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Maserati’s Wester Confirms Alfieri Production

AUBURN HILLS, Michigan – Maserati will launch a production version of its scintillating Alfieri concept around 2016, with a cabrio to follow in about 2017, according to a presentation by brand chief Harald Wester. The product plan presented to Fiat Chrysler’s Investor Day was not very specific, although it did say that the new LeVante crossover utility, built on Maserati’s architecture, will launch next year.

Rear-wheel-drive Alfieris will be have a 410-hp V-6; Alfieris equipped with all-wheel drive will have 450- and 520-hp V-6s. The new LeVante is shown as AWD-only, with 350-hp and 425-hp V-6 and 560-hp-plus V-8 gas engines, plus 250-hp, 275-hp, and 340-hp diesel engines.

A new GranTurismo coupe arrives at the end of the five-year plan, in 2018. The GranTurismo cabrio apparently would launch a year after that, in calendar 2019, which is outside the purview of Tuesday’s five-year presentation. The new products represent a 2-billion euro investment in Maserati, Wester said, adding that the brand expects to cap production at roughly 75,000 units per year globally under the current product plan.

Wester believes that with limited production and its Italian design and heritage, Maserati can flourish as an alternative to unnamed German brands, which obviously means Mercedes-Benz, Audi, and, most important, BMW, from the 5-series up.

Maserati expects massive sales increase under new Fiat Chrysler plan

Maserati sales are expected to increase nearly five-fold by 2018, according to Fiat Chrysler Automobiles.

Sales of the exclusive Italian luxury brand, according to a new five-year plan released today, are expected to jump from 15,400 units last year to 75,000 in 2018.

To help drive the expected sales increase, the company also plans to go from four models to six in 2018, adding three new SUVs and phasing out the Grancabrio.

Maserati also predicts revenue to jump from 1.7 billion euros ($2.4 billion) last year to 6 billion euros ($8.4 billion) in 2018.

Maserati did not breakout the expected sales by region, but expect the U.S. to play a main part. Earlier this year, FCA debuted Maserati's first-ever Super Bowl ad. The 90-second ad called “Strike” for the luxury brand’s all-new Ghibli, Maserati’s first-ever midsize four-door luxury sports sedan.