Maserati’s rebirth hasn’t exactly gone according to plan as consumers never really embraced the Ghibli or Quattroporte. However, after a few setbacks, the brand is now on better footing thanks to an assortment of new models including the Grecale and MC20 as well as the redesigned GranTurismo.
Despite that bit of good news, problems continue to plague the automaker. In fact, a new report claims the electric Quattroporte has been “frozen until further notice.”
According to Corriere Torino, suppliers were informed in late November that the M9S project was “suspended” and they should “freeze developments relating to the project.” The publication goes on to imply production was slated to begin next year with deliveries set for 2025.
More: Next-Gen Maserati Quattroporte Will Reportedly Go EV-Only When It Arrives In 2024
That now seems unlikely, given the freeze. However, the automaker reportedly tried to reassure suppliers by saying future Maseratis will be “developed, engineered and produced 100% in Italy, and will adopt electric motors.”
It’s not entirely clear why the Quattroporte Folgore was put on ice, but the publication said “discussions are underway on the repositioning of the group’s high-end brands, with a view to avoiding overlap between Alfa Romeo and Maserati.” If that’s the case, the automaker could have decided to pause things to ensure there’s enough separation between electric versions of the Quattroporte and Giulia. The latter model is slated to arrive in 2025 or 2026, sporting around 986 hp (736 kW / 1,000 PS) in Quadrifoglio guise.
That might not be the only issue as Italian suppliers were reportedly sent an email asking them to cut parts costs by 6%. The request hasn’t gone over well and it comes after a similar demand for a 5-6% cut a year ago.
In other news, the publication suggests the redesigned 500e could be pushed back from 2027 to 2030. While the model recently celebrated its U.S. debut, the car was introduced in Europe in 2020.
H/T to Mopar Insiders
