Maserati is a key element of Fiat’s plan to return to profitability in Europe and the luxury brand will embark on its largest product expansion to date. We already knew that the company would launch the Levante SUV next year, but what is surprising is that the Modena-based carmaker will also build the Alfieri, in both coupe and cabriolet versions.
The Alfieri coupe will arrive in 2016, followed by a drop-top version a year later. Even more surprising is the fact that Alfieri will not replace the GranTurismo, which will carry on in its current form until 2018, when a replacement model is scheduled to launch.
Assuming all goes according to plan, by 2018 Maserati will expand its lineup from the current four models (Ghibli, Quattroporte, GranTurismo, GranCabrio) to six models (Ghibli, Quattroporte, Levante, Alfieri Coupe, Alfieri Cabriolet and GranTurismo).
RWD Alfieris will be powered by a 410hp V6 engine, while all-wheel-drive models will offer the choice of two V6 engines, a 450hp and a 520hp unit. The Levante SUV will be offered with an entry-level 350hp V6 petrol unit, a 425 hp V6 petrol and a 560+hp V8 petrol, but the bulk of sales (in Europe at least) will be taken by the three available diesel engines: 250hp, 275hp and 340hp. The 560+hp V8 engine will also be offered on the Ghibli, Quattroporte and GranTurismo.
With the launch of all these new models and variants, Maserati hopes to increase sales fivefold, from 15,400 units last year to 75,000 units in 2018, with revenues also expected to rise from €1.7 billion last year to more than 6 billion in 2018.
By Dan Mihalascu
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