Audi Abandons Deal with Maserati Volkswagen's Audi division has abandoned its nascent partnership with the Italian luxury marque, Maserati. "It's cut," said Ralph Weyler, the Audi board member in charge of marketing and sales, The venture was expected to explore a number of possible areas of cooperation, though informed observers believed that the most significant and immediate payoff would benefit Maserati. The revived Italian marque has been sharply criticized for its lack of globally competitive transmissions, a factor especially problematic in the U.S. market. Audi was expected to provide Maserati a version of its electro-mechanically shifted manual transmission. Rumors that the cooperative effort was in trouble began surfacing last month following a shuffle in Maserati ownership and management. Until recently, the brand was owned by Ferrari. Now, in a complex arrangement, it has been merged into Fiat's struggling Alfa-Romeo division. (Ferrari is partially owned by Fiat, as well.) Whether that shake-up was a factor, Audi CEO Martin Winterkorn wasn't saying. But he noted "We have stopped this (joint venture) because there is no path that fits. It makes no sense to do it."
another nail in the M coffin, if you ask me. i was hoping they'd get some real trannies and audi quattro awd. a QP with a real tranny and quattro would be a pretty killer car. from the get-go i never quite understood what M brought to the table in that deal. doody.
Thank Christ. If the Marque can't make it as Italian, then kill it. It would be better than turning it into another Audighini!
The company is worth saving, but it will take the right buyer and the right vision to make it happen. VWAG is stretched way too thin to give it the attention to make it thrive and there would be too much overlap with existing brands.
I'dlike to see somebody do a nice 50s style racer w modern bits, that would rule. Maserati could do it
