Maserati to aim lower

LAST year Fiat CEO Sergio Merchionne gave Maserati a target of 15,000 cars per year. That's ambitious for a luxury brand with two models, operating in a sinking world economy.

But perhaps not for this one, which has seen astonishing growth. At 9000 cars this year it's still on track for 12,000 by 2011. In theory, the limiter is its restricted model range.

It might top 10,000 with two cars but not more, even with the variants tipped for limited production.

To reach 15,000 it needs another model - a distinctly different beast to tackle a separate market sector. An SUV's been ruled out what's needed is something to fit the brand's hooligan persona and racy tradition.

A GranSport replacement in other words - a two-seat spider or two-plus-two coupe that's smaller and more affordable than the current cars.

Pipe dreams? Not for a company that took the GranTurismo from clean sheet to initial production in 18 months, particularly given the assistance available from other brands under the Fiat umbrella.

The obvious choice to underpin the new car is Alfa's premium platform that already anchors the 159, Brera and Spider. In Cadillac form it's designed for rear drive the price, the layout and the ability are all there. As is the engine.

The 4.7-litre V8 already re-engineered for Maserati is a beauty in the GranTurismo, but could be sublime in a lighter car.

Vehicle integration manager Benedetto Orvietani is working on Maseratis four or five years down the track, and clearly bursting with good news he's forbidden to impart.

There's much good-natured banter as he refuses to comment, yet his body language indicates we're on the right track. He also signals confidence Maserati knows its customer.

Left: Maserati GranTurismo S.

It's stealing buyers from mainstream names like BMW and Porsche, lured by the unique flavour of the trident marque.

Orvietani talks careful licensing of Maserati-related product to build brand awareness equally careful segmentation of the market with Ferrari and the fact that in current climates, a sporting car you really can use every day has value.

Hence the likely variants of current models. A GranTurismo Spider will launch next year, probably with a fabric roof to control its hefty weight, with the clever Ferrari California lid reserved for the new, smaller car, tipped to arrive in 2010.

Where will Maserati build these extra models? It takes two shifts to produce the 10,000 current capacity but there's space on site to expand.

The line is quite flexible - for years it built two quite different platforms, and expanding it could allow a further 5000 cars per year.

The hot issue for Maserati is getting enough sales volume to ensure designing, building and engineering a new model is profitable. Fortunately, though the world's economy might feel shaky, men with money still want to play.

They've got the Quattroporte S, the GranTurismo S, and the coming GranTurismo Spider to choose from, with the new model the year after.

Not to mention the GranTurismo MC-Concept, a racing version of the GranTurismo that's likely to replace the outgoing coupe-based cars for Maserati's one-make racing series.

If it does become that race-car replacement, expect it to spin off a small volume, high performance version of the GranTurismo.

Followed, perhaps, by a performance version of the Quattroporte using the same engine, gearbox and most importantly exhaust as the GranTurismo - a luxury sedan with middle-aged sensibilities and a teenaged persona. A Maserati tailor-made for Australians and Kiwis, who do love their performance cars...

Meanwhile, Orvietani is working on cutting weight from future Masers to improve fuel and emissions figures, or improving engine efficiency - a turbo-supercharged combo not ruled out.

Maserati's got conservative targets Down Under for the coming year, at 210 for Australia and 40 for NZ, with the Quattroporte 4.2 as the major seller once initial GranTurismo S sales die down.

It's taking a careful approach, but with the support of a new regional office in China, the door's open to sell more if economic conditions improve.

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