Maserati Alfieri closer to production

Maserati is primed to launch a production version of its Alfieri concept car in 2019, first with V8 petrol power and followed by a battery-electric version of the two-door sportscar.

While the ageing GranTurismo and GranCabrio will clock up a decade’s service next year, both are tipped to be culled as sales worldwide slows, leaving Maserati with a sedan and SUV lineup until the Alfieri arrives at the end of the decade.

The sexy Alfieri 2+2 coupe was first shown as a concept at the Geneva motor show in March 2014, and several official comments now point to its production model debut.

“We have to have [two-door] sports cars in our range and we would like to keep two models again,” Maserati European division managing director Giulio Pastore told the UK’S CAR magazine, adding that the Alfieri was “not dead” and the brand is “studying hybrids, plug-in hybrids, and 48-volt systems too.”

The comments closely align with those of Maserati North Europe regional manager Peter Denton, who confirmed to British online publication just-auto.com that a petrol-engined Alfieri will arrive in 2019, with the battery powered version to follow in 2020.

Although the rear-wheel drive Alfieri concept used the 4.7-litre naturally aspirated V8 out of today’s GranTurismo/GranCabrio, the production version will likely use the newer 3.8-litre twin-turbo V8 from the Quattroporte. Outputs of 390kW/650Nm could certainly be quite tantalising in a compact coupe as opposed to the current 5.0-metre-long, 1900kg sedan.

In Australia, Maserati sales were forecast to double to 1000 units next year with 59 per cent of volume newly added thanks to the arrival this month of the Cayenne-rivalling Levante large SUV. GranTurismo/GranCabrio share will trickle to 6.0 per cent of Maserati volume.

Maserati Australia chief operating officer Glen Sealey told MOTOR that step one had been to stabilise volume in Australia and this was achieved, step two was to make 500 units next year and this will be achieved, while step three would be to secure 1000 units next year.

“There is still a step four later on but that’s dependent on further models coming into the market,” he continued, but declined to comment on what models they were.

Asked if it was true that the Alfieri was confirmed for a 2019 arrival, Sealey said: “We’re excited to have any new Maserati model come through and we’ve always got our hands up for many cars.”

“For us, Peter [Denton] is talking about vehicles in 2020 and we’re always excited to hear those plans. We have plans stretching out beyond 2020 today … I’ve seen those plans and they’re exciting plans.

“For people who are engaged and become part of the Maserati family, they are going to enjoy the product offerings to come.”