- All images come from Maserati’s media site
Words by Marcus Boothby
Maserati is like Aston Martin, it’s one of those companies who always seem to be struggling to get by no matter whatever the reason is. Maserati has been like this for as long as we can remember, despite making some very appealing cars at surface level.
Maserati finds themselves in a weird situation as current models are arguably overpriced and not as competitive when you compare them to German rivals. And more recently, their image has been in decline partly due to their quality control and finance models. Then again, you could blame that on FCA.
As we’re deep into 2020, Maserati hasn’t changed much since they effectively became posh Chrysler models in the mid-2010s, with the Ghibli being a tarted up Chrysler and the Levante being closely related to a Jeep of sorts. I point out these two models as they are Maserati’s core models, with the Quattroporte being the current halo model.
Ghibli
So, let’s tackle Maserati one model at a time, starting with the Ghibli. There’s a lot to like about the Ghibli thanks to its strong engine line-up, good looks and the badge it proudly wears on the front grill. But, there’s more to the Ghibli than a pretty face. It’s horrendously expensive compared to the equivalent German rival and build quality is on par with Tesla…so not fantastic.
Doug DeMuro demonstrated this a few years ago by sticking a full tube of toothpaste in the gap between the front door and the B-pillar and it’s laughable. Granted, this was on a pre-facelift Ghibli but things like tend to stick in people’s minds. But this shouldn’t be happening in a car that starts at a smidge under £55,000.
Levante
Now, the Levante is Maserati’s sole SUV in their line-up and it had so much potential to do well. Sure, it starts at about £60,000 but it’s supposed to be a mid-size luxury SUV rivalling the Mercedes GLE, BMW X5 etc, yet is one of the worst sellers in it’s class. Unfortunately, the suffers from the same issues as the Ghibli, but in a taller bodystyle.
Quality is a little better in the Levante but it’s nowhere near as good as the GLE. If I’m correct, the Alfa Romeo Stelvio outsells the Levante which isn’t hard but consider this, they’re basically the same thing underneath. However, the only thing going for the Levante is the GTS model which sounds fantastic and has some serious performance numbers going for it.
Quattroporte
The Quattroporte is easily one of the best looking S-Class rivals out there as it has tons of character and visual appeal to it. Sure, it isn’t as good in terms of quality but the Quattroporte has a different purpose than the Ghibli. Granted, the Quattroporte won’t ever be as good as the S-Class but it is a limo for the inner car enthusiast.
Yeah, there are better ways of spending £80k on a big limo but unless you go the AMG route, none will be as good to drive as the Quattroporte. But it does need work. Maserati are missing out by not fitting a V8 into the Quattroporte, or at least the 2.9-litre V6 from Alfa Romeo. Give it 600bhp or so, stiffen the suspension and you have yourself a S63 AMG rival.
This is Maserati’s future…the MC20
So, what’s coming next?
Well, with the GranTurismo no longer being produced, Maserati doesn’t have a sports car at the moment. There were talks of a production model based on the Alfieri concept that was unveiled in 2014 but that hasn’t happened. To our knowledge, there weren’t even any prototypes of the damn thing.
However, Maserati are still keen on producing a new sports car and they are with the MC20. The MC20 is a mid-engined sports car based on the Alfa Romeo 4C but with a V6 which will probably be an altered version of the 2.9-litre lump as seen in the recent fast Alfa’s. Little is known about the MC20 but the rumours are saying it’s going to produce at least 600bhp, with potential of hybrid and pure electric models.
The MC20 should also mark Maserati’s return to racing which follows in the footsteps of the MC12. The MC20 should help Maserati rebuild their brand image and improve the more bread and butter models such as the Levante and Ghibli.
Now that PSA own FCA, Maserati should get a much needed cash injection from the French automotive giant and return as a prestigious halo brand that it once was.