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.
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I just remind them that what differentiates Maserati from Denza is its historical heritage. Frankly, when I read this kind of pyromaniac firefighting, it scares the hell out of me.
So it's a designer from Peugeot who has the right to decide to wipe out Maserati's past? Shouldn't it be the premium designers who decide for the generalist instead? We've seen what Imparato did at Alfa Romeo, and now they want to do it again with Vidal?
Everything seems to be lining up for a catastrophe. This carnage must ABSOLUTELY stop! The Italian party has no rights whatsoever, not on engines, not on platforms, not even on design!
Vidal has done a good job of turning a brand that generates absolutely no desire to buy, like Renault, into a sexy brand whose models are really going to make a difference.
The same goes for Peugeot, where he played a part in the brand's change of dimension.
It's simply a question of not applying the same recipe of twisted lines (we can keep the demonstrative grilles, which work well at Maserati).
At the same time, starting with a Clio 3 or a 307, it's not hard to do better. The problem is that he's applied the same recipe at Peugeot and Renault... Will he be able to give the brand a singular identity (as he claims to want to sweep away its [prestigious] past)? I don't think anyone wants a Levante in 408 sauce or a GranTurismo in DS8 sauce...
Let's hope so!
The design of the DS8 was dictated by Picsou aka Tavares by economic and technical constraints (no more base to make a sedan, a low-cost variant of the DS7).
408 uses the same concept, but there's no money to make a real sedan.
We can't imagine such financial blackmail of a brand as prestigious as Maserati (but you never know with Stellantis).
All the more so since Stellantis has the basics for sedans in the D/E segment: STLA Large and Giorgio Evo.
Vidal knows how to be aggressive, and I think that the soft Maseratis of Grecale and Gran Turismo (much more consensual than the previous Levantes and Gran Tursimos) are a thing of the past, and I'm delighted about that. The brand needs to get out its claws, assume responsibility and modernize.
The real fear is that the engines and technology won't keep up, as is often the case with Stellantis.
Not only is the Grecale magnificent, but the 1st generation Granturismo is far more desirable than the failed second version, just like the Levante, which is an aesthetic success.
In short, when you see the Renault and PSA designs, which look like crap, it's not at all appealing.
With such broken arms, Maserati will end up in the graveyard 🪦, a recognized specialist of PSA who has always preferred to sink brands!
A Maserati must be elegant. Its purpose is not to «pretend», to be «futuristic». We're not talking about a kooky 308 here. But sauve qui peut, help! At what point will the Italians have a modicum of decision-making power over their own historic brands?
Giving Maserati to the French is like giving caviar to pigs!
They will butcher Maserati like they butchered Alfa Romeo with the design of Junior. This is gonna be a DISASTER!
But, no, Vidal wants to make Maserati's design evolve by reflecting on the brand's past. That doesn't mean he'll make the same mistakes as Alfa Romeo, so let's be positive and wait to see the new concept car. .
Vidal didn't work for Alfa Romeo, Ploué did. A guy who did the same thing everywhere, whatever the make.
When you see the Junior's face and its underside... to call it an Alfa is laughable, and the proof is in the few customers who had one, who quickly replaced it.
Junior design has been butchered because the previous CEO Carlos Tavares was really greedy and a clones lover, Alfa was forced to use some parts of the Peugeot 2008, which doesn't blend with Alfa Romeo sensuality
Considering the losses of stellantis the good for nothing who has just had this idea only one thing fire this incompetent as well as the direction
At what point do you consider Mr. Vidal incompetent? He hasn't had the opportunity to influence the design of prestige brands, but lack of experience doesn't mean incompetence.
When you look at the latest BMW or Mercedes models, uncertainty is more likely to come from across the Rhine.
When you don't have the knowledge and skills for such a powerful, prestigious brand, you stay with the popular, and given the announcement, you already know it's going to be a fiasco.
Es ist traurig wie die italienische Autoindustrie verschwindet. Fiat ist verkümmert, Lancia mit Ypsilon auf Tauchstation und nun wird wohl Maserati von der Bildfläche ausradiert. Statt Ersatzmodelle, Quattroporte-Levante, schnellstens auf die Füße zu stellen diskutieren viel zu viele Führungsleute um den richtigen Weg. Machen statt reden! Vielleicht kauft en Chinese Maserati dann wars das. .