Last year, we saw Fiat lose a whopping 700 million Euros (US $922,250,343.54) due to a declining economy. A downfall that we could expect to take a toll on budgets for the largest auto manufacturer in the world. But, rather than making cuts, Fiat made some investments, one being to Maserati’s future. Investing over $1.2 billion into Maserati and announcing future releases of new models such as the Ghibli and Levante, while making some changes to their already popular Quattroporte. Fiat has had high hopes for the Ghibli, which will be released this month and offer a more fuel efficient diesel option. But surprisingly, it’s the Quattroporte that has been making the rise over the new releases by selling over double what it did last year.
As of June 17 of this year, the company showed 14,159 orders worldwide, over 50% of which being the Quattroporte alone.
What could be the cause of such a spike of demand? Some innovative changes in engineering and design on Mazer’s part and a sudden love for the Quatttroporte from China. While the United States still holds as the leading consumer for Maserati, China has become the leading demand for the Quattroporte. In fact, as of June 17 of this year, the company showed 14,159 orders worldwide, over 50% of which being the Quattroporte alone, while only 2,249 orders were shown for the new Ghibli.
Fiat hopes to make their comeback by 2015 by selling 50,000 units with the Mazer name, a seemingly unlikely goal when they sold a whimsy 6,288 cars in 2012, but by the looks of the first half of 2013 is more than possible. And while they had planned on doing so with their more affordable sedan, the Ghibli, at a low $87,000, it’s beginning to look like it’s the $147,300 Quattroporte that may contribute the most for the Maserati branch in pulling the Fiat empire out of their downturn. Beyond the rise of Maserati, Fiat will be rereleasing their band of Alfa Romeo’s, possibly bringing themselves, and their bank account, back from the grave.
(Source: Reuters)
