Audi's Q5 Gets Some Competition: Maserati Plans A Second And Smaller SUV By 2020

Maserati plans to launch a second SUV based on Alfa Romeo underpinnings by 2020, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles CEO Sergio Marchionne said.

The model will be positioned below the Levante, Maserati's first SUV, and will help the brand to reach 70,000 to 80,000 vehicle sales a year, Marchionne said. Maserati's volume rose to 36,000 from 23,900 in the first three quarters, helped by full availability of the Levante.

The new SUV will also help Maserati to boost annual earnings to 1 billion euros ($1.18 billion), Marchionne told financial analysts on a third-quarter earnings call on Tuesday.

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TheSteve - 10/25/2017 1:52:03 PM

+5 Boost

Maserati is competition? To whom?

TomM - 10/29/2017 7:11:43 AM

+1 Boost

While Maserati does not have a good reputation in the USA - in Europe it is still considered to be an entry level EXOTIC car - with all that implies. Maserati has a far longer history in Europe and its name still means something there. In the USA - people are not as kind (Although they have been with Jeep for some reason) - and they tend to allow no leeway at all. It is a wonder any exotic car even sells for road travel here. (Few do - most end up in collections anyway)

Yes - people do give their exotics wide latitude to be less reliable - and always have - so Maserati can compete with other near Luxury cars from Audi - Volvo - DS - and others.

AS far as electronics - FCA was never known for getting that right the first time - and they still occasionally have problems that a re-program fixes - however - they have gotten much better with that lately.

MDarringer - 10/29/2017 10:13:46 AM

+1 Boost

@TheSteve Maserati is pretty laughable selling Chrysler 300s in Italian suits. The Qporte and Ghibli are so transparently Chrysler 300s it's ridiculous.

bw5011 - 10/25/2017 2:17:31 PM

+2 Boost

Went to the dealer and jumped in the Levante for a test drive as my wife wanted an SUV. Right away the salesman had to explain why non of the touch features were not working. The sunroof was and seat were slow to move, but the windows were fine. After we re-cranked the thing a few times we said forget it and just pulled out. Once we got in the street the touch started working.. I guess it takes a while to wake up. It sounded great, drove very nicely but lacked basic tech... It was quickly marked off the list. It should have been a $55k to $60k vehicle, certainly not a 100k vehicle. Unless the one that is smaller with probably even less stuff is around $25k they will not have any competition. They will be in the market all on their own.. .sitting at the dealership for years...

MDarringer - 10/25/2017 8:35:10 PM

0 Boost

So a Maserati Stelvio that will overlap with the Alfa Stelvio?

Given what is under the Levante, it should be a $40K base vehicle.