Rumors from Italy suggest that Ferrari is considering extracting Maserati from the Stellantis group. This is an appealing idea, according to finews.asia.
Maserati is not in great shape. Production dropped to 3,300 vehicles in the first quarter of this year. The Italian luxury brand is struggling with sales.
This is evident in Switzerland as well: only 158 Maseratis were newly registered between January and May, down from 245 the previous year.
Engine Diet Prescribed by Headquarters
The Stellantis group, which Maserati has been part of since the 2021 merger of PSA Group with Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA), has imposed a diet on its numerous brands: smaller engines, more electric and hybrid vehicles. This affects Maserati in the luxury segment and Alfa Romeo in more accessible markets. Both brands share their heritage in Italian motorsports.
Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares told the «Wall Street Journal» at the end of March (article behind paywall) that he expects only five major automakers to survive worldwide due to the intense competition in electromobility. He sees good chances for his own company due to its versatile platforms.
Two Problems
However, regarding the Italian brands, there are two problems with this energy-efficient and otherwise efficient platform strategy. First, for the many purists among Maserati and Alfa fans, it is unpleasant if their cars are built on the same platform as other Stellantis brands, such as Opel, Peugeot, or Citroën. There is little room for unique engineering, which many car fans expect from a brand like Maserati.
Second, for many lovers of Italian racing brands, the engine sound is part of the driving experience. The fully electric Maseratis under the memorable label «Folgore» (Lightning) have left customers largely uninterested. And the downsizing of Maserati engines from V8 to V6, even in the top sports car MC20, does not excite enthusiasts. Similar sentiments apply to Alfa Romeo: the compact SUV «Tonale,» available since 2022, has a maximum displacement of 1.6 liters in the diesel version.
Purchase Rumors
Either Maserati and Alfa Romeo increasingly become misfits in the Stellantis strategy, or they lose their identity formed on Italian racetracks and dissolve their technological independence within the group. But what remains then, except for a little Italian design? Is that enough to keep the brands alive?
It is therefore not surprising that rumors are circulating about Ferrari, the dominant Italian sports car brand, considering buying Maserati from Stellantis.
A Robust Success Story
This would be welcome. Ferrari is a robust success story, as evidenced by its stock price development: up 37 percent in the past 12 months. With a market value of 74 billion euros ($79 billion), Ferrari is worth a third more than the entire Stellantis group. In 2023, Ferrari achieved an operating profit after taxes of nearly 1.3 billion euros. The company has liquid assets of around 4 billion euros and could presumably afford to buy the troubled Maserati.
For Ferrari, the purchase would offer the chance to serve not only the ultra-premium segment but also the premium segment in the future.
Maserati declined to comment on the sales rumors when contacted by finews.ch. At the time of publication, no statement had been received from Ferrari.
