Photo: Maserati
Only recently, it was reported that Fiat Chrysler slowed down production of Maserati and Alfa Romeo as a consequence of sluggish sales and increasingly tough import rules in China. What does FCA plan to do for addressing these worrying issues? Nobody knows, but Marchionne advocates for all-new SUVs.
In addition to the Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer full-size luxury utility vehicles from Jeep, the head honcho of Fiat Chrysler confirmed that Maserati is working on a sub-Levante model. In other words, it will slot in the compact segment of the SUV market alongside the Giorgio-based Alfa Romeo Stelvio.
And speaking of the slow-selling Stelvio, the high-riding interpretation on the Giulia is likely to share its rear- and all-wheel-drive platform with the small Maserati SUV. “Wait a minute, you’re telling me the House of the Trident is going downmarket with the unnamed utility vehicle?” Perhaps. Or maybe not.
As per Automotive News, the reasoning behind the all-new model is… wait for it… sales. The compact SUV will help Maserati “reach 70,000 to 80,000 vehicle sales a year.” By comparison, the Italian automaker’s volume “rose to 36,000 from 23,900 in the first three quarters [of 2017], helped by full availability of the Levante.” So yeah, it’s pretty obvious what Marchionne wants and what the purpose of adding a fourth model to the lineup actually is.
The helmsman of Fiat Chrysler highlights the powertrain is likely to be unique to the baby SUV, which is another way of saying that Maserati will use the 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6 engines currently offered by the Levante. Come 2018, the mid-size Levante will add the 3.8-liter twin-turbo V8 with the GTS variant.
There’s some lucidity in this madness if the numbers published by FCA are to be believed. Phasing out passenger cars and focusing on utility vehicles helped Fiat Chrysler hike up adjusted earnings by 17 percent in the quarter that ended last month, beating all estimates put forward by industry analysts.
And speaking of the slow-selling Stelvio, the high-riding interpretation on the Giulia is likely to share its rear- and all-wheel-drive platform with the small Maserati SUV. “Wait a minute, you’re telling me the House of the Trident is going downmarket with the unnamed utility vehicle?” Perhaps. Or maybe not.
As per Automotive News, the reasoning behind the all-new model is… wait for it… sales. The compact SUV will help Maserati “reach 70,000 to 80,000 vehicle sales a year.” By comparison, the Italian automaker’s volume “rose to 36,000 from 23,900 in the first three quarters [of 2017], helped by full availability of the Levante.” So yeah, it’s pretty obvious what Marchionne wants and what the purpose of adding a fourth model to the lineup actually is.
The helmsman of Fiat Chrysler highlights the powertrain is likely to be unique to the baby SUV, which is another way of saying that Maserati will use the 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6 engines currently offered by the Levante. Come 2018, the mid-size Levante will add the 3.8-liter twin-turbo V8 with the GTS variant.
There’s some lucidity in this madness if the numbers published by FCA are to be believed. Phasing out passenger cars and focusing on utility vehicles helped Fiat Chrysler hike up adjusted earnings by 17 percent in the quarter that ended last month, beating all estimates put forward by industry analysts.
Google News