he made sure all the marketing embraced the performance, the family commonalities, the exotic nature and exclusivity. To own what most could not is irresistable. The current CEO does not agree with this. It was 'us lot' that bought the cars because of what they were and were all smitten by their foibles and eccentricities, the passion and flair in the design, the imperfections in the build, the history of the marque and the gratitude for Ferrari grabbing it by the neck and putting vigour back into the beloved trident. I fear a lot of current buyers of the latest incarnations are indulging in the mistique and cudos but will not sustain the support as is now evident in struggling sales of Ghiblis and QPs worldwide. Strange also that GT residuals are among the best 25% of the market, maybe they haven't noticed or if they have then can't quite work out why.

Plus Maseratis are mostly maintained and sericed by Ferrari/Maserati dealerships whoes charges are well beyond what the mass market car buyer would accept. A technician working on FFs, 430s, F12s, QPs GTs, 360s, 4200s etc all day every day would feel cobbled by having to accept mere mass market offerings on the end of their shinney Snapons. That was from the horses mouth by the way, not me.

Do you not think Fiat Chrysler have hyjacked the Trident Logo because the Lancia one didn't work for them financially. Could be that such cynical attides are coming home to roost.

Forgive me for the diatribe..............quiet day in the office

I have just come back from my local MD and they now tell me that GT production is continuing rather than ceasing as the new GT is so long away and instead, they are looking at a facelift of the current GT. They will be concentrating heavily on the interior and tech in particular which they admit falls well short of their competitors. They see the existing GT as almost timeless and are struggling to come up with something as good to replace it.

Excellent news!

Early prices will continue to fall

C

CatmanV2 said:

Excellent news!

Early prices will continue to fall

C

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Yes, but they would fall more if a replacement was launched

The factory were very busy with dozens of GT shells waiting for asembly when I was there in Sept. The tour guide was hoping production would continue as there is nothing else to build there otherwise...the 4C only has 4 build station.

Hope you are right on this Lincs
I see the GT as the only real survivor in all this

BJL said:

No offence Keith, your opinion is as relevant as any others but Luca Montezemelo understood the desire and passion of owners of Ferrari and Maserati to such an extent he made sure all the marketing embraced the performance, the family commonalities, the exotic nature and exclusivity. To own what most could not is irresistable. The current CEO does not agree with this. It was 'us lot' that bought the cars because of what they were and were all smitten by their foibles and eccentricities, the passion and flair in the design, the imperfections in the build, the history of the marque and the gratitude for Ferrari grabbing it by the neck and putting vigour back into the beloved trident. I fear a lot of current buyers of the latest incarnations are indulging in the mistique and cudos but will not sustain the support as is now evident in struggling sales of Ghiblis and QPs worldwide. Strange also that GT residuals are among the best 25% of the market, maybe they haven't noticed or if they have then can't quite work out why.

Plus Maseratis are mostly maintained and sericed by Ferrari/Maserati dealerships whoes charges are well beyond what the mass market car buyer would accept. A technician working on FFs, 430s, F12s, QPs GTs, 360s, 4200s etc all day every day would feel cobbled by having to accept mere mass market offerings on the end of their shinney Snapons. That was from the horses mouth by the way, not me.

Do you not think Fiat Chrysler have hyjacked the Trident Logo because the Lancia one didn't work for them financially. Could be that such cynical attides are coming home to roost.

Forgive me for the diatribe..............quiet day in the office

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Thanks for the response, and lively debate is a always interesting.
The point I made regarding the Alfa is fact. The Gulia is being launched as a 3 Series rival. The Ghibli is a 5 Series rival.
The Ferrari brand ranks amongst the most desirable of 'Supercars'. Rivals include Lamborghini, Aston Martin amongst others.
The price point on a Ferrari being so much higher than Maserati means there's sufficient profit per unit to keep the company very viable and with plenty of development capital for new models. The pricing of the QP and GT, coupled with the numbers sold would be insufficient to do the same. By extending downwards Fiat Chrysler are hoping to remedy this situation.
However you touch on an interesting point. Are Maserati too expensive and uncompetitive to compete against the likes of Mercedes and BMW, but also lack the exclusivity and premium models to rival top end premium ranges.
My reason for switching from Jaguar whose cars I have owned for the last twenty years. My first purchased twenty years ago to the day virtually was an XJ6, which offered many of the same qualities I see in my Ghibli.
Namely something more exclusive and luxurious than the normal German premium brands.
All the little touches that go with buying a new Maserati, and of course who is not going to enjoy buying a car from a dealership selling cars costing several hundred thousand pounds. So yes I am indulging in the mystique and kudos of the brand, however like I did with Jaguar there is no reason why I won't remain with Maserati.
The fact that it's a diesel allowed me to buy the car within my budget, and although for the same a less money I paid with options I could have got the petrol or even S model, the refinement of the VM Motori sourced engine means in normal driving you don't what is under the bonnet. And speaking of normal driving given the level of traffic on today's roads, coupled with what is safe and legal means the performance is more than adequate. I spend my time with the Ghibli sitting in the cabin. My money went making it look and feel IMO like a mini Bentley.

Keith is right (in my opinion).. Lets not get too concerned about the factory stopping production for a week. Overall sales this year will likely be the second highest ever, not far off last years total. Exclusivity wise I don't think Maserati have a problem if you are talking numbers. They expect to sell only a few thousand in the UK and if you look at numbers that's minimal. If the exclusivity thing is that they sell a car "only" worth £49k new then that's a different matter, but I wouldn't think people with pricier models are bothered by that?
Its true that people generally don't know anything about Maserati, I have been asked by a few colleagues why I thought about mine, which I find a bit odd

I think the point is that the factory being stopped again for a week is the Turin branch not Modena. This can only mean there are too many unsold Gibbers and QPs sitting around.

However if, which I doubt, these two models are mostly built to order as per the GT and previous models then they have a distinct lack of orders on the books.

Modena take 4 days to assemble a GT by hand where as the Turin factory is full of robots making the cras in less than a day.