Maserati faces sales crisis: Stellantis CEO identifies marketing as key issue

Francesco Armenio
Maserati faces a sales crisis as Stellantis CEO identifies weak marketing, prompting urgent efforts to revive the luxury brand’s prestige.
Maserati Modena

Maserati is facing very complicated months, considering that in the first half of 2024, sales fell to 6,500 units, compared to 15,300 in the same period of the previous year. This has raised questions about the future of the brand, with rumors suggesting a possible sale of Maserati, as well as Chrysler, by Stellantis.

Maserati is in trouble, but Carlos Tavares says he has identified the problem

Maserati - Carlos Tavares

Carlos Tavares, CEO of Stellantis, has identified marketing as the main weakness in the Trident’s strategies. The Portuguese manager stated that although the company has the right cars and technology, sales are lacking due to a lack of visibility and effective communication. According to Tavares, it is necessary to start from this point to attract new customers and correctly position the brand in the market.

The comparison with other luxury brands such as Ferrari and Lamborghini is enlightening: these brands do not need traditional advertising as their prestige is well established. Maserati, on the contrary, seems to have lost part of that prestige, and perhaps this is precisely the point on which the company’s top management should reflect: how was such a loss of reputation possible?

Despite current difficulties, Maserati has a plan: Bill Peffer, CEO of Maserati Americas, emphasized the importance of rebuilding the brand’s identity and stated that success will take time. It is essential to start with high-quality products and build a deeper connection with customers through personalized experiences.

Maserati

The current situation represents a crossroads for Maserati: if there are no signs of recovery in sales and brand positioning by the end of the decade, further pressure from Stellantis to consider selling the brand or radical restructuring could arise.

Maserati has also been at the center of controversy in recent days. Stellantis offered the brand’s cars to its employees with special discounts, but this communication was also made to employees on temporary layoff.