Wither Maserati?

Italian wedding soup: Fiat struggles to allocate resources to Maserati, Fiat and Alfa
Joel Arellano
Today, 09:00 AM
Filed under: Trends, Sports/GTs

While step-sibling rivalries are funny on television and in the movies, reality can be much more grim. Just ask Maserati. The Italian automaker, well-known for its supra-luxury cars, faces an uncertain future.

The news is surprising. 2005 brought record sales for the company with U.S. sales up 53-percent. But in an interview with The Car Connection, Maserati CEO Karl-Heinz Kalbfell said that expected sales will fall short of the goal of 10,000 units sold by 2007 or ’08. The problem, according to Kalbfell, is the current product lineup and market penetration.

Unfortunately, increasing both will be difficult for the company. Maserati is currently owned by Fiat, who also owns former rival Ferrari. Alfa Romeo is also a unit of Fiat, who has been shifting control and resources between all three subsidiaries. Kalbfell believes Maserati needs a new entry-level model, and an even more exclusive vehicle above its well-received Quattroporte (pictured). If and when the automaker get the green-light remains a matter of speculation. (And Ferrari’s recent financial report won't make matters any clearer.)

[Source: The Car Connection]http://www.thecarconnection.com/Auto_News/Auto_News/At_Maserati_Tank_is_Half-Empty__or_Half-Full.S175.A10017.html

 

I think we will all know a lot more once we see the Coupe/Spyder replacement. Hopefully the new coupe/spyder will be priced lower than current cars. The 7 speed automatic which is supposed to be introduced next year should help keep sales of the Quattroporte high in the future. I don' see why Maserati would need another car below the coupe/spyder especially if Alfa does in fact come back to North America.

It will also be interesting to see if current Ferrari/Maserati dealership keep their Maserati franchises. I know a lot of the current Ferrari/Maserati dealerships aren't set up to take on another brand like Alfa Romeo. I am guessing that Fiat will want Alfa and Maserati's to be sold at the same dealership and Ferrari dealers will go back to selling only Ferrari's. I am hoping that Fiat will reward Ferrari dealers in the U.S. who invested a lot of capital into Maserati with another Ferrari car to sell (a new Dino).

 

If they (Fiat) don't have the funds to properly run Alfa and have put any new development of Maserati's on the back burner why would they be able to launch a new high end Alfa model, create a new dealership network of Alfa/Maserati and then launch new Maserati's as well. That's a pretty tall order for Fiat/Alfa/Maserati these days. Their problem of high supplier costs is due to their shot gun wedding with Ferrari. I don't see a quick divorce any time soon. It makes no sense. Their current cars are not bad they just can't make enough money doing it this way.

Bob S.

 

For Maserati to succeed in the USA they need to have their own dealerships and get as far away from a Ferrari connection as possible. Their target market of Jag., BMW and MB buyers are mostly non-enthusiast consumers that will not step foot in a Ferraris dealer...or at least not when looking to buy a daily driver...I believe the Ferrari connection hurts Maserati with its target market rather than help it...an association with Alfa makes a lot more sense IMHO

 

Well slap me silly. We're actually sort of on the same page.
Oh that's right you may actually want to do that. Never mind then.

Bob S.

 

Excellent point. I think maserati would be even better off in the US if they could link to a luxury brand that didn't have a history of withdrawing from the us market.

Just as a concept... Cadillac has gone much more edgy with there styling of late and attracting younger buyers... A cadillac / maserati partnership may work well for both... Not suggesting this would ever happen, just seems like it may work from a marketing point of view.

 

Yes I can see it now, the Ghiblideville. The switch from such a close association with Ferrari to a partnership with Alfa was not an image/marketing decision. It's all about cost. I suspect that they will be with Ferrari manufactured engines and transmissions for some time to come in the higher end models.

Bob.

 

Two considerations:

1) Do you want the new coupe/spyder to be true contenders against BMW, Merc-Benz, Porsche and Aston Martin? Well, you can FORGET a lower price tag. Cars of this level of technology and quality cost money to develop and to build, especially if volumes are low. Maserati cannot expect suddenly to boost production to 50,000 units per year like the Merc SL or BMW 6-series, which also share most components with other models giving them successful economies of scale. For the 5000-6000 new coupe/spyders that realistically Maserati will sell worldwide, the price will be very high if they are to match the levels of the German competition and still make a small profit.

2) Restructuring the dealership network by disenfranchising it from Ferrari is pure fantasy. Do you have any idea how much that would cost? And do you realise that it would drive the prices of the cars even higher, if they had to sustain their own independent dealer network, customer support, etc???

Let's be realistic guys - you want the future Masers to be as good as Porsche or an Aston - well, you'll have to PAY for the privilege. Why are you prepared to pay big bucks for German mass-produced cars and not for hand-made Masers? Come on, be fair.

 

That's easy. They aren't reallistic. Humans naturally want only the good parts of low volume (somewhat)hand made production and not the bad parts like a lack of consistancy, higher pricing and less advanced technological content.

Bob S.

 

most people will prefer Maserati ties with Ferrari/Fiat/Alfa Romeo than Cadillac.

I prefer my V8 assembled alongside Ferrari V8 and V12's rather than a northstar.

 

Then you will be searching for parts once Maserati pulls out of the USA again...I would think a relationship with a company like Ford makes more sense. They could then sell Maseratis in their Land Rover dealers which does not make a sedan, coupe or convertible .

 

wtf is wrong with you?
when is maserati going to pull out of USA?
is that why you got an M5 because you THINK maserati is going to pull out of the US?

LOL.

i have enjoyed my QP for the past 17 months while you were undecisive about getting a very excellent car. (and at the time, the E60 M5 was not even available).

why don't you post again only when Maserati is pulling out of the USA?

 

To be fair, Maserati did cut and run but they were broke anyway. They weren't making money hand over fist like they are these days!

Never the less, obtaining parts has never been that difficult since they left. Yes, some of the older GT cars have "some" parts that are more difficult but that was true while Maserati was still here.

Now getting a competent mechanic to work on them was always a problem even when there were dealers here. Dealer service pretty much sucked at that time.

BTW, there currently are a few Ferrari Maserati dealers that will work on everything Maserati from day 1 till the present.

Most will great you with a shot gun or a wrecker it's pre 2002.

Bob S.

 

A relationship with Ford? thats all we need, a pure bread italian car under the ownership of a company that doesnt understand squat about italian exotics and at the present moment is doing very badly.

There is no way they are pulling out the market anytime soon, with the auto QP and future models, things will only get better.

 

Maserati tried your idea of getting together with American companies before. Remember the Chrysler & Maserati deal? If anything that DESTROYED their reputation. Them pulling away from Ferrari was one of the worst moves they could have made as far as their image goes. You can disagree all you want but people respected the Maserati brand when it was alongside Ferrari.

 

Just to clarify, then didn't "pull away" they were pushed. It was an offer they could not refuse. The higher ups, that's another matter.

 

I don't know the exact details all I can tell you is that as a Maserati owner when I heard of the changes, I lost alot of interest in the brand. I still plan on owning another in the future but for now I've decided to part with mine.

 

Yeah I understand that. They (who over that is) were more interested in Ferrari than Maserati and did what they felt they had to do. Looking back at it from a Maserati Customer standpoint it would have been better to make the changes for more cooperation with Alfa and not make such a big deal about cutting ties with Ferrari. Ferrari was interested in shedding debt.

Personally, I think Maserati will still be using Ferrari manufactured engines etc. for some time to come maybe forever in some models so I don't see it as a complete technological divorce just a financial arrangement.

Your average customer should be able to grasp that, right? ;>)

Bob S.

 

Same situation here...parted with mine for now...may pick up a used GS later down the road...or maybe not.

 

I dont know why everyone is worried about the Alfa-Maserati liaison, the top range models will continue to have Ferrari sourced technology and its been specified over and over by Kafbell and Baravalle.

The joint venture will benefit alfa the most, being able to use some RWD technology for upcoming big sedans or limited run models like the 8C, that being said, this year is a little vague, things are still being sorted but what counts is that Fiat Auto is doing well, all their brands are selling.

 

You parted with the car because of the changes at Maserati or the lease was up?

 

I parted with the CC Coupe for several reasons (of which I've alluded to before in other threads); but foremost because of the sudden changes at Maserati / Ferrari, their uncertain future, and the depreciation factor.

I did not lease this vehicle, but purchased it new from the dealer (traded a F355 Berlinetta).

The GrandSport, IMHO, is a terrific car. Would consider a used one in the future, but currently waiting to see what the future holds for the marque and the dealer network.

 

This is crazy!
You guys basically bought a Maserati because you thought it brought you closer to a Ferrari?
I'd buy a Maserati because I think it's a kick-ass car! I don't care if it has ties to Ferrari or if it has ties to Fiat.

Why do I love our GSport? It's loud, it's fast, it's rough, it gets double-takes, it's gorgeous, it's unique, it's got a great engine, and it's interior is very high quality.

IMHO, targeting at perspective XK8/SL500/650i etc buyers is not a smart move.
The Maserati buyer is different. He's part of a niche group. He wants something a little outside of the norm. Something with a little passion/spirit/feeling behind it. He wants something like an Aston Martin, a Ferrari, or another high end rare exotic, but he can't quite justify spending that kind of money on a car, or can't afford it.

I live in an area where $130k MB's are more common than Honda Civics, but the Gransport always gets looks, thumbs-ups, and stares. At the car wash, gas station, or McDonald's drive-thru, comments are standard fare. Sometimes you hear about how they saw a Gransport at the autoshow, and never even imagined of being able to drive one through their car wash. I've heard people say to each other "thats like, a quarter-million-dollar car right there!". It DEFINETLY has presence.

Unfortunately, Maserati has
1) Too small a group of followers.
2) A great history in the eyes of those who can't afford one, but a scary history in the eyes of a perspective buyer. (They remember the days of the Biturbo and its nightmares)
3) Lack of consumer awareness.
4) A Limited dealer network.

As for partnering with/possibly sharing parts with someone like Ford...
Well, I'd ask Danny how his sales are going.

 

it amazes me as well that someone sold their CC "foremost because of the sudden changes at Maserati / Ferrari, their uncertain future, and the depreciation factor."

i can agree on the depreciation factor, but you probably already took the bulk of it so holding onto one does not make too much difference.

but on the "sudden changes at Maserati/Ferrari"?

wow. did the engine in your V8 sudden act up and behave like a Alfa V6? or the CC started to shift like a selespeed?

your CC was basically engineered and assembled by those who worked at ferrari and maserati.

 

Wither Maserati is a prediction or command.

"Whither Maserati?" is a question.