Stellantis Reaffirms Commitment to Maserati Brand
MILAN (Reuters) - Carmaker Stellantis remains committed to its ailing luxury brand Maserati even as U.S. tariffs complicate the situation for the automotive industry in general, the brand's head said on Friday.
A spokesman for Stellantis said earlier this week the group had hired consultant McKinsey to advise on the effects of the recently announced tariffs for Maserati and Alfa Romeo as the two brands prepare future plans.
The news reignited speculation about the future of Maserati, which in 2024 more than halved its output to just 11,300 vehicles and went into the red with a 260 million euro ($295.83 million) operating loss.
"Stellantis confirms its commitment towards Italy, its workers and all its brands, including Maserati," Santo Ficili, Maserati's chief executive, said in a letter released by the Uilm Union.
Ficili's letter came as a reply to a public letter by Uilm's head Rocco Palombella, seeking reassurances on Maserati's future.
Ficili, who also heads Stellantis's premium Alfa Romeo brand, said tariffs and unstable international markets added fresh uncertainties to the auto industry's already challenging transition towards electrification and new technologies.
However, "the United States remain a strategic market for Maserati," Ficili said.
Maserati's range currently includes the GranTurismo coupe and its convertible version GranCabrio, the Grecale SUV and the low-volume MC20 sport car. It has no new model launches scheduled, with Stellantis reviewing the brand's business plan after it was put on hold last year.
($1 = 0.8789 euros)
(Reporting by Giulio Piovaccari, editing by Gavin Jones)
