Just appointed CEO of MaseratiJean-Philippe Imparato is already setting out his vision for the Trident automaker. For him, the future of the Italian luxury brand cannot be based solely on electric vehicles.
Less than a week after taking over the helm at Maserati, Jean-Philippe Imparato emerges from his silence to set a clear course. After an express visit to Modena, where he formalized the handover to Santo Ficili (now COO of Maserati while retaining his position at the helm of Alfa Romeo), the French executive took advantage of a visit to Rome to clarify his intentions.
Maserati will not be sold
"I'm not giving up. It was in these terms that Imparato sought to reassure, in the face of persistent rumours of a sale or repositioning of the brand. In his view, Maserati remains at the heart of Stellantis' luxury division, and should even be strengthened alongside Alfa Romeo, with which synergies are already envisaged.
" We have to keep Modena, we have to keep Maserati "The French boss insisted, recalling the strong symbolism of the historic Viale Ciro Menotti site.
No electrics at any price
But the sentence that has already made the automotive world sit up and take notice is clear: for Imparato, "electric cannot be the 100 % solution for Maserati". An assertive U-turn, given that the Folgore range, 100 % electric, was initially intended to embody the brand's future.
Maserati intends to reaffirm its sporting and artisanal DNA. "To develop a Maserati to the level it deserves, we have to make cars and engines," Imparato clarified, without closing the door on a multi-energy approach.
Alfa Romeo and Maserati, a duo to be reinvented
Another avenue to explore: bring Alfa Romeo and Maserati closer together again, as in the early 2010s. Imparato, who knows the Milanese brand inside out having managed it in the past, wants to "recreate a common dynamic" with Santo Ficili. It's a way of joining forces to pool know-how and face up to an economic climate that remains tense for the Italian high-end segment.
For the time being, Jean-Philippe Imparato remains cautious: "I need a little time for the new plan", he confided, promising to return quickly with a clear and "serious" roadmap.
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