Is the iconic Italian brand, Maserati, facing an existential crisis? Production has plummeted, and unions are demanding urgent action too save the brand. This article delves into the dramatic decline of Maserati production, exploring the causes and potential solutions that could determine the future of the luxury carmaker.
Maserati Production Plummets, Union calls for Urgent Action
Dramatic Production Decline Raises Concerns
Maserati, the storied Italian automaker founded in 1914, faces a critical juncture as production numbers have dwindled dramatically. Once a symbol of Italian luxury and performance, the brand, now under the stellantis umbrella, is producing cars at a fraction of its former capacity. The United italian Metalworkers Federation (Uilm) has voiced strong concerns, suggesting the brand is facing an industrial death.
Production Figures: A Stark Contrast
- Frist Quarter 2024: A total of 1,030 units produced across all models.
- MC20 (Modena): 30 units
- Gran Cabrio/Gran Turismo (Mirafiori): 70 units
- Grecale (Cassino): 930 units
To illustrate the severity of the decline, consider these comparisons:
- In the first quarter of 2023, the Mirafiori plant alone produced 1,320 units, compared to just 70 in the same period this year.
- Looking back further, Mirafiori produced over 15,000 cars in the first quarter of 2017.
Union Demands Immediate Intervention
The Uilm is calling on Stellantis and its chairman, John Elkann, to take immediate action to revitalize the Maserati brand. Rocco Palombella, general secretary of Uilm, articulated the urgency in a letter to Elkann, stating that there is no more time to waste.
He proposed two potential solutions:
- Immediate Investments and New Models: Inject capital and introduce new vehicles to boost production.
- Luxury Pole with Ferrari: A strategic alliance or spin-off involving Ferrari, leveraging its prestige and expertise.
Palombella emphasized the need to safeguard a strategic sector for our country
and save thousands and thousands of seats of work.
Stellantis’s Response and Previous Assurances
The Uilm’s concerns are not new. Palombella referenced a previous letter sent on July 30, to wich then-CEO Carlos Tavares responded, assuring that Maserati remained the only vehicle brand entirely designed, developed and produced in Italy.
Tavares also stated that Stellantis was making great steps forward towards further expansion of the brand at an international level,
dismissing any suggestion of removing Maserati from the group.
“I duties and the energy transition They are not the cause of this situation, but we have reached this point for choices already taken for some time and that they are decreeing the industrial death of Maserati “
Rocco Palombella, general secretary of uilm
Future Outlook and “High range Project”
Current projections estimate Maserati’s total production for 2024 at around 4,000 units. This is a significant drop from just two years ago, when production reached 27,166 units. The End-Cisl union highlighted Stellantis’s declaration of a High range project
involving the Motor Valley region. While details remain unclear, the union stressed the importance of this project benefiting Maserati’s future production across all its factories, including the historic Modena plant.
The decline is stark:
- 2022 Production: 27,166 units
- 2023 Production: 9,760 units (a 64% decrease)
