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I see that Fiat expects Maserati to make a profit in 2007. If it does, it will be the first time in 17 years, admits Fiat’s CEO, Sergio Marchionne.
“Maserati will finally return to profitability in 2007,” said Marchionne. “We will definitely break even this year,” said Roberto Ronchi, Maserati’s CEO. No, listen to the Don, Roberto: break even is not the same thing as profitability, capisca?
Anyway, how can a company remain in the red for 17 years and continue trading? I once ran a small company and 17 minutes in the red was enough to have cheques bounced. Mind you, my occasional negative profit was minuscule: last year Maserati lost 33 million Euros; and the year before that, 85 million Euros; and the year before that….
So how does Maserati intend to ‘return to profitability’? (My money’s on Don Corleone.) By building the most expensive production Maserati ever - the Quattroporte Automatica. No penny pinching then, or cutting back to cope with the lean times: nope, let’s large it.
It is believed that Ford is to follow Maserati’s large-it example and build a V8 Focus and a V12 Mondeo, and upgrade the Galaxy to a Ferrero Roche. And the troubled Chrysler organisation is to relaunch the Neon as the Chandelier.
Response to your lazy review of the Alfa 159 1.9 JTDm. You’re not the only one who has a / secret / reminiscing passion for Alfa Romeos you know. My previous regular runaround was a 156 and my current car is a 159 and for the weekends I have a 2002 V6 Spider so when it comes to Alfas, I’m pretty well experienced to comment on what’s what.
The 156 was cheap, unreliable and always considered as a poor excuse for a prestige sports saloon. The 159 is anything but! It’s a proper head turning, up there with the rest prestige sports saloon.
THE DEISEL IS JUST WHAT THE MOTORIST HAS BEEN ASKING FOR AND GUESS WHAT? WE ARE NOW IN THE 21ST CENTUARY, GET WITH THE PROGRAMME MATE!!
If we were to harp back to things past we would all be driving Ford Capris again!!
Times change and Alfa have not only naturally moved with the times they have now put themselves up there! The 159 is 10 times the car that the 156 was. Don’t get me wrong - if I want the thrills and spills I get the Spider out - my point is don’t be putting off potential diesel customers; let them at least have some style while penny pinching.
Kind Regards, Steve Herrington
PS, Land Rover??? MG???? Come on are you having a laugh?
steve herrington | 01 Mar 07 - 16:41Thanks for your comments, Steve, but compared with a lot of other modern oil-burners, the JTD engine now seems agricultural. I have driven all the Alfa’s rivals, maybe you haven’t.
Graham Whyte | 08 Mar 07 - 11:04Graham,
I’m just pleased that the Italian car manufacturing industry appears to be on-the-up. But I think it’s highly unlikely that the Maserati brand will return to profitability in the foreseeable future, primarily because their current marketing strategy is aimed at the very top-end, in competition with Ferrari, Porsche etc. This market works well for the competition (Ferrari & Porsche etc), but then those manufacturers have never really fallen from grace & glamour etc due to their constant presence in numerous race categories, plus various road-going versions etc.
I have met a number of Maserati owners in the UAE , and they have all agreed that their cars have a much lesser road presence than my Alfa 147 GTA.
I think that sums it up… In order to improve popularity and profitability, Maserati really does need to align themselves more closely with Fiat/Alfa Romeo via up-market Maserati interpretations of existing Alfa Romeo models.
BTW I’ve owned & driven an S3 Landy; an MGA; MGB; Full race Cooper S; Full race Lotus 7; …. So I’m on your side.
AlfaMartini | 12 Mar 07 - 18:25