Beset by an array of points — from poor advertising and marketing to heavy discounting, Maserati must catch up in its uphill battle if the corporate intends to remain afloat. As soon as a logo of Italian luxurious and efficiency, Maserati now faces questions on its survival in a aggressive and electrifying automotive market. Is it shifting gears quick sufficient to remain within the race? LUXUO beforehand mentioned Jaguar’s controversial rebranding efforts, and now it seems to be as if Maserati is probably not far behind in risking its storied legacy with questionable strikes.
2024 sees Maserati — a legendary Italian automaker — commemorate its one hundred and tenth anniversary of founding in 1914. Over a century since its inception and this luxurious automotive firm is going through difficulties. When guardian agency Stellantis launched its half-year report, Maserati’s gross sales regarded bleak. By way of June 2024, the variety of vehicles delivered to shoppers dropped from 15,300 to simply 6,500. What occurred? Carlos Tavares claims that ineffective advertising and marketing, not issues with the merchandise or worth technique, triggered the alarming decline in gross sales.
Learn Extra: A Fast Appreciation Publish On The Most Distinctive Maserati Fashions
Stellantis changed Davide Grasso as CEO of the high-end Italian model in October 2024 with Santo Ficili to stoke the fireplace. Ficili, who beforehand led Stellantis’s Italian market, is presently in command of the carmaker’s Alfa Romeo model. Grasso was transferred to the newly established position of chief heritage officer at Stellantis. In response to a press release, he’s now “answerable for the curation of the historical past and patrimony of the 14 manufacturers of Stellantis,” which incorporates collaborations with archives and museums.
When Carlos Tavares, the CEO of Stellantis, the mothership model created by merging Fiat Chrysler Vehicles and PSA Group, resigned in early December 2024, it triggered a stir.
Vehicles beneath Stellantis’ 14 manufacturers — Abarth, Alfa Romeo, Chrysler, Citroën, Dodge, DS, Fiat, Jeep, Lancia, Maserati, Opel, Peugeot, Ram Vans, and Vauxhall — are designed, constructed, and offered. Stellantis had nearly 300,000 staff, gross sales in over 130 international locations, and manufacturing amenities in 30 international locations on the time of the merger.
The standing and way forward for the well-known Trident automobile model are on the centre of the controversy. Along with having a number of management modifications in latest weeks, Stellantis NV’s luxurious model Maserati can also be coping with declining gross sales and subpar advertising and marketing.
Carlos Tavares not too long ago alluded to the legendary Italian model’s bleak future by saying, “We’ll shut them down in the event that they don’t earn a living.” We can’t afford to have unprofitable manufacturers. That’s how simple it’s.” Okay, so he was speaking about all the businesses that fall beneath the large company umbrella, not particularly Maserati.
Maserati faces an uphill battle, although Stellantis mentioned in a information launch that every one 14 corporations are staying put and reaffirmed its 2021 promise to put money into all manufacturers for ten years. It should proceed a multi-year means of extending and updating its lineup to extend gross sales. The MC20 Folgore will probably be launched in 2025 after the GranCabrio Folgore, which is fully electrical, was unveiled earlier this yr. A zero-emission Quattroporte automobile will debut in 2028, whereas a big electrical SUV will are available 2027. In December 2023, Maserati stopped producing its gasoline-powered Ghibli, Levante, and Quattroporte sedans to scale back prices and eradicate underperforming fashions.
In response to knowledge, Maserati gross sales for the third quarter of 2023 have been 60 p.c decrease than these for the complete yr, down greater than 58 p.c. Tavares attributed Maserati’s downfall to aggressive vendor discounting and poor model positioning. It is going to be difficult to navigate the sea-change dilemma of the present electrification of the auto trade, although the model can think about cost-cutting measures and reducing its mannequin portfolio to extend its profitability and luxurious enchantment. As evidenced by BYD’s spectacular international efficiency, China has emerged because the main marketplace for EV gross sales.
In response to knowledge launched Monday, 9 December 2024, the quickly increasing automaker once more elevated its market share in China. In response to trade figures, BYD’s share of the worldwide largest car market elevated from 12.5 p.c to 17 p.c in November. Moreover, BYD is on tempo to surpass Ford and Honda, and its annual purpose is to fabricate 4 million cars.
Throughout the first 9 months of 2023, Maserati offered solely about 20,600 cars. In response to Stellantis’ most up-to-date official figures, that quantity has drastically decreased to about 8,600 as of this yr. Because of that 58.3 p.c drop, the legendary Italian automaker faces a bleak future.
In a latest High Gear interview, Tavares revealed that Maserati’s woes are because of poor advertising and marketing. “Maserati is within the pink. The reason being advertising and marketing,” he mentioned. The Maserati model have to be clearly positioned, and the storytelling ought to be higher. The model is not only about sports activities vehicles; it’s about gran turismo, high quality of life, dolce vita, and expertise.”
There’s far much less demand in China for Maserati’s luxurious items. Maserati should juggle a number of balls to maintain the present going, together with increasing its lineup, creating extra EV-focused vehicles, adjusting its advertising and marketing method, and extra.
The Trident in Hassle: Can Maserati Stage a Comeback?
Maserati’s decline may be traced to a confluence of things, together with ineffective advertising and marketing, misaligned model positioning, and reliance on outdated fashions that didn’t seize the market’s rising urge for food for electrification. Management instability has additional difficult its trajectory, with frequent govt modifications hindering a coherent long-term technique. As rivals like BYD dominate the EV sector and Stellantis wrestles with overarching challenges, Maserati’s survival hinges on daring innovation, higher storytelling, and recalibrated product choices. With out these shifts, the long-lasting Trident dangers turning into a relic of the previous in a quickly evolving automotive panorama.
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