As part of the strategy
to expand its product offering and hopefully increase
production ‘significantly’, Maserati has confirmed that
it aims to introduce three new models in three different
market segments over the next two years – this was the
core thrust of a meeting the Trident held yesterday with
Italian public officials and unions in Modena.
Maserati aims to build on
its existing presence in 65 markets worldwide with
several new products that are targeted at volume market
segments. It hopes that the additions to the range will
bring “a significant increase in production”, although
it was unable to resist plucking the usual
wild-end-of-the-spectrum number out of the air, stating
in a press release yesterday that it will produce “up to
50,000 vehicles a year by 2015.” Last year, Maserati
sold 6,159 cars.
Public officials and
trade unions were presented with plans for the future
organisational and industrial structure yesterday at the
company’s headquarters in Modena.
With regard to industrial
requirements, it was underlined that the current
facilities will not be adequate to implement these
targets. Given its location inside the city limits, said
Maserati, the Modena plant cannot be expanded and,
therefore, the decision was made some time ago to locate
future production at the Officine Automobilistiche
Grugliasco plant (the former Carrozzeria Bertone
factory). Acquired by Fiat just over two years ago, a
total of 500 million euros is being invested to upgrade
the plant, according to Maserati. It will build the
successor to the Quattroporte (currently built in
Modena) as well as a smaller BMW 5-Series rival.
As well as plans for the
two factories in Modena and Turin, the Trident will also
build a luxury SUV based around the architecture of
Jeep’s Grand Cherokee. This will be assembled at the
Jefferson North Assembly Plant in Michigan and, Maserati
says, is scheduled to arrive in the second half of next
year.
Design, marketing and
distribution activities for the entire product range
will remain located at the company’s existing Modena
headquarters, in addition to production of the current
GranTurismo and GranCabrio ranges and, potentially from
May 2013, Alfa Romeo’s projected 4C sportscar, which is
planned to achieve production of up to 2,500 units per
year.
With regard to the impact
on employment, Maserati confirmed that, during this
period of crisis, restructuring and capacity
underutilisation will continue to be managed entirely
through the use of the state-supported temporary layoff
benefit schemes available. As on other occasions,
however, adds the press release, every opportunity will
be taken to utilise Maserati workers at other Fiat Group
plants, although with almost every operational area
suffering from overcapacity this is unlikely to be more
than a token gesture.
