Maserati's North American Dealer Boss Handed the Reins


Maserati, a fairly opaque, Fiat Chrysler-owned brand that exists in the periphery of the mainstream luxury scene, has a new leader in North America.
Announced Monday, Al Gardner, head of dealer operations in the region, will take control of the marque from current Jeep boss Tim Kuniskis, who jettisoned his control of the Italian brand in an executive shuffling last month.
As reported by Automotive News, Gardner reports to Jean-Philippe Leloup, a transplant from Ferrari who now heads up an entity called Maserati Commercial. Freshly minted chief operating officer Harald Wester made the pick in Europe yesterday. Gardner will continue in his dealer boss role.
Before showing up in the Maserati portfolio in 2015, Gardner headed the Chrysler brand, overseeing the launch of the unfortunate, soon-to-be-axed 200 sedan.
Maserati, along with FCA’s other Italian premium marque, Alfa Romeo, is considered a strong contender for a spin-off, though late CEO Sergio Marchionne put those plans on the back burner. Neither brand was sufficiently mature enough to stand on its own two feet, Marchionne said earlier this year.
The brand’s newest model, the Levante, suffered from a botched 2017 launch that hampered sales. A production slowdown followed in February of this year. Shortly before his death, an outspoken Marchionne said the premium midsize SUV’s rollout suffered from a “very poor execution.
“I think we sucked at the launch of the Levante,” he added.
In the coming years, Maserati plans to go after the green sports car market with the electric Alfieri coupe and convertible.
[Image: Maserati]
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As long as Maserati keeps borrowing architecture from the North American brands, I don't see how they can spin off as a separate company.
If you compare FCA to VW Group, Maserati and Alfa Romeo make more sense. Alfa Romeo is going for the mainstream Audi market, whereas Maserati is attempting to be the Porsche of the lineup, in that it's more exclusive and leaning on a pedigree. Which is fine, but then cars like the 4C--which is being phased out--don't make a lot of sense. And Alfa Romeo probably has more relevance in the world of racing and motorsports than does Maserati.
Yesterday, I saw a white one, just like the picture. I thought it was a Buick until I read the name on the back.
Love the portholes. Is this a Century or a Roadmaster?