Stellantis financial boss doesn't rule out selling Maserati

3 months, 3 weeks ago - 30 July 2024, autoblog

'There could be some point in the future' when the question is asked

Maserati posted disappointing sales and revenue figures shortly after Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares warned that the group can't afford to have brands that don't make money. While nothing is set in stone, one of the group's executives said that selling the brand isn't off the table.

Industry trade journal Automotive News Europe (subscription required) learned that Maserati sold approximately 6,500 cars globally between January and June 2024, down from around 15,300 units during the same time period in 2023. It posted an adjusted operating loss of €82 million (about $88.7 million) during the first six months of the year, compared to a profit of €121 million (about $130 million) in 2023.

"The first half has been disappointing," admitted Natalie Knight, the chief financial officer at Stellantis, on a call with journalists. She pointed out that the drop can be partially attributed to Maserati discontinuing three models: the Ghibli and the Quattroporte retired in late 2023, and production of the Levante ended earlier in 2024. This leaves the brand with the Grecale, the MC20, the MC20 Cielo, the GranTurismo, and the GranCabrio. Of the bunch, only the Grecale can be expected to generate volume, and European sales dropped by about 42%.

New models are in the pipeline, but they're not exactly around the corner.

What that means for the Italian brand is up in the air. It's planning on replacing the Levante with an electric model tentatively due out in 2027, and the next Quattroporte will get electric power as well when it lands in 2028. Both models have already been delayed, and the publication learned from insiders that the timing might get switched around; the next Quattroporte could end up arriving before the next Levante.

"The future is about how we maintain best value. There could be some point in the future when we look at what's the best home for [Maserati]," Knight said, according to Automotive News Europe. Her comments hint that a sale, while not confirmed, isn't unthinkable.