Maserati's sales conviction

Maserati is committed to selling 1500 cars a year in Australia by 2020, but short of the Levante SUV doubling the sales of all other Maserati models combined, that's looking like quite a challenge for the prestige brand.

There is a precedent that supports the brand's sunny outlook in the local market, however, and Maserati Australia COO Glen Sealey is confident the goal can be achieved.

"From 2000 to 2005 [sales were] sitting on about 50 units a year," Sealey told journalists during a briefing for the updated Ghibli and Quattroporte. "That's niche, to say the very least."

Ateco Automotive, the newly-appointed distributor in 2005, boosted sales to an average just below 140 units a year between 2006 and 2013, largely through the investment of a considerable sum to bring its dealer network up to scratch. A further jump from 134 units in 2013 to 401 the following year reflects the inclusion of the Ghibli in the local Maserati range.

This year, says Sealey, the plan is to sell around 500 units – the importer has already sold 412 to the end of September – and 2016 will be a year of consolidation.

"That's talking about the existing range of Quattroporte, Ghibli, GranTurismo and GranCabrio. The next step, of course, is stage three, which brings in Alfieri, Levante and the new GT eventually," Sealey said.

With the Levante lobbing in 2017, Sealey is anticipating Maserati will sell around 1000 units that year. In 2018 the tally will rise again to around 1500 units, to meet continuing demand for the Levante and new orders for the Alfieri two-seat sports car and 'the new GT' (replacements for the current GranTurismo and GranCabrio).

Pictured: Maserati Levante pre-production car in camouflage