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Maserati rapidly expanding dealer network

With the new Quattroporte and Ghibli sedans out on the market, and the new Levante crossover and Alfieri coupe on their way, Maserati is making serious headway towards revitalizing its lineup. Now all it needs in order to reach its ambitious sales targets is to expand the network of dealers where they're to be sold. And according to Maserati chief Harald Wester in speaking to Automotive News at the Paris Motor Show, that's exactly what it has in store.
At the end of last year, Maserati had 79 dealerships across the United States. It has already boosted that number to 100 so far this year, but before 2014 is over, it plans to open another 20 to bring the total up to (carry the two, divide by the square-root of Pi)... 120 showrooms.
Globally speaking, Maserati reportedly closed 2012 with around 220-230 dealers around the world, and currently has about 355, but aims to close 2015 with a worldwide network of 450 dealers, representing a doubling of its network in two years' time. Having more than a quarter of those in the US alone is testament to how seriously Maserati takes the American market.

Alfa Romeo will gain a Jeep Compass-based SUV

It was reported earlier this week that FCA would invest into its Italian factories to ramp up production at currently underutilized locations. Those plans have now been clarified with official information from FCA, as reported by Automotive News. The entire investment is worth $5.7 billion. First of all, Alfa Romeo will gain a new compact SUV based on the Jeep Compass architecture. The still-unnamed model will be available as a plug-in hybrid, and it will be built in Pomigliano, Italy. No U.S. availability has yet been announced, but it would not be odd to see the Compass-based model sold below the Stelvio in the States. The last time Alfa Romeo had anything similar in its model portfolio was when it offered Crosswagon-badged four-wheel-drive versions of the 156 and 159 wagons. As for the Jeep Compass itself, it will begin to be built at the Melfi plant in Italy. The rumored small "baby" Jeep slotting under the Renegade has not yet been officially mentioned. Fiat will introduce a battery electric 500, built in Turin, and the Pomigliano plant that will make the compact Alfa Romeo SUV will also be used to build a mild hybrid version of the Panda city car. The 500X will gain a PHEV variant. The Stelvio platform will also spawn a corresponding SUV for Maserati, and FCA also mentioned Maserati will introduce a new, unnamed model it will make in Modena. Automotive News quotes Italian press as saying this will be the Alfieri coupe and convertible, also offered as battery electric versions. Related Video:

Why Maserati won't share the Nettuno V6 with its siblings

Maserati spent a great deal of time and resources developing a twin-turbocharged, 3.0-liter V6 called Nettuno. It made its debut in 2020 in the MC20, and it will be available in the Grecale Trofeo in 2022, but Autoblog learned that the six won't travel outside of the trident family. "We want to keep the Nettuno engine as a signature for the brand. It was developed with the aim of being uniquely associated with the Maserati brand, so it was designed and engineered specifically for Maserati. It's technically feasible to apply it to other cars [in the Stellantis group], but we want to keep it proprietary. We have it in the MC20 and now in the Grecale; there will be other uses for it in the future, but always in Maserati cars," Federico De Medio, Maserati's head of vehicle validation, told Autoblog on the sidelines of the Grecale launch. While he stopped short of providing details about the other uses, De Medio hinted that Nettuno will gradually replace the Ferrari-derived V8 that Maserati has used for many years. He explained that the project's goal was to design a six-cylinder engine with V8-like power. Does that mean that a V8 with V10-like power is on its way? Nope, it sounds like the eight-cylinder's days are numbered in the Maserati line-up. Asked how long the V8 had left to live, De Medio replied that "it depends on the life of the product itself, so the response will be provided by the market and by regulations." And, how about a new V8 designed in-house? "Never say never, but for now we just launched Nettuno so let's enjoy the V6," he answered. What's certain is that the Levante and the Quattroporte won't need a V8 for much longer: they're going electric in the coming years. We know the Ghibli is on its way out, so that leaves the next-generation Gran Turismo as the only candidate for a V8. Nothing is official, but our crystal ball tells us it's more realistic to expect that the coupe will make its debut with a V6 than with a V8. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.