Stellantis blaming themselves

[dickygrace]

Underperforming under Stellantis ownership, they’re considering selling the marque, rumours of going back to Ferrari.

Maserati's future falls under spotlight as Stellantis threatens to axe underperforming brands

Stellantis is prepared to shut down or sell underperforming brands with the future appearing particularly unclear for Maserati. That is according to

cardealermagazine.co.uk

Ferrari Buying Maserati? Why Not?

Rumors from Italy suggest that Ferrari is considering extracting Maserati from the Stellantis group. This is an appealing idea, according to finews.ch.

www.finews.com

 

[bigbob]

There is no easy solution here and the same problem applies at a slightly lower price/higher volume for Alfa. The market has gone away from coupes and convertibles (Audi no longer sell them) and SUV wise people just want the German stuff once you are over £50k. The good news is both brands have immense image so they might go back to low volume special editions so that the brands exist to a degree.

Factory wise the Maserati saloons and SUVs were/are built in non-Maserati factories so they just move these onto to production for other things in the Stellantis empire and keep Modena ticking over on small beer whilst massively reducing the dealer network and marketing spend. I can’t see why anyone would buy it. RACE is strong and you could argue the case for a sub brand like with the Dino but why buy Maserati for that unless you are really just buying a brand for peanuts otherwise it is easier to do it yourself?

PS none of this will help parts supply or prices. Also I got a WBAC and a Motorway valuation on my GranTurismo and it was not pretty. No one buys coupes, Maseratis go wrong, parts too expensive etc etc. That‘s why when they get to 30+ years old there are not that many left.

 

[urquattrogus]

Would love it to partner back with Ferrari, we might get some good cars out of that.

How Stellantis can have some many competing brands in general is beyond me.

This reads like public Sabre rattling to get the brands to fight for survival of the fittest/who is for the chop first etc.

 

[Phil H]

I've never understood why the various owners of Maserati failed to capitalise on the brand's heritage. Stellantis just wants to sell loads of cars which is not what the Maserati marque is about; the MC20 is nice, but there's a lot of competition at that price point so they should have made more effort in using it as a halo car for the brand as a whole rather than as a bean counting exercise.

Ferrari has passion in its dna, something Stellantis is lacking, so maybe the future is bright.

Alternatively, Dicky could make Stellantis an offer they couldn't refuse - he's halfway there on sales already!

 

[Oneball]

There’s lots of complaints in the US that Stellantis are doing a similarly **** job with the performance heritage of the Mopar brands. It just seems they don’t understand their target buyer.

The advert for the new GC someone posted yesterday is perfect example, black car, black wheels in some dogging quarry probably near Leeds. Compare that with a Ferrari Roma ad with lovely coloured cars, overlooking Rome at sunset.

 

[philw696]

Let's hope they've not put loads of money into the EV program looking at what's happening with other Manufacturer's

 

[urquattrogus]

Dealer Networks are in flux seemingly too; especially Alfa Romeo. I know it's always said, but it's a wonder they manage to sell any Alfa's now with the paucity of dealers active in key areas.

 

[Phil H]

Around 30 years ago I read an article in a professional journal, which described the philosophy of one of the Japanese motor manufacturers; I think it was Honda but stand to be corrected. The article said that all company executives had to spend time on the shop floor to understand the 'nuts and bolts' of the business so that they could make informed decisions about the day to day running of the company, but it was imperative to consider long term goals of the business - not just short term gains. Contrast that with western ideology which tends to be growth by acquisition and asset strip when it suits; you then get CEO's who are only interested in short term dividends and bonuses, safe in the knowledge that the revolving door is always at their disposal if things don't work out......

 

[philw696]

Definitely Japanese.
I've worked for both Toyota and Honda and that's how they roll.

 

[Nayf]

There is no easy solution here and the same problem applies at a slightly lower price/higher volume for Alfa. The market has gone away from coupes and convertibles (Audi no longer sell them) and SUV wise people just want the German stuff once you are over £50k. The good news is both brands have immense image so they might go back to low volume special editions so that the brands exist to a degree.

Factory wise the Maserati saloons and SUVs were/are built in non-Maserati factories so they just move these onto to production for other things in the Stellantis empire and keep Modena ticking over on small beer whilst massively reducing the dealer network and marketing spend. I can’t see why anyone would buy it. RACE is strong and you could argue the case for a sub brand like with the Dino but why buy Maserati for that unless you are really just buying a brand for peanuts otherwise it is easier to do it yourself?

PS none of this will help parts supply or prices. Also I got a WBAC and a Motorway valuation on my GranTurismo and it was not pretty. No one buys coupes, Maseratis go wrong, parts too expensive etc etc. That‘s why when they get to 30+ years old there are not that many left.

They actually closed the Levante/Ghibli plant - the old Bertone factory.

 

[bigbob]

They actually closed the Levante/Ghibli plant - the old Bertone factory.

Not good. That was one of the ones near Turin? I seem to recall that the Grecale is built in Cassino so down in the south.

So is Modena building the MC20 and GT/GC?

 

[gb-gta]

I think Maserati back to Ferrari would be great, a better place image wise to be with Ferrari than with Citroen and Peugeot etc.

I fear more what they’ll do with Alfa Romeo. I hope they don’t sell the brand to the Chinese, as the do like buying well known European brands.

 

[Mr.Cambio]

I'm with all of the above. Maserati once again with lack of leadeship inside the offices.

 

[dem maser]

Alfa have done well recently.
Just my opinion but since they had the 8C it has meant they go onto have the 4C Giulia and Stelvio of which the latter 2 were decent sellers.

Also gone back into the US, I know it’s all SUV now with the Junior etc but their cars are certainly better
The Giulia I had for 3 years was definitely up there with any German (other than the dash) and in terms of driving it matched if not beat the equivalent BM

Maserati should have used the MC20 like Alfa did with the 8C
Instead it has produced over priced coupe that is more like a facelift than a new model and a small SUV that only a very niche buyer would go for

 

[Nayf]

Not good. That was one of the ones near Turin? I seem to recall that the Grecale is built in Cassino so down in the south.

So is Modena building the MC20 and GT/GC?

Modena was solely MC20s + Fuoroserie when I visited

 

[Italiano]

Not good when you scale down your products.

Buyers want choice
Maserati at moment, no choice of models and no choice of interior colours.
If you going to spend that sort of money that Maserati are demanding,
And faced with current line up, people are going elsewhere.
Branding is a beautiful thing and there are hardcore followers but realistically, there are other marques that will give you bang for bucks in their car line ups.

£170k for the new GT trofeo and it hasn't even got aV8

Mercedes AMG SL55. V8 £140k

People power

 

[MRichards]

Have seen this growth by acquisition stunt many times and it always ends in disaster when they can't give each brand the time & resources they need to prosper. Selling off the underperformers is probably the lesser evil. Just a pity that the brand we love is up for the chop. Lotus is a prime example, being the perennial orphan, and only managing to exist from support by the devoted owners, so if we get behind Maserati, maybe people power will save the marque from extinction.

 

[conaero]

Give it to me to sort out, junk the V6, move in the Cali V8, sports cats, X pipe, twin TB intake, slower but job done

 

[Nibby]

The advert for the new GC someone posted yesterday is perfect example, black car, black wheels in some dogging quarry probably near Leeds. Compare that with a Ferrari Roma ad with lovely coloured cars, overlooking Rome at sunset.

Recently there was a Maserati advert for a GC electric version in a underwhelming pink colour. How different it could’ve looked in that Blue Med colour Maserati did.

 

[Andyk]

Maserati has always gone from crisis to crisis and survived although with the current range not really selling as required things don’t look great and going to Ferrari could be what they need again. Stop trying to mass produce with the current 4x4 and saloons which are not competitive and concentrate on low volume proper Maseratis. The new GT isn’t selling well from what I can see and the MC20 the same which is a shame as they must be the best Maseratis since the GTS/Stradale came out. Concentrate on quality rather than quantity and with Ferrari they could do that.