Maserati repositions pricing for Australia

Maserati’s Australian distributor will cut its prices by up to $46,000 and omit diesel passenger vehicles from its 2019 model line-up amid toughening trading conditions.

The Chief Operating Officer of Maserati Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, Glen Sealey, revealed the extensive repositioning to carsales.com.au before its anticipated release today.

Sealey said he wants Maserati to be transparent with customers, along with delivering a higher-specification of vehicles as standard.

“We’re going to reposition some of our range,” he explained, conceding that current retail pricing points have never been rigidly adhered to at showroom level.

“There are a number of reasons. First of all, we see the market being pretty tough this year and in a tough market … demand falls off, and our competitors have stock everywhere.

“There’s money flowing everywhere, there are pre-registered cars everywhere and that’s not a part of the market that we want to be playing in.

“We’ve made an active decision, rightly or wrongly, to go a different path. So we’re going to be very clear and upfront with our customer base: this is the price of our cars.

“Secondly, our customers demand a higher spec of cars. From our perspective, we want to sell more of those cars because they’re the cars we want out on the road.”

The new car market in Australia endured its slowest January since 2012, VFACTS figures released last week showed, with a softening across the retail sector.

Within that, monthly Maserati sales fell by 53.5 per cent year-on-year and many other luxury marques struggled to repeat their successes of January 2018.

As such, prices have been trimmed on all but the GranTurismo and GranCabrio within the Maserati range.

“Maserati has increased its market share in the past 12 months in a falling market for premium cars and this, along with the fact 90 per cent of Maserati sales are to clients new to the brand, clearly illustrates that Maserati is maintaining the momentum that has produced a transformation in the brand over the past six years,” said Sealey.

“Clearly we are now in a more challenging part of the Australian car market cycle, especially at the top end of the market, so with the arrival of the 2019 model year range, we have taken the opportunity sharpen the pricing of the best-selling variants in the range and make the more exclusive variants available to special order only.

“These changes to the Maserati range for 2019 represent a smooth evolution of the Maserati range for Australia that is a response to both changes to the market as a whole and a response to the specific requirements of Maserati owners which would be expected with so many of them enjoying the Maserati ownership experience for the first time."

On the SUV front, the 257kW petrol V6-powered Levante’s entry price of $125,000 plus on-road costs remains unchanged.

However, the V6 diesel-powered Levante is now $10,000 cheaper at $129,990, and GranLusso and GranSport variants of the large SUV are now $15,000 cheaper than before, at $144,990 (plus on-road costs).

Similarly, the price of Maserati’s higher-powered Levante S, which features a 321kW tune, falls by $15,000 to $164,990 plus ORCs, while GranSport and GranLusso versions now cost $10,000 less at $179,990.

“These changes to the Levante range represent not just a change in price, this is combined with additional features and equipment that enhances the exclusivity and personalisation of Maserati’s unique SUV,” said Sealey.

“If the equipment offered by key rivals is matched against Levante, its value for money becomes even more self-evident and that is before the Levante’s exclusivity and unique Italian style and craftsmanship is taken into account.”

In the passenger car range, Maserati has culled all diesel variants across its Ghibli and Quattroporte sedan models, citing slowing demand for oil-burning technology within Australia (although they remain available by special order, with pricing on application).

“There’s no demand for diesel passenger cars anymore,” Sealey says, while re-affirming demand for diesel SUVs. “We did see significant demand at the launch of diesel Ghibli and Quattroporte models, but we’re really seeing that dipping off.”

Price of entry into the Ghibli fold is now $1000 more at $139,990, following a $4000 price cut for the base petrol V6 and the axing of the base diesel Ghibli D, while GranSport and GranLusso versions are unchanged at $163,990.

The base Ghibli S has been discontinued, while GranSport and GranLusso versions are $11,000 cheaper at $184,990.

“The changes to the Ghibli range have been determined by the reduced popularity of diesel propulsion in this particular market sector, as in most areas of the world, along with a preference by clients purchasing the most powerful Ghibli, the 430hp Ghibli S, to make full use of the unique and exclusive equipment offered by the GranSport and GranLusso versions,” said Sealey.

The decision to also axe diesel and entry-level variants of the larger Quattroporte, which remain available only by special order, sees base pricing rise by $15,000.

The Quattroporte GranSport and GranLusso petrol models now anchor the line-up at $224,990 plus ORCs (down $15,000), while all mid-range Quattroporte S models are now also special order only.

At the top end of the scale, the V8-powered Quattroporte GTS GranSport and GranLusso have been repositioned by some $46,000, now priced at $299,990 (plus on-road costs).

“Once again the changes to the Quattroporte range are accounted by client preference for the GranSport and GranLusso variants and client preference for the value they represent in terms of equipment and style,” said Sealey.

“Equally our clients looking for a performance Quattroporte have a clear preference for the ultimate variant, the 390kW twin-turbo V8, which blends effortless performance, luxury and a unique driving experience.

“These changes also prepare for the arrival of the spectacular Maserati Levante GTS in the fourth quarter which will be a fabulous flourish with which to end the year," said Sealey.

“The GTS is a huge hit, and that’s the car we want in the marketplace. That’s Maserati."

The Maserati boss revealed the pre-registration of new vehicles in Australia – uncovered by carsales.com.au last month – was rife at the top end of the market, too.

“We’re pretty clean and we’ve made a decision not to run down that path,” he said.

Asked whether existing resale values would be affected by the repositioning, Sealey believes the new retail price points will be relative to the prices paid under Maserati’s previous pricing structure.

“Sure, we’re resetting our retail price point, and it is a little bit lower than our previous selling point, but it’s not far off,” he says.

“I don’t think it will affect used values.”

The changes are effective as of February 1, 2019.

Maserati 2019 model range pricing (plus ORCs):
Ghibli D — POA
Ghibli — $139,990
Ghibli GranLusso — $163,990
Ghibli GranSport — $163,990
Ghibli D GranLusso — POA
Ghibli D GranSport — POA
Ghibli S — POA
Ghibli S GranLusso — $184,990
Ghibli S GranSport — $184,990
Levante — $125,000
Levante Turbo Diesel — $129,990
Levante GranSport — $144,990
Levante GranLusso — $144,990
Levante Turbo Diesel GranSport — $144,990
Levante Turbo Diesel GranLusso — $144,990
Levante S — $164,990
Levante S GranSport — $179,990
Levante S GranSport — $179,990
GranTurismo Sport — $295,000
GranTurismo MC — $345,000
GranCabrio Sport — $335,000
GranCabrio MC — $355,000
Quattroporte Turbo Diesel — POA
Quattroporte — POA
Quattroporte GranLusso — $224,990
Quattroporte GranSport — $224,990
Quattroporte S — POA
Quattroporte S GranLusso — POA
Quattroporte S GranSport — POA
Quattroporte GTS GranLusso — $299,990
Quattroporte GTS GranSport — $299,990