Maserati Hits Pause on Brand Relaunch; You Know Why
Maserati has mulled plans to totally revamp the brand since 2018. In September of last year, the company decided it was finally ready to make its move, boldly announcing that it had entered into “a phase of intense and vital change, with a series of activities to totally revamp the product range and re-launch the Maserati brand.” Those improvements wouldn’t show up in earnest until 2020.
The gist of the plan involves widespread electrification aimed at improving overall performance, plenty of new product coming down the chute, and the promise that all future Maseratis will be manufactured in Italy. That’s right, the country that looks like a shoe and has given us automotive gems like the Pagani Zonda, Alfa Romeo MiTo, and legendary Fiat Multipla. Alright, so maybe the vow of continued Italian production is a double-edged sword, but the brand does seem legitimately interested in righting the ship. Italy conjures up visions of spirited driving and gorgeous roads, and it’s not like Maserati can disassociate itself from the country — that’s part of its identity and appeal.
The marque will have to delay its plans, however. These days, Italy is synonymous with viral outbreaks, not vistas, forcing the brand to postpone its big re-launch.
Originally planned for May 2020, “MMXX: The Way Forward” (Maserati’s coming out party) has been postponed until September. While the event’s address in Modena basically guaranteed the delay, we sincerely doubt the manufacturer would have stuck to the original timeline were it held elsewhere. Sadly, this means we won’t be seeing the mid-engined MC20 (which looks to herald the brand’s return to the racing scene) for some time.
Not a lot is known about the vehicle other than its component-sharing relationship with Alfa Romeo’s 4C and as much performance on tap as Fiat Chrysler Automobiles can carve out. Since Maserati said the motor would be the “forefather of a new family of engines,” we expect a powerful hybrid system. Other outlets suggest the cars would come equipped with turbocharged V8s or naturally aspirated V6s.
With FCA announcing Maserati’s suspension of European production, it seems likely that the model’s debut will also be pushed back. It may even have to change its name. MC20 supposedly stands for “Maserati Corse 2020” — indicating the vehicle’s production year and focus upon racing. FCA already had it coming out at the tail end of the year (along with the refreshed Ghibli sedan), so a major setback could easily take it into 2021. If that’s to be case, we can’t chide the brand for not wanting to display it a year early, over the internet, to a bunch of people in the grips of cabin fever.
[Images: Maserati]
A staunch consumer advocate tracking industry trends and regulation. Before joining TTAC, Matt spent a decade working for marketing and research firms based in NYC. Clients included several of the world’s largest automakers, global tire brands, and aftermarket part suppliers. Dissatisfied with the corporate world and resentful of having to wear suits everyday, he pivoted to writing about cars. Since then, that man has become an ardent supporter of the right-to-repair movement, been interviewed on the auto industry by national radio broadcasts, driven more rental cars than anyone ever should, participated in amateur rallying events, and received the requisite minimum training as sanctioned by the SCCA. Handy with a wrench, Matt grew up surrounded by Detroit auto workers and managed to get a pizza delivery job before he was legally eligible. He later found himself driving box trucks through Manhattan, guaranteeing future sympathy for actual truckers. He continues to conduct research pertaining to the automotive sector as an independent contractor and has since moved back to his native Michigan, closer to where the cars are born. A contrarian, Matt claims to prefer understeer — stating that front and all-wheel drive vehicles cater best to his driving style.
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Resale value of Maserati tells all about the brand's reputation.
While mainstream brands are tumbling down all they care about is some fanciful rebadge of AlfaRomeo which no one will buy? The car made in Italy is the last thin I would consider. I would rather opt for Korean car.