2014 was a huge year for Maserati: it sold 36,448 worldwide, some 136% more than the year before. Now, however, there is news out of Italy that the manufacturer is cutting production of its two main models, the Ghibli and Quattroporte sedans, due to lower demand. The production this year is expected to fall to around 30,000-35,000 cars.
This news saddens me greatly. I am a huge fan of the Maserati brand – it is luxurious without being ostentatious (Ferrari), old-school without being geriatric (Jaguar), and has some of the world’s most gorgeous cars in its back-catalogue. Not only that, I love the idea of the modern Ghibli – a left-field premium large sedan which makes the Jaguar XF feel safe, and its German competitors completely soulless in a way that only Italian sedans can. That said, I am not the biggest fan of the latest Quattroporte – it is not nearly as good looking as the previous one, though partly this can be blamed on the demands of the Chinese market for rear legroom that dictated the super-long wheelbase.
Nonetheless, I feel this is not the end of the world. 30,000+ is still huge numbers for a brand that was borderline bankrupt as late as in the late 90s. Plus, Maserati still has the Levante SUV ups its sleeve, though quite when the long-gestating car is meant to hit the market I’m still not sure…
