Factory newsletter

Ewan

Ewan

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Just read the official March newsletter from Maserati. 51,000 cars sold in 2017 and about 84,000 Ghiblis sold since its launch in 2013. Not bad for a niche brand, even if their offering mostly consists of disappointingly mainstream vehicles.

Quite like the thought of one their Master driving courses which includes a go in the MC Hammer.
 
conaero

conaero

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Positive figures indeed. Well done Maserati.

Ewan can I ask how you obtain the newsletter?
 
safrane

safrane

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So I got to thinking about those 51k sales.

Sales are fine if you are cutting a decent profit out of them and not pre registering them. There are 67 Ghibli for sale registered in 2017, most at MDs. What % of their 2017 UK sales are those?

Given the temporary shut downs at the factories to smooth out supply I only see those figures as PR spin... and all the current range is due replacement except the Lavante, giving little hope of maintaining volumes at a profit.
 
Rwc13

Rwc13

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Well it would make a nice change for you to have something positive to say


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safrane

safrane

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Positivity will return promptly when sports cars emerge from the Modena factory.

Until then, marketing blurb will only fuel my pessimism.

So here's to positive and tangible outcomes.
 
Rwc13

Rwc13

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They still make rather good “sports cars†there


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Ewan

Ewan

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Just noticed that another niche brand, Catherham, also had a record year in 2017. They managed 660 cars. Puts Maserati's figure of over 50k into perspective. I appreciate that these cars are not at all the same thing, but you can see why Maser wanted to head more towards the mainstream than the sports car market.
 
Phil H

Phil H

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Maserati now sells posh cars into markets hitherto occupied by BMW, Mercedes, et al, and although they're said to be doing ok they might do even better if they reintroduced passion and heritage to the brand, instead of just moving metal.

PH
 
allandwf

allandwf

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Phil H said:
Maserati now sells posh cars into markets hitherto occupied by BMW, Mercedes, et al, and although they're said to be doing ok they might do even better if they reintroduced passion and heritage to the brand, instead of just moving metal.

PH
Click to expand...

Totally agree. Alfa seem to be going the passion and heritage route, they seem to have a clearer outlook.
 
P R

P R

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allandwf said:
Totally agree. Alfa seem to be going the passion and heritage route, they seem to have a clearer outlook.
Click to expand...

Yes, and reading Sergio's "plan" (if he isnt making it up on the hoof ;) ) then Maserati will use the Alfa revival for tech sharing. And thats no bad thing looking at the Giorgio platform and 2.9v6 engine
 
B

bigbob

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The rebirth of Maserati has been a great success as they figures show. You can always unpick some aspect of corporate performance but overall its night and day from where they were. The saloons got them going but SUVs are where the action is and many of us (me included) are out of date. I had a go in an F Pace recently, was really interested in an XF Sportbrake thing but they don't do the right spec in that for me. F Pace is ok to me but excellent in it's market, salesman said he can't remember if anyone has actually sat in the XF wagon and that's the point - ride the tide don't fight it.

Sports cars are a declining market - mate recently bought a next to no miles 911 cab and the first owner had dropped nearly £40k in under two years. Maserati needs something sports car wise for marketing and the odd sale. Hopefully, in 2020 we will get it.
 
P R

P R

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Jag boss was on a radio program a few years back, and was getting flak about making SUVs. He pointed out that school kids now no longer aspire to having a sports car, they aspire to having an SUV. How depressing.
 
conaero

conaero

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Rwc13 said:
Well it would make a nice change for you to have something positive to say


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

Positivity will return promptly when sports cars emerge from the Modena factory.

Until then, marketing blurb will only fuel my pessimism.

So here's to positive and tangible outcomes.
Click to expand...

I feel your sentiments RWC and yes, I am very pleased that on the face of it Maserati are doing well, which I commented on earlier in the thread. I also agree with what Peter says as many on here are driving around in older Maseratis because the new crop of cars do not fit their mandate so thus they are sticking with them in the hope that the new found revenue will ultimately reward them with an out and out sports saloon that got them into the brand in the first place.

We just have to keep waiting I suppose which is no real hardship just frustrating sometimes.
 
allandwf

allandwf

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A lot of us also aspire to own an exciting car, but cannot justify the cost new, so buy when they are 6 to 10ish years old. After the GT stops, what will we be buying second hand Maserati wise in say 2025?
 
J

Jnismith

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allandwf said:
A lot of us also aspire to own an exciting car, but cannot justify the cost new, so buy when they are 6 to 10ish years old. After the GT stops, what will we be buying second hand Maserati wise in say 2025?
Click to expand...

Thats what slightly worries me. I thought about buying a GT this year but bought the GS instead with the reasoning that I could swap it out for a GT in a few years. I don't really want a second 4 door car. What I would like is a comfortable Italian sports car with a bit of style, a decent engine and some noise. There's always a 911 but many of my friends have gone down that route and I've never been a fan. Ferraris are a bit too expensive and showy, BMW, Audi & Merc too common. The Nissan 370Z is nice to drive but will it be replaced? And then there's the Mustang which is certainly tempting.
 
CatmanV2

CatmanV2

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allandwf said:
A lot of us also aspire to own an exciting car, but cannot justify the cost new, so buy when they are 6 to 10ish years old. After the GT stops, what will we be buying second hand Maserati wise in say 2025?
Click to expand...

Well personally a late model GT I suspect ;)

C
 
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