Maserati plans eight-fold sales lift by 2015

Italian sportscar maker Maserati will be relying on everything but its supercars to drive growth in the mid-term, with next year’s new Quattroporte luxury limousine and then the all-new Ghibli large sedan and Levante SUV to account for the bulk of the brand's sales.

Maserati’s next new model, the redesigned Quattroporte, is expected to attract no less than 10,000 sales in 2013, comprising half of the 20,000 overall sales it has forecast for the year, which is more than three times the 6100 cars Maserati hopes to sell this year.

Powered by V8 and - for the first time - V6 and diesel engines, the new Quattroporte is expected to be unveiled in late 2012 after a teaser campaign that begins in November.

Its public debut will be at the Detroit motor show in January (the US will again be one of its most important markets) and the new Quattroporte arrives in Australia next September.

Gaetano Marino, Maserati's Regional Director for the South East Asian and Pacific regions, told motoring.com.au the new Quattroporte will be based on an all-new rear-wheel drive platform.

“This Quattroporte is 100 per cent new - completely new. We built it from zero,” he said.

The next Quattroporte will be a huge Italian limo built in only one size, with no long-wheelbase model, confirmed Mr Gaetano. Maserati says that at 5.28 metres long, it will be the biggest model in its class, dwarfing even the  Mercedes-Benz S-Class, BMW 7 Series and Porsche Panamera.

Mr Marino said the new Quattroporte would retain its glorious Ferrari-derived V8 engines alongside new twin-turbo V6 petrol and even turbo-diesel offerings.

“We will have 500hp (373kW) V8 (and) 410hp (305kW) six-cylinder engine,” he said, adding that diesel engines would also join the range “in a little bit”.

The Quattroporte’s all-new platform makes extensive use of aluminium and could also be produced with an all-wheel drive system from the Ferrari FF, but Mr Marino said there were no plans for a petrol-electric hybrid engine – yet.

Mr Marino would not rule out hybrid power for Maserati – including its next Quattroporte – and when asked if it would arrive in the next few years, he responded: “I don't know when.

“It's too early, but yes we are ready. The platform is ready to have it,” he said.

“Performance, consumption, emissions will be in line with competitors,” he said of the petrol and diesel-powered Quattroportes, referring to rivals such as the Porsche Panamera, which is available with both petrol, diesel and hybrid power.

Markets like China, the US and also Korea are expected to increase their demand for the big Italian limo, but European sales are unlikely to bloom. “Europe is always not our biggest market,” noted Mr Marino.

While Maserati's Asia-Pacific boss says global sales will hit 20,000 in 2013, he forecasts a 150 per cent sales spurt by 2015, when worldwide sales are expected to reach 50,000 with the addition of the BMW 5 Series-size Ghibli sedan and BMW X5-rivalling Levante SUV.

Due for launch in Europe in mid-2013 and in Australia by next December, the Ghibli is based on the same Mercedes-Benz E-Class platform that Chrysler inherited during its partnership with Daimler and that Maserati will employ following Fiat’s purchase of Chrysler.

The four-door Ghibi – a name use twice before in Maserati’s history – is expected to be joined by two-door coupe and convertible derivatives, positioned below the GranTurismo and GranCabrio respectively.

However, it is the equally new Levante crossover that’s expected to be Australia's favourite Maser, says General Manager of Maserati Australia and New Zealand, Glen Sealey.

Due on sale globally in 2014 and in Australia by 2015, the Levante is based on the same Mercedes-Benz M-Class chassis architecture that underpins Jeep’s Grand Cherokee and will be built alongside the latter in the US.

Mr Sealey said the Levante, which will be Maserati’s first direct competitor for luxury SUVs like the X5, M-Class, Audi Q7 and Porsche Cayenne, will become the Italian brand’s biggest seller in Australia when it arrives here in 2015.

While the Quattroporte currently opens the Maserati range in Australia at $250,000, the new SUV could be priced at half that, with Mr Sealey saying a $125,000 pricetag is possible.

By the end of 2012, Maserati will sell around 160 cars in Australia – its seventh biggest market globally - but expects sales to eclipse 1000 by 2015. To support the additional models and sales growth, hree more Australian dealerships are expected for Maserati in the short-term, taking the total to eight.

However, Mr Sealey said exclusivity and its positioning “above Mercedes-Benz” would prevent Maserati’s brand value being diluted by new additional models such as a smaller sedan and an SUV.

“It's important for us that Maserati remains exclusive and at 1000 units a year in the Australian market it's a small percentage and it still remains one of the most exclusive brands,” he said.

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