Still an exclusive brand....aka not selling many

bigbob

Member
Messages
8,952
Remember all the concern that Ghilbi, QPVI and Levante would dilute the brand? Well Maserati UK sold 184 cars in September and 1306 YTD...hardly a lot.

I suppose diesel is getting a kicking, the first petrol Levantes' are yet to arrive and ditto with the revised (revised) GT/GC but even so it's not a great performance. Sure the UK is a small market car for Maserati and the total UK market is suffering but it's still not what we want. I like seeing the modern Trident cars on the road and got a nice wave from a Ghibli driver on the A9 recently but some of us need to start buying* them again!

*Actually renting them as no one seems to buy cars anymore.
 

Ewan

Member
Messages
6,757
It's quite a lot! 20 odd years ago they would sell less than 10 cars a year in the U.K., wth Meridien (then based in Bournemouth) being the official importer. That's was in the Ghibli (mk II) and QP (mk IV) era.

Driving around in my Ghibli back in those days meant I'd regularly go for months without seeing another Maserati, even though I lived in Chelsea (and Dorset). Indeed, if I'd not have had a place in Dorset and therefore been near Meridien, I'm not sure I'd have gone down this particular marque path in the first place. But here I am, 20 years and about 18 Maserati's later, still going.
 

Wack61

Member
Messages
8,764
Most company cars will still be diesel as big miles need big MPG , I've seen more Ghibli's on the road than any other Maserati though ,80k cars are thin on the ground even if they are leased , the Jaguar XJ is a rare car but XF's are everywhere, Maserati is still a premium brand so it's not surprising there aren't many about.

Sales like the Germans make will be impossible as I'd think they sell 1000 35k cars for every 80k car judging by how many 320d and 220cdi badges I see every day
 

Ewan

Member
Messages
6,757
Those Euro sales stats are interesting. A big jump in 1999 with the 3200, then in 2004 with the QP, then in 2014 with the new Ghibli. The 4200 and GT seemed to make smaller impacts on their releases.
 

Steve GS

Member
Messages
1,526
I love driving and not seeing another Maserati for miles and miles. I do see plenty of Ghibli though. Not seen another levante since we got ours. Just makes you feel a little bit special and unles I'm on a meet I never see another
gransport on the road
 

Andyk

Member
Messages
61,040
It's quite a lot! 20 odd years ago they would sell less than 10 cars a year in the U.K., wth Meridien (then based in Bournemouth) being the official importer. That's was in the Ghibli (mk II) and QP (mk IV) era.

Driving around in my Ghibli back in those days meant I'd regularly go for months without seeing another Maserati, even though I lived in Chelsea (and Dorset). Indeed, if I'd not have had a place in Dorset and therefore been near Meridien, I'm not sure I'd have gone down this particular marque path in the first place. But here I am, 20 years and about 18 Maserati's later, still going.

Remember those days Ewan....What was name of the chap who owned Meridien. Saw an interview with him in Performance Car mag and he had the number plate TOY on the Biturbo Spyder they had.... Suppose back then there was a two car range and very specialist...Now there is a 4 car range and a yearning t go main stream and take sales from BMW, Mec, Audi etc so you would expect butter sales than that. Doesn't seem to be working as well they may have hoped.
 

midlifecrisis

Member
Messages
16,102
Remember those days Ewan....What was name of the chap who owned Meridien. Saw an interview with him in Performance Car mag and he had the number plate TOY on the Biturbo Spyder they had.... Suppose back then there was a two car range and very specialist...Now there is a 4 car range and a yearning t go main stream and take sales from BMW, Mec, Audi etc so you would expect butter sales than that. Doesn't seem to be working as well they may have hoped.

TOY123, he still has that plate. Scroll down the page to see a Blue GTS sporting the reg.

http://www.motobanter.co.uk/index.php?topic=1099.0
 

bigbob

Member
Messages
8,952
It's quite a lot! 20 odd years ago they would sell less than 10 cars a year in the U.K., wth Meridien (then based in Bournemouth) being the official importer. That's was in the Ghibli (mk II) and QP (mk IV) era.

Driving around in my Ghibli back in those days meant I'd regularly go for months without seeing another Maserati, even though I lived in Chelsea (and Dorset). Indeed, if I'd not have had a place in Dorset and therefore been near Meridien, I'm not sure I'd have gone down this particular marque path in the first place. But here I am, 20 years and about 18 Maserati's later, still going.

You need a long service award Ewan....perhaps a Maserati clock. Seriously though we forget that Maserati was a bespoke low volume brand pre 3200 and Ferrari ownership. Interestingly I bought my 3200 from Meridien as I was local (ish) at the time. The Check Engine light came on on the test drive and I still bought it! That's allure and I guess I thought I was buying a 550 on the cheap which makes no sense as I had already driven a 550 and was blown away by that. Still the kids had arrived and the 3200 ticked all the boxes for a family friendly second car.
 
Messages
1,687
Only seen Ghibli diesels on this side of the water. Across the whole car market, diesel sales are down 22-26% in the UK, year on year I believe, so Maserati may be arriving at last orders, so far as diesel is concerned.
Depending on battery technology progress and future tax regimes, I'd have thought the smart money would be in hybrids, at the performance end of the market.
 

MrMickS

Member
Messages
3,951
I thought that the target was 1500 cars for the year. That was all, in order to keep the brand exclusive and justify the prices.

We've seen a couple of Ghiblis over the last two days which is more than we've seen in a while.
 

Ewan

Member
Messages
6,757
Remember those days Ewan....What was name of the chap who owned Meridien. Saw an interview with him in Performance Car mag and he had the number plate TOY on the Biturbo Spyder they had.... Suppose back then there was a two car range and very specialist...Now there is a 4 car range and a yearning t go main stream and take sales from BMW, Mec, Audi etc so you would expect butter sales than that. Doesn't seem to be working as well they may have hoped.

Meridien Modena is owned still owned by the Butt family, as best as I know. John (the founder), plus sons Glen and Warren. Jolly nice family business it is too!