Struggling sales

[P R]

911s are only around today because of the Cayenne and the Macon. The Macon is by far the biggest seller in the Porsche range.

 

[Soleith]

911s are only around today because of the Cayenne and the Macon. The Macon is by far the biggest seller in the Porsche range.

Perhaps, but Ferrari seems to survive without a cheap SUV...

 

[P R]

Perhaps, but Ferrari seems to survive without a cheap SUV...

Yes thats true, but their cars start at arounf £170,000 though!

 

[Soleith]

Yes thats true, but their cars start at arounf £170,000 though!

Indeed, which is why I think Maserati has chased the wrong end of the market. There should be space in the Fiat lineup for a premium brand below Ferrari but which doesn't chase volume production sales numbers with lower cost mass market models competing with the 5 series/e class/a6 and mid-upper range 4x4s. If someone had said to me "Maserati SUV" prior to the Levante launch, I'd have expected a top spec range rover competitor with a more sporting feel. Not to the Urus levels of crazy but certainly not something that competes with a Q7/Cayenne/X5 etc. The marque should be above that and an £85k+ base offering in the SUV segment would've helped that. A Maserati used to feel really exclusive. It still does, but not quite as much as it used to these days with the Ghibli and Levante as part of the lineup.

 

[Devonboy]

This is twice that you've said this. What makes you think that the chap that was part of the management team that presented the plan just under two months ago would change from that? If they'd brought in an outsider then all bets would have been off but listening to the Q&A session it appeared that the whole team, which included the new CEO, were in on the plan.

I find I say things twice and even three times as I age....it’s a called senility and it’s the reason I bought an old Maser!

New leadership team will want need to respond to falling sales and any changes in the operating environment - and teams rarely agree 100% .....we will see

 

[MrMickS]

New leadership team will want need to respond to falling sales and any changes in the operating environment - and teams rarely agree 100% .....we will see

Go on. Flesh it out.

The falling sales will have been known about in June. The sales drop is largely diesel related. He was in charge at Jeep and came up with that plan.

Unless you think they’ll shutter Maserati as they have Lancia what will they do? Stop development to bring out three new models, or go with adding hybrid to the current models, being out a smaller SUV, and build the Alfieri as per the plan?

If there was no recently published plan, no messaging coming from dealers about Alfieri, I agree that it would be troubling. I just don’t see where the pessimism comes from.

 

[Rwc13]

Anonymous and with a **** interior...........?

 

[Rwc13]

Go on. Flesh it out.

The falling sales will have been known about in June. The sales drop is largely diesel related. He was in charge at Jeep and came up with that plan.

Unless you think they’ll shutter Maserati as they have Lancia what will they do? Stop development to bring out three new models, or go with adding hybrid to the current models, being out a smaller SUV, and build the Alfieri as per the plan?

If there was no recently published plan, no messaging coming from dealers about Alfieri, I agree that it would be troubling. I just don’t see where the pessimism comes from.

It’s just the glass perpetually half empty side of the house

 

[dickygrace]

Love that video RWC, really are lovely cars. I have one in stock that we displayed at Carfest, when following it home today I realised just what a great noise it makes too.

 

[Wanderer]

I’ve never leased a car, but can you get these on lease? My QP5 owes me nothing, guessing for a non-diesel QP6 ( I’m not driving a diesel) it’s like £1500 a mo or something, not really worth it for any perceived benefit over the QP5.

And I’ve not got £100k spare to drop on something that will be say 10% of benefit to me.

 

[Devonboy]

Go on. Flesh it out.

The falling sales will have been known about in June. The sales drop is largely diesel related. He was in charge at Jeep and came up with that plan.

Unless you think they’ll shutter Maserati as they have Lancia what will they do? Stop development to bring out three new models, or go with adding hybrid to the current models, being out a smaller SUV, and build the Alfieri as per the plan?

If there was no recently published plan, no messaging coming from dealers about Alfieri, I agree that it would be troubling. I just don’t see where the pessimism comes from.

Chill out man....I am quite happy to wait and see - maybe they change nothing maybe they change something

 

[bigbob]

I don't get saloons but my understanding is that they are being killed by SUVs. Obviously the Levante is the answer to this. The air suspension on it is deeply impressive but whilst the diesel does not feel slow in the Ghibli, the extra weight of the Levante just kills it IMHO and the premium for the petrol is just too much. Ditto the premium to get from an S QP to a GTS QP. Maserati could look at it relative pricing and drop the 350PS petrol giving a free upgrade to the 450PS and then reducing the price of the V8 appreciably. And why have we never seen the Ghibli with the V8 and an M5 type set up?

Still needs a coupe to get me back mind.

 

[MrMickS]

And why have we never seen the Ghibli with the V8 and an M5 type set up?

Still needs a coupe to get me back mind.

I suspect that this is partly emissions related across the range and partly down to keeping the QP special. I don't understand it either. I would be looking at an MY18 Ghibli if they put the V8 from the QP in it.

The coupe is needed, something to provide a draw to get people in before they spend their money in a more sensible manner

IMO the smaller SUV (Macan sized) and hybridisation of the Levante are needed almost as much as the coupe. If they can get those out soon then the future is secure. I wouldn't buy either but, if they are following the Porsche model, it makes business sense.

 

[conaero]

Nowt wrong with a QP GTS

 

[P R]

In all this don't forget that FCA have lower CO2 limits than most of their German rivals. This means effectively that each FCA car would get a tax of £83 per g of CO2 for EVERY car they sell over their mandated EU fleet average. When compared to their competitors FCA target is 91.1g/CO2 (BMW is 100.3, Merc 100.7 JLR 132). This means FCA have less scope for big fast cars than their direct competitors.
https://www.fleetnews.co.uk/news/en...of-car-makers-set-to-miss-2021-eu-co2-targets

 

[keith]

I think there is a little snobbery amongst enthusiasts that Maserati launched lower price cars with even worse Diesel engines!
However it's these cars that have introduced a whole new customer base to the brand.

 

[bigbob]

I think there is a little snobbery amongst enthusiasts that Maserati launched lower price cars with even worse Diesel engines!
However it's these cars that have introduced a whole new customer base to the brand.

You are probably right on price point. Fuel is just whatever works at a given price at a given time. The bit I struggle to understand with ’taking Maserati downmarket’ is that it is too close to Alfa pricing now or maybe Alfa’s are now too expensive - who knows?

 

[conaero]

I do feel Maserati are selling the badge off cheap at the moment. If the new found revenue translates into new sporting models then that is a good thing but I am not sure this will happen. OK they have promised it but I will believe it when I see it.

I agree with the Alfa comments. Actually I would say they are infront with their current offerings and it pains me to admit it.

Let’s see what happens and give them the benefit of the doubt.

 

[Andyk]

Think in agree Matt.....Its not that the have moved into a cheaper market it's more about what they in the range. OK they have the GT to keep the senses tingling but it's nowan old car that can't really compete with the competition and Needs replacing. I cannot imaging that they sell many in the UK. That Sports car us needed no matter what engine/electric they put in it. I see that Graeypaul posted on FB a week or so ago saying its official the new sports will be here with electric power in 2019/2020. So maybe not long to wait now.

 

[P R]

The top of the range Alfa (Giulia Quad) is above all variants of Ghibli performance wise (probably chasis wise too), however overlap is normal in car groups line ups. I think the Levante V8 trumps the Stelvio Quad?
I also expect the Alfieri to trump the GTV...