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Maserati reorganizes, tries to sharpen the trident

When's the last time we posted on a run of comprehensive success at Alfa Romeo or Maserati? True, Maserati nearly tripled its U.S. sales from 4,768 in 2013 to 12,942 in 2014. However, the brand's been stuck around that number ever since, selling 13,711 units in 2017. Worse, those figures highlight how far Maserati has fallen behind its own goals. In the last five-year plan, the brand targeted 75,000 global sales this year — then downgraded the target to 50,000 in June this year. At 26,400 units through the first nine months of 2018, short of Poseidon surfacing to work some deus ex machina, even that reduced goal won't be met. New Fiat Chrysler CEO Mike Manley is working to give Maserati the leaders and support it needs to point the trident in the right direction. On an analyst call at the end of October, Manley said, "With hindsight, when we put Maserati and Alfa together, it did two things. Firstly, it reduced the focus on Maserati the brand. Secondly, Maserati was treated for a period of time almost as if it were a mass market brand, which it isn't and shouldn't be treated that way." In October 2016, FCA named Reid Bigland to head Alfa Romeo and Maserati; this was back when Alfa Romeo dreamed of selling 400,000 cars annually by 2018. When Manley named his new executive teams last month, after assuming the CEO post following Sergio Marchionne's death in July, Manley separated Alfa Romeo and Maserati. Tim Kuniskis, who had taken over from Bigland, now heads Alfa Romeo and Jeep. Manley then restored Harald Wester to the head of Maserati. Wester ran Maserati from 2008 to 2016, after which he became FCA's chief technology officer, a role he maintains in the latest shuffle. Wester poached Jean-Philippe Leloup from Ferrari. LeLoup ran Ferrari's Central and Eastern European business operations; he now heads a concern called Maserati Commercial. Al Gardner, head of Maserati's North American dealer network since 2015, keeps that role and takes over as head of Maserati North America. Maserati has favorable brand value, but the leadership will confront almost every other problem a brand can have. Half the automaker's sales come from China, and the economic slowdown there is a serious drain on the numbers. In Europe, the WLTP emissions protocol, bloated inventories, and the need for incentives have dulled the edge. Sales worldwide are down 26 percent this year.

2024 Maserati GranTurismo PrimaSerie 75th Anniversary edition revealed

Maserati revealed the new GranTurismo’s interior earlier this week — but wait, thereÂ’s more. Just shown is a special launch edition of the GranTurismo that goes by PrimaSerie. If you recall the MC20 CieloÂ’s reveal, that model was also launched with a PrimaSerie special edition model. This GranTurismo follows the trend, but in a slightly different package. To celebrate 75 years of Maserati, this modelÂ’s full, official name is the PrimaSerie 75th Anniversary. In keeping with the “75” theme, Maserati plans on building four sets of 75 matching cars — each of the four sets has its own, unique appearance. That means there will be a total of 300 GranTurismo PrimaSerie models. Pictured here are the two Trofeo models — powered by MaseratiÂ’s Nettuno V6 engine — that will be available. The gray car is technically Grigio Lamiera Matte, and the black car is finished in a paint Maserati calls Nero Scarabeo Matte. If you opt for the Grigio Lamiera PrimaSerie, itÂ’s paired with Corse Red accents on the logos, scripts, air vents, wheels and interior stitching. The 75th anniversary logo can be seen on the wheels, and if you look inside, itÂ’ll be on the headrests, too. Go for the matte black option, and this one is paired with Mint Green accents all over the exterior and interior. Despite the paint color of the cars being rather subtle shades, all the colorful accents on these special editions make them not-so-subtle. Not pictured yet are the Folgore PrimaSerie options. Maserati says the two special editions for the electric GranTurismo will be painted in either Rame (a copper-like color) or Blu Inchiostro (blue). Pricing isnÂ’t out for these PrimaSerie models, but Maserati allows you to express interest for the Trofeo models on its website. Opting for one of the launch editions would make you one of the first owners of the redesigned GranTurismo when it comes out. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. 2024 Maserati GranTurismo Folgore revealed

Marchionne says no offers are on the table for Fiat Chrysler

MONZA, Italy (Reuters) - Fiat Chrysler (FCA) has not received any offer for the company nor is the world's seventh-largest carmaker working on any "big deal", Chief Executive Sergio Marchionne said on Saturday. Speaking on the sidelines of the Italian Formula One Grand Prix, Marchionne said the focus remained on executing the company's business plan to 2018. Asked whether FCA had been approached by someone or whether there was an offer on the table, he simply said: "No." The company's share price jumped to record highs last month after reports of interest for the group or some of its brands from China. China's Great Wall Motor Co Ltd openly said it was interested in FCA, but had not held talks or signed a deal with executives at the Italian-American automaker. The stock move was also helped by expectations that the company might separate from some of its units. Marchionne reiterated on Saturday that FCA was working on a plan to "purify" its portfolio and that units, such as the components businesses, would be separated from the group. He hopes to complete that process by the end of 2018. "There are activities within the group that do not belong to a car manufacturer, for example the components businesses. The group needs to be cleared of those things," he told journalists. Asked whether an announcement could come this year, Marchionne said it was up to the board to decide and that it would next meet at the end of September. He said the time was not right for a spin-off of luxury brand Maserati and premium Alfa Romeo and the two brands needed to become self-sustainable entities first and "have the muscle to stand on their feet, make sufficient cash". "The way we see it now, it's almost impossible, if not impossible, to see a spin-off of Alfa Romeo/Maserati, these are two entities that are immature and in a development phase," he said. "It's the wrong moment, we are not in a condition to do it." He said the concept of separating the two brands from FCA's mass market business made sense and did not rule out this happening in future, but not under his tenure, which lasts until April 2019. "If there is an opportunity in future, it would certainly happen after I'm gone. It won't happen while Marchionne is around," he said.