Maserati to VW, Say it isn't so. | FerrariChat

Maserati to VW, Say it isn't so.

Discussion in 'Maserati' started by aawil, Apr 30, 2004.

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  1. aawil

    aawil Formula 3

    Aug 10, 2002
    1,282
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    Full Name:
    Aaron
  2. scott61

    scott61 F1 Rookie

    Feb 11, 2004
    2,606
    North of Boston
    So will there be a new topic board here "Other Italian cars owned by a German company " Would not bother me if this happens, Did not care when I owned a Porsche so what's the difference here. Could even make ours a little more special, To own the last Maserati built while under Ferrari management. But on the other hand I seem to remember things did not work out so well when the Italians and Germans worked together in the past
     
  3. zjpj

    zjpj F1 Veteran

    Nov 4, 2003
    6,124
    USA
    Whatever... I wouldn't shed a tear. Did anyone really feel that Ferrari and Maserati were bound together at their soul? Alfa Romeo is more closely associated to Ferrari than Maserati. I always saw the F-M relationship as business-related, not something related to their very essence (an important aspect of the F mystique.) The Ferrari soul will live on!
     
  4. Okam2000

    Okam2000 Rookie
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    Apr 29, 2004
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  5. GrigioGuy

    GrigioGuy Splenda Daddy
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Nov 26, 2001
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    Trailer Swift
    Hooray. Now maybe Forza magazine can get back to writing about Ferrari, instead of Yet Another Maserati Marketing Article
     
  6. kverges

    kverges F1 Rookie

    Nov 18, 2003
    3,179
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    Keith Verges
    Right. And Audi has been terrible for Lamborghini.
     
  7. G-force

    G-force F1 Rookie

    Aug 4, 2002
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    so california
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    wayne skiles
  8. Clax

    Clax Formula 3

    Oct 3, 2002
    1,611
    Probably not. Most F-car fanatics have a way of spinning everything Ferrari related into a positive situation. Those same people that were blasting the Audi-Lambo relationship will be spinning a VW-Ferrari relationship into a whole different light.
     
  9. Okam2000

    Okam2000 Rookie
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    Apr 29, 2004
    25
    No doubt.

    Clax how's the Murci? You stopping traffic in that thing everytime you get gas? :)
     
  10. wax

    wax Five Time F1 World Champ
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    Jul 20, 2003
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    Dirty Harry
  11. icars

    icars Formula Junior

    Mar 28, 2002
    855
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    Rodney Haas
    Yep and for those of us who own GT Class Maseratis we can say we own a pre-DeTomaso, pre-Ferrari, pre-Audi ......

    When Italian car manufactures still spoke Italian ..
     
  12. Napolis

    Napolis Three Time F1 World Champ
    Honorary Owner

    Oct 23, 2002
    32,118
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    Jim Glickenhaus
    VW's profit fell 87%, the lowest in 10 years.
    Currency effects could reduce operating profit by 1.2 Billion Euro's this year if the Euro stays between 1.20 and 1.25.
    The Euro/$ reduced operating profit by 300 Euros in the first quarter of this year.
    IMHO VW will not be aquiring Maserati anytime soon.
     
  13. Mark(study)

    Mark(study) F1 Veteran

    Oct 13, 2001
    6,052
    Clearwater, FL
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    Mark

    Car companies seem to have a string of great years and then a few bad years. My question is, how much cash does VW have in their war chest?

    And how much are they going to spend to try and buy their way into a more profitable position for the next up-swing in their business cycle?
     
  14. Clax

    Clax Formula 3

    Oct 3, 2002
    1,611
    Getting gas is nothing short of a major spectacle with the Murci. It's like the circus came to town, and the car is the main attraction. In general, people are mostly positive in their comments, which is nice. However, taking 20 minutes to get gas when you are on your way somewhere can be tedious. But, I always try to be courteous with everyone -- I think it's important that they don't develop negative feelings towards exotic cars and their owners, so that we can (hopefully) safely park them places without being keyed, spit on or kicked. There are always some people that will disrespect your car (for whatever reason), but I've been trying my best to keep all the vibes positive.
     
  15. wax

    wax Five Time F1 World Champ
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  16. Mark(study)

    Mark(study) F1 Veteran

    Oct 13, 2001
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    Sales in North America fell 14 percent as Volkswagen refused to match levels of rebates offered by competitors.
     
  17. Okam2000

    Okam2000 Rookie
    BANNED

    Apr 29, 2004
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    lol, and what prey tell do you think Maser is actually worth right now?

    Let's put it nicely: VW will get them for a song, and it definitely looks like it's going that way. Ferrari is done with the Maser experiment.
     
  18. Slim

    Slim Formula 3

    Oct 11, 2001
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    richard
    So I guess that means it's possible that their profits were still ok. Fewer sales, but more profit per unit than the competitors that had to give rebates to keep "sales" up. Right?
     
  19. Okam2000

    Okam2000 Rookie
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    Apr 29, 2004
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    What kind of negativity have you heard?

    I've never been able to understand that mentality. Even when I had nothing, I never critized those that have everything. Instead I tried to emulate them.

    On that topic, I saw a poll the other day that basically asked "Should Bill Gates be forced to give away 75% of his wealth during his lifetime?"

    80% of the voters chose "yes", and there were over 15,000 results tabulated.

    That's shocking to me.

    How many miles have you got on the car now Clax?
     
  20. Clax

    Clax Formula 3

    Oct 3, 2002
    1,611
    Nothing really too negative, mostly just comments like "nice inheritence" or something to that affect. But mostly been positive.

    I have about 2000 miles on it now.
     
  21. Mark(study)

    Mark(study) F1 Veteran

    Oct 13, 2001
    6,052
    Clearwater, FL
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    Mark
    I lived in Detroit for a few years and the car companies were funny.

    The cost to re-tool and bring out new models also has something to do with wacky numbers.... I remember two years of gloom and doom and no light at the end of the tunnel for FORD. Then a year later profits of 1.3 billion and every other person in Detroit running around with a big profit sharing check. All of a sudden, everyone I know just bought a boat :)

    It was like drug money, where did all this cash come from??? I'd love to be an account for one of the major car companies :)
     
  22. Napolis

    Napolis Three Time F1 World Champ
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    Oct 23, 2002
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    Wax
    You would be right 300 Million. I agree that "miserable" speaks for itself.
     
  23. lotustt

    lotustt Formula 3

    Aug 28, 2002
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    There already sharing parts or will be very shortly. So the true italian Maser will no longer be anyway. I think VW most likely will buy it, but damn there car portfolio is getting huge.
     
  24. ebrigham

    ebrigham Karting

    Nov 1, 2003
    155
    NYC
    I wouldn't mind seeing a 500 HP AWD Maser coupe with a Gallardo engine.
     
  25. 6.0 se

    6.0 se F1 Rookie
    Lifetime Rossa

    Mar 26, 2004
    3,140
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    A.J.
    VW will buy whatever they deem a good long term investment.Dont let their current "paper" woes kid you.They have been down that road a couple of times,and record earnings followed.
     

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