Stellantis design director says Maserati design cycle «over» and next styling revolution imminent

There are statements that go almost unnoticed... and others that can single-handedly reshape the future of a brand, such as the words of Gilles Vidal, new head of European design at Stellantis. In an interview with Autocar, the French designer talks frankly about the forthcoming transformation of Maserati... and suggests that the brand is at the dawn of a new stylistic cycle.

A «finished» design cycle: the end of an era at Maserati

To understand the scope of this statement, we need to go back to Vidal's own historical reading. According to him, Maserati evolves in major stylistic phases of around twenty years. From the very rounded lines of the '50s and '60s, to the angular design of the '70s and '80s, to the more muscular, modern forms of the following decades: the brand has never stopped reinventing itself. But today, this cycle may have come to an end.

«The cycle is now theoretically over,» he explains. A sentence that carries a lot of meaning. For behind this conclusion lies an essential question: what will the next Maserati look like? For Vidal, it's not a question of simple evolution, but of finding «the next thing». In other words, a break with the past.

A stylistic revolution in the making... and confirmed

This vision doesn't come from nowhere. It echoes comments made a few weeks earlier by Ralph Gilles, Design Director at Stellantis. In an interview, he stated that future Maseratis will be «very futuristic» and «nothing we've had so far».

The message is now clear and consistent: the brand with the trident will not simply evolve, it will change dimension. Ralph Gilles even spoke of a «complete pivot», positioning Maserati as a veritable creative and technological laboratory for the Group. A strategic, almost experimental role, where anything is possible, even if it means departing from traditional codes.

Stellantis puts an end to clones«

But this transformation is not just about Maserati. It is part of a global strategy for Stellantis, led by Gilles Vidal. His objective is clear: to prevent the Group's various brands from cannibalizing each other. «We want them to fight real competition, not each other,» he explains. A way of acknowledging that certain industrial synergies have sometimes blurred identities...

In a group that brings together brands as varied as Alfa Romeo, Peugeot, Citroën, Lancia, DS and Opel, the challenge is immense. Platforms are often common, technical constraints shared... but the customer doesn't buy a Stellantis. They buy a brand. And that's precisely where Maserati needs to regain its uniqueness.

Maserati, future showcase of extreme design?

In this new organization, each brand will have a clearly defined role. Peugeot will continue to focus on innovation, Citroën on accessibility and originality, while Alfa Romeo will reinforce its DNA as a driver's car. Maserati, for its part, seems destined to go even further.

Already described as a laboratory by Ralph Gilles, the brand could become the Group's most daring field of expression. Disruptive design, advanced technologies, new experiences... anything goes.

This orientation is reminiscent of the ambitions evoked for the next generation of models, notably the future Quattroporte. Heralded as «revolutionary», In the future, it could abandon its classic codes for a more modern, even unexpected silhouette.

One major unknown remains: what will this new era actually look like? For the moment, neither Gilles Vidal nor Ralph Gilles are revealing any precise details. But their speeches converge on the same idea: Maserati is ready to turn an important page in its history. A page that could redefine its positioning, its design, and even its role within Stellantis.