In recent years we've been following Maserati's renaissance. For years the iconic Italian sports car manufacturer underwent some seriously tough times and it seemed as though it was about to be done for in the 1980s and 1990s. Then, it had a bit of a comeback and it returned to the US market.
While I would argue the products aren't best-in-breed, they are good picks if all you care about is standing out from the pack, emotion and sound. Buyers based in the New York Tri-State region and SoCal can't seem to get enough of the GranTurismo and newer Ghibli. But, sales of the Ghibli have started to show signs of slowing down.
Next up is the all-new Levante luxury sport-utility vehicle but, if you ask me, its design is a bit of a let down. If it looked more like the Maserati concept called the Kubang I think the brand would have struck a chord with many buyers; however, it looks a bit sloppy and the antithesis of slick in its execution. Instead of having a modern, Italian flare, it appears ungainly and rather harsh. What happened to the sensual designs that come from Italy?
Now the latest word is that the Alfieri, which was adored and admired by many, is being kept quiet. Is the project being delayed? Has it been killed off? What gives?
There's a chance the company is trying to go for an element of surprise as the media has been relatively spoiled when it comes to leaked information or gentle guidance, there's also a chance that the brand is in trouble.
That said, we want to hear from YOU: What say you, Spies? Is Maserati starting to put itself in a bad place or is the Italian sports car maker about to hit its stride?
Although exact model timings were vague, Maserati’s business plan and senior executives indicated the Alfieri – its first direct rival for the Porsche 911 – would be released as early as this year, followed by the convertible version in 2017 and the new GranTurismo in 2018.
“I sincerely can’t say that we’ll see this car in production in two years’ time, but I’m certain we’ll see something very similar,” said project leader Lorenzo Ramaciotti at Geneva in 2014.
Now, two years later at the 2016 Geneva show, Maserati chief Harald Wester refused to answer questions about the Alfieri, design work on which began in mid-2013 at Maserati Centro Stile in Turin.
“I don’t know. I need to talk to my people,” said Wester when asked if the Alfieri project was running to schedule.
Asked if the Alfieri will be launched next year, he said: “No comment”.
Maserati Levante
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