17,000 Mile Italian Stalion Executive Gt on 2040-cars

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Maserati readies Modena plant for Alfieri, shelves GranTurismo soon

It is highly likely that the Maserati GranTurismo will soon go the way of the Biturbo. An Australian Maserati executive was quoted as saying that GranTurismo production will end by the end of this year, and Maserati itself has announced that the Modena plant making the GranTurismo will face production line upgrades to prepare for a new model. Glen Sealey, general manager of Maserati's Australia and New Zealand operations, told Carsales that GranTurismo production will cease by the end of 2019, and that dealer stock Down Under will last until mid-2020. The GranTurismo will reportedly be succeeded by the all-new Alfieri coupe, based on a space-frame chassis that will also see a convertible variant added to the lineup. Earlier reports have included the mention of a full-electric Alfieri version produced with Ferrari know-how. Maserati's own statement says that upgrading and renewal of the Modena production lines will begin in the autumn of 2019, meaning that the GranTurismo should remain in production for less than nine months. Maserati also mentioned "a totally new model, a characteristically Maserati sports car" entering pre-series production during the first half of 2020, but according to other reports, it could take until 2022 for the Alfieri to reach customers. If that's true, there'd be quite a gap in the Maserati portfolio. The GranTurismo was launched at the 2007 Geneva Motor Show, though updates have strived to prolong its shelf life. Recent GranTurismo sales in the United States have been modest: after a little more than 2,000 units sold in 2016, sales halved for 2017. Maserati has stated earlier that it wants to reach 100,000 global sales by 2022, with a 15-percent profit margin. Image Credit: Maserati Plants/Manufacturing Rumormill Maserati maserati alfieri

Sergio rethinks FCA-GM merger idea, dismisses critics

After many public overtures, Fiat Chrysler Automotive CEO Sergio Marchionne has claimed his company won't be making a hostile takeover bid for General Motors. This is despite widespread speculation that FCA's desire to merge was motivated by its allegedly dire situation. As one unnamed GM exec who spoke to Automotive News earlier this year put it, "Why should [GM] bail out FCA?" "We are not choking. We are in relatively decent shape," Marchionne told journalists attending an FCA shareholder meeting in Amsterdam, AN reports. "We have been publicly rebuffed, we have been rejected and you cannot force these things. I don't want to. At the moment, we have no intention to do anything hostile." Instead of focusing on merging with GM, or any other partners for that matter, FCA will refocus on implementing its ambitious five-year investment plan, which would see it dump $52 billion into its various brands, with a particular focus on Alfa Romeo, Maserati, and Jeep. So far the attempt has largely been unsuccessful, especially as it relates to the Italian brands. Earlier this week, additional reports emerged that claimed Alfa was pushing back the Giulia and an unnamed CUV while reassigning resources to updated versions of the Giulietta and MiTo hatchbacks. This is not the first time we've heard about trouble for the Giulia, of course. For Masearti, though, it was the first we'd heard of delays for Alfieri sports car, which allegedly won't appear in 2016, as promised. We can expect a proper breakdown of FCA's adjusted plans when Marchionne and Company reveal an updated product slate next month. Related Video: The video meant to be presented here is no longer available. Sorry for the inconvenience. News Source: Automotive News - sub. req.Image Credit: Paul Sancya / AP Alfa Romeo Chrysler Fiat GM Jeep Maserati Sergio Marchionne FCA

Audi gets Q2 and Q4 badges in trademark swap with FCA

Audi has swapped trademarks with Fiat Chrysler Automobiles to snare the rights to the Q2 and Q4 badges for upcoming crossover SUVs. Audi CEO Rupert Stadler confirmed at the Detroit Motor Show that the automaker had finally persuaded FCA to release the two names that would let Audi lock up the Q1 to Q9 badges for its growing SUV family. Audi already plans to drop the Q2 name onto its MQB-based city crossover five-door this year, while the Q4 badge will slot onto the rump of a coupe-like version of the next Q3. It will also reserve the Q1 badge for a 2018 baby crossover, based around the architecture of the next A1 hatch. The A1 will share a lot of its engineering with Volkswagen's Polo-based soft-roader, dubbed T-Cross in concept form. The German company has also pounced on the naming rights for SQ versions of all of its Q-cars, along with F-Tron to cover the day when it pushes hydrogen fuel cell cars into production. Stadler insisted that no money had changed hands in order to pry the two badges off FCA, admitting that they had "each found something we needed." "We promised each other we wouldn't disclose what it cost, but it was not something they were willing to sell," Stadler said. "We tried to get it years ago and they said 'No, never,' but there is never 'never' in business. ... This year I went back to them with a proposal and we talked and there were some negotiations and then we agreed to it." Those negotiations are believed to have centered on a trademark swap with a Volkswagen Group name that FCA desperately (evidently) wants to use on a Fiat, Alfa Romeo, Chrysler, Dodge or Maserati. Asked if Audi had given FCA a trademark in return for Q2 and Q4, Stadler replied, "Something very much like that, yes." Audi has used Italian names on past concept cars that FCA could be interested in, such as the 2001 Avantissimo concept and the 2003 Nuvolari coupe. The latter was named after legendary pre-war racer Tazio, who won grands prix for both Alfa Romeo and Audi's forerunner, Auto Union. Both are unlikely trade chips, with laws in Europe preventing the trademarking of the names of actual people. There is always "quattro" (Italian for "four"), but after investing nearly four decades locking it in as an Audi all-wheel-drive name, it's just not anything like trade bait.