Ferrari to cease engines to Maserati

hashluck

Member
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1,515
Would have been inevitable once Ferrari were spun off, would have been an x years minimum period they had to supply, now seemingly coming to an end. I hope Maserati have a plan (hmmmm), probably why they have been talking up all electric as the future. Puts an interesting twist on the currently under-rated cars using the engines once people wake up to the fact that is it.
 

Phil H

Member
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4,107
The worst bit of that report is that the author(s) have 'reached out' to the company for comment. Ye gods, can't anyone use decent English these days without such nonsense? H3ll, it's almost as bad as the news itself!

As for the Ferrari break, well, if it really is true FCA had better have something pretty special up their sleeve if they are to produce a credible brand line-up as promised.

PH
 

tasnam

Member
Messages
196
I had a Marketing company (out of Paris, FR) contact me in January(Feb?) 2019 to ask me some Maserati survey questions on behalf of Maserati for owners opinions (I own a 2016 GT).....
I had two (2) separate 15-20 minute phone calls of maybe 30+ questions....
I emphasized over and over one of the reasons I bought a new Maserati was because of the Ferrari {inspired} built engine......
....if this posted article above is true, certainly my comments did not make a difference.....
 

Andyk

Member
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61,038
If just surely a disaster for the brand. Although I would imagine they couldn't just stop there would have to be a period time in there for Masrati to make other arrangements. but if true would that mean they would stop supplying Alfa as well.
 

rivarama

Member
Messages
1,102
I emphasized over and over one of the reasons I bought a new Maserati was because of the Ferrari {inspired} built engine......
....if this posted article above is true, certainly my comments did not make a difference.....
Or it did, and I think it just confirmed that the brand is in real trouble if Ferrari does stop to provide engines.
Couple of options in my mind:
  • Ferrari used that to renegotiate their contract and justify a much much higher charge to Maserati for their engines (can Maserati afford that?)
  • Fiat looks for another engine manufacturer - Alfa would be the first door to knock on and would hope that the racing pedigree is “salvaged” by Alfa return into F1 (ironically w a Ferrari engine on their f1 car)
  • Maserati accelerate the electric program - doubtful if contract truly stops in 21/22 - unless an extension can be renegotiated at a much higher price, as option 1
  • as Fiat now understand that a vast number of their Maserati customers buy the brand for the Ferrari partnership, they weight the cost benefits of all options mentioned above and see that none of them is financially viable - and shuts the brand down (or sells it)

None of those options sounding very positive.
 

jluis

Member
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1,703
I guess we will be seeing maseratis equipped with rebadged Chrysler V8 engines like they did with their diesels...
On the plus side, the existing maseratis with the Ferrari engines are set to appreciate over time
 

Wattie

Member
Messages
8,640
If that engine goes you’re gonna struggle to justify the high price that Maserati asks for its new cars.
 

rivarama

Member
Messages
1,102
On the plus side, the existing maseratis with the Ferrari engines are set to appreciate over time
I would also see the flip side of the coin. If potential buyers are now concern about the availability of spare parts to fix their reputably unreliable car, I would see how that can even lower the number of people interested in those cars...
 

Felonious Crud

Administrator
Staff member
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21,013
Bad news indeed. If I was Ferrari and I saw Maserati owners as wanting a ‘cheap’ way into owning something with a Ferrari engine, I might well prefer their cars also had a Ferrari body, Ferrari badge etc. I can see their point. “Eh? - you want a a Ferrari? Buy a Ferrari!”

For me, the bigger concern is that Maserati no longer has an engine supplier at all. The fact that it won’t be Ferrari is almost secondary. Mercedes likes doing deals. How will that wonderful, evocative Italian heritage be maintained, though. Hmm...
 

Delmonte

Member
Messages
878
Complete doomsday scenario this. The only possible positive outcome would be Maserati start to once again make their own engines, or team up with Alfa for the same.
But it won’t happen. Chrysler engines will happen. This is the end, my friends
 

conaero

Forum Owner
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34,593
More:


I find it odd as its know that Maserati have been jointly working with Ferrari on the Hybrid & fully Electric platforms for years. Why at the point that Ferrari announce its hybrid platform they divorce from Maserati would seem strange.

I don't believe any of the press that comes out of Italy, I feel its a way to force Maserati customers to accept fully electric which from the survey comments above would appear that the responses were damning. Ferrari get to live test their co developed fully electric system with Maserati in its cars, then when happy, release it on the F platform....same as they have always done.

I do agree that Chrysler engines in Maseratis would be the death of the brand. They tried to hide it in the current range and look where that has got them!
 

Chrisb2015

Member
Messages
538
Btw: does Ferrari actually supply the Guilia Q.V. engine?
Yes it does, so presumably that will stop at some point in the future. I see this news as potentially positive. If they are forced to develop a new engine, perhaps in partnership then is it so bad? Aston have recently built a new V12 and are currently developing an 6 cylinder petrol/electric for their hybrid models and are equally an example of a company with financial issues and constraints. Of course, none of these smaller companies do it alone. They partner with Williams, Ricardo etc and in the case of batteries work with closely with a partner who knows the electrics. The Rapide E is a recent example of this at Aston.

Ultimately it could go either way, either pushing them to develop something closer to their own or alternatively they take the cheap route and rummage around in the sister parts bin.......
 

Zep

Moderator
Messages
9,110
This is something that will have been in the works for some time, if it is true. What we do know is that Ferrari have been increasing the number of cars they make quietly to meet demand from new markets without restricting supply to the old ones. I imagine they have reached a point where they don't have the capacity to make their own engines, some for Alfa and some for Maserati. So Alfa and Maserati will have to go out on their own. As they mention it is positive for margin they have probably been providing the engines to Alfa and Maserati at inter-company rates and so by ceasing they will be able to sell all of their output at retail - boosting their share price. There is however no statement regarding the design of the engines from what I can see, so that may stay as it is. Hopefully...
 

bigbob

Member
Messages
8,952
The worst bit of that report is that the author(s) have 'reached out' to the company for comment. Ye gods, can't anyone use decent English these days without such nonsense? H3ll, it's almost as bad as the news itself!

As for the Ferrari break, well, if it really is true FCA had better have something pretty special up their sleeve if they are to produce a credible brand line-up as promised.

PH

That's American English on an American website so it's ok. The issue I have is the large number of young people in the UK who don't understand the difference - that's how a language disappears within a few generations.

On topic, is the V6 petrol engine not meant to be a re-working of a Chrysler engine which is simply built by Ferrari? If so then no problem and everyone is over reacting as is the way on forums. Not sure about the V8 and, of course, Ferrari had nothing to do with the V6 diesel which is an engine that appears in the Jeep Grand Cherokee.
 

P R

Member
Messages
1,382
Yes it does, so presumably that will stop at some point in the future. I see this news as potentially positive. If they are forced to develop a new engine, perhaps in partnership then is it so bad? Aston have recently built a new V12 and are currently developing an 6 cylinder petrol/electric for their hybrid models and are equally an example of a company with financial issues and constraints. Of course, none of these smaller companies do it alone. They partner with Williams, Ricardo etc and in the case of batteries work with closely with a partner who knows the electrics. The Rapide E is a recent example of this at Aston.

Ultimately it could go either way, either pushing them to develop something closer to their own or alternatively they take the cheap route and rummage around in the sister parts bin.......

Although the Giulia Quad engine was developed by Ferrari (or derived from the Ferrari V8), it is built by FCA at Termoli...

 

outrun

Member
Messages
5,017
That's American English on an American website so it's ok. The issue I have is the large number of young people in the UK who don't understand the difference - that's how a language disappears within a few generations.

On topic, is the V6 petrol engine not meant to be a re-working of a Chrysler engine which is simply built by Ferrari? If so then no problem and everyone is over reacting as is the way on forums. Not sure about the V8 and, of course, Ferrari had nothing to do with the V6 diesel which is an engine that appears in the Jeep Grand Cherokee.

This.

Really, they should be using Maserati designed and manufactured engines and having Ferrari ask for some bits, a la F430. The brand is strong and capable of celebrating its own engineering prowess, not trading on others.
 

conaero

Forum Owner
Messages
34,593
Problem is, nobody trusts the Maserati produced engines.....bi turbo!

Ok, the 4200 was a Maserati developed engine that Ferrari adopted so there is history of a two way deal...well, a couple of decades ago there was.

You go the other route of trying to pass off Chrysler units and everyone knows and don't buy them.

Talk about catch 22.