Maserati’s suggestion that it will be able to lift annual production from today’s 30,000 units to around 100,000 in two years’ time is par for the course for the old Italian brand, soon to be part of the PSA Group stable.
Predicting far-fetched sales increases is part of Maserati’s heritage. Back when it launched the current Maserati Quattroporte, I attended a bullish presentation in Italy where they also forecast the arrival of the Maserati Ghibli saloon and Maserati Levante SUV and talked big numbers that would only be half-achieved.
There are two fascinating differences this time.
First, all-seeing PSA chief Carlos Tavares will ultimately propel both this plan and its execution, which means it’s not daft and that Maserati’s bosses will strain every sinew to reach the targets. Tavares, anything but aggressive, has a unique way of encouraging people to do their best.
Second, Maserati is embracing electrification across the board: it plans to launch plug-in hybrid saloons, turn the Granturismo and Grancabrio electric and then take a long step further with a battery-powered version of the MC20.
The quality of execution of any new Maserati really matters: the firm hasn’t done true justice to its exalted image for years – since before the Biturbo of 1981, I’d say.
As with Alfa Romeo, this underperformance hasn’t yet made any material difference to the mystique of the name or the anticipation of great future cars, but consumers’ patience isn’t endless.
Maseratis have always sold on Italian character generated primarily from styling, sound and driving qualities. Without PSA overseeing things, I’d be concerned about another helping of not-quite-good-enough. But when the car industry’s second great Carlos (even greater now than the disgraced Carlos the First) has his hand on the tiller, it’s legitimate to hope that greatness can return.
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Blame the EU and consumer tastes and not Tavares
He has canned GTi's because of emissions. An electric version which was talked about seemed to have been canned, presumably because with the right range and power, the showroom price would be too expensive. He has stated that he isn't prepared to pay any emissions fines to the EU. He is right. That is just a waste of money. He has canned coupes and 3 doors because consumers don't want them. 5 doors are easier with kids, and it isn't cost effective to produce a 3 door model just for the GTi. And like coupes, more people want a sporty SUV, rather than a GTi. Sad, but true.
Financial sense is everything. That is why the PSA profit margin is the highest in Europe and why it managed to acquire FCA, whereas Renault is basically bankrupt, failed to acquire FCA but has silly vanity projects like sporting hatchbacks at £70K and coupes that sell in tiny numbers.
As for so having so many brands, whilst that is true, it is no different from VW, and behind the scenes there is a lot of component sharing so that most of them are basically the same. The Vauxhall Corsa is basically a 208 but Corsas sell in the UK much better than 208s. No doubt the next small Fiat will basically be a 208, but it will sell much better in Italy as a Fiat.
Crucially, they also have a big foothold in the USA with Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and especially the RAM pickup which is the 2nd best selling pickup in the USA. No other European manufacturer has any real foothold in America.
I have mixed feelings about
I have mixed feelings about Mr Tavares. He has made a real success of the business side of things, but it has cost them their special cars. The GTis are going or gone. There are no coupes or even 3 door hatches. Pretty much everything they now make looks pretty dull. Financially it makes sense, but there isnt any emotional appeal any longer. Can you sell Italian cars without emotional appeal? On the other hand, maybe i am wrong, and we will get a RHD Dodge Challenger Hellcat in the UK range as soon as the deal goes through
Seems like a good time
To think about a modern day Citroen SM.