Apparently, Maserati might be for sale soon. The official line from Stellantis is that it isn't selling Maserati, but sales were down about 50% last year and the Italian automaker lost nearly $300 million, so we're inclined to believe the reports that at least part of the board wants to cut its losses and let Maserati go. Whether or not that will actually happen still remains to be seen, but we certainly won't be surprised if it does.
In order to sell Maserati, though, Stellantis first has to find a buyer. After all, that's how selling things works. So on Friday, we asked all of you, our dear readers, who you thought should buy Maserati. You know, other than the obvious choice of Jalopnik. We'll do our best to make that happen if Maserati officially goes on sale, but you never know, our new owners might not go for it. So let's take a look at the alternative suggestions you had down in the comments.
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Maserati is immensely popular in China. I could very well see BYD or another giant Chinese automaker put in an offer to buy Maserati. That also gives them a production footprint in Europe to circumvent EU tariffs, and it gives them a brand that is already well known and still carries some prestige. As much as I would love to see a company like Toyota buy into an exotic brand, I highly doubt Toyota would do something like that.
Suggested by: Featherlite
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Ferrari would make sense. Use Maserati for their more entry level and SUV initiatives, costs sharing. If anything, they could start testing the waters with EV coupes with Maserati. There would be no risk to the Ferrari brand if it goes south.
Suggested by: Agon Targeryan
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Toyota is the best option.
Firstly, unlike Maserati, Toyota makes cars with unrivalled build quality, reliability and they are very much an engineering led company.
Secondly, and sadly SUVs are a critical component of making car companies profitable even McLaren and Ferrari have succumbed. Toyota has a history of making quality well built SUVs which buyers all over the world will happily pay a premium for (not a Porsche level premium but certainly a premium that Ford, Nissan or GM would love).
Thirdly Toyota have just stopped selling the BMW Z4, sorry Supra so they do not have a premium sports car model that would potentially be gouged by Maserati sports cars.
Fourthly, Toyota is developing the new MR2 and or Celica so combined with the GR86 the company still sees life in sportscars.
Finally Toyota fundamentally changed the luxury car market with their Lexus brand. They have some insight into how to make technically brilliant luxury car that just works.
Toyota could roll technicians off the MR2/Celica projects as they finish development along with some Lexus technicians. These staff along with the Italian designers responsible for look and feel of the cars could create a car that loses not of the Maserati's look and passion but which is simply underpinned by Toyotas engineering and Lexus build quality that are constructed in a factory that is run to Toyota tolerances in terms of defects and build quality.
Maserati looks and noise, Toyota engineering & Lexus build quality!! A++
Suggested by: Peter
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BMW might make good parent company. They have a bunch of great powertrains, a solid network of dealers, and know how to reach the right buyers.
Suggested by: BuddyS
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I agree with the guy who said BMW, but I'd also throw Mercedes out there. Both have the infrastructure and drivetrains already available and they could do a lot with the brand cache of Maserati.
Suggested by: cintocrunch1
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Honda should buy Maserati. Here me out. Honda buys the company, keeps all the Italian designers who create automotive art. But, Honda's own people do the engineering. The spirit of the original NSX could live again. Imagine the cars they could build.
Suggested by: JohnnyWasASchoolBoy
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Maybe check with Volkswagen. They inquired about Alfa Romeo 7 or 8 years ago. Maybe they'll buy one or both, but that ship has probably sailed in this economy.
Suggested by: Daryl Shelby
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Dongfeng or Changan, then electrify the whole portfolio. Basically Just like SAIC did with MG.
Suggested by: Minetaster
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Maserati has struggled since the 80s, and no one has really brought it back to a good state. Everyone has had dreams of reviving it, only for it to fail time and time again and become a money pit. The closest anyone ever came was when it was owned by Ferrari. But even they didn't want it anymore. Germans are smart enough to not want to get involved with another struggling Italian marque that only burns cash and also get rid of a competitor. Someone needs to really be passionate about the brand, have a clear vision for it, and deep pockets to actually make it successful.
I say give it an honorable death while it still has some respect, or reduce its lineup to only the GT and quattroporte and make it a low volume, boutique brand. They don't have the capital and cachet to compete with the Germans at a large scale and definitely not in the crossover game. Its an extremely, extremely competitive segment and you need to pour in a lot of money and time to gain any ground
Suggested by: 2JAllDay
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Nokia. You've seen how indestructible their phones are. Now imagine them applying their magic to cars.
Suggested by: Giantsgiants
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