Maserati turns first profit in 17 years

[Flybrian]

Maserati reports first profit
Sports carmaker has been a loss maker since Fiat group bought it in 1990

By LUCA CIFERRI | Link to Original Article @ AutoWeek | Published 07/24/07, 11:28 am et

BOLZANO, Italy -- Maserati announced today its first profit since it joined the Fiat family 17 years ago.

In the second quarter, Maserati showed a 1-million euro trading profit, up from 7-million euro loss during the same period last year.

Trading profit/loss is operating profit/loss before one-off items.

In the first half, Maserati broke even, which is a big improvement from its 26-million euro loss in the same period last year.

The carmaker expects the second half to be even better.

“This year, Maserati will definitely be in the black for the full year,” Maserati Sales Director Raffaele Fusilli told Automotive News Europe during the press introduction for the new Granturismo coupe here.

Maserati is confident now that it will report positive financial results this year because of the arrival of the Granturismo, a new four-seat premium coupe that goes on sale in Italy later this month and in the rest of continental Europe in September, and the success of the Quattroporte Automatica upper-premium sedan.

The arrival of a new automatic transmission in the Quattroporte has helped boost the car’s European sales 39.6 percent to 783 units through five months.

Maserati expects the two new cars to help increase 2007 unit sales to 7,600 from 5,600 in 2006.

Next year, Maserati plans to sell more than 8,000 cars.

[Drew Dowdell]

That design is not aging well.....

[aaaantoine]

The Quattroporte is helping them out, for sure. It's a very unique sedan, especially in appearance. There's one around town, and it looks spectacular.

[Nick]

I love the quattroporte. Easily one of the top full-size luxury sedans available today.

[Robert Hall]

I love the quattroporte. Easily one of the top full-size luxury sedans available today.

Yes, beautiful machines...they are a car that look even better in person than they do in pics, IMHO. There are a couple around here, incl. one in a goregous wine color w/ a cream interior. The QP is my favorite of the 'big dog' luxury sedans..

[David]

One of our Executives has one of these auto's. I was not impressed. Lot's of money for a name. The look is just OK. I will take a caddy over this car.

[Viperfan07]

I love the quattroporte.

As do I. I'd love to buy one but I don't know if it has enough room. This is good news and cannot wait for Chrysler to post news like this.

[ZL-1]

I love the quattroporte.

Good looking car, very distinctive.

[Oracle of Delphi]

It looks something like a Buick LaCrosse to me!

[Robert Hall]

It looks something like a Buick LaCrosse to me!

uhhhh..no. The QP's proportions are purely RWD...

[Oracle of Delphi]

Not to me they look similar.

[Nick]

I was just on Maserati's website taking a look at the new GranTurismo (sex), and I decided to build a couple different models and check out their configurations. I was amazed at all the different color/trim configurations for the interior. They have a really nice online car configurator as well.

[Duncan]

I was just on Maserati's website taking a look at the new GranTurismo (sex), and I decided to build a couple different models and check out their configurations. I was amazed at all the different color/trim configurations for the interior. They have a really nice online car configurator as well.

I absolutely lust over the GranTurismo. Sure, it's slower than a Ferrari, but I think it would be infinitely more interesting to own in that people won't know what it is until they ask you.

[balthazar]

>>"That design is not aging well....."<<

That understandable, as it was dated when brought out.

I can't believe there have not been clamoring posts from people harping & grinding on maserati losing money for 17 years: when will the company execs get their heads out of their asses, maserati will be gone in 3 or 4 years, discontinue the brand, etc etc etc.

[LosAngeles]

>>"That design is not aging well....."<<

That understandable, as it was dated when brought out.

I can't believe there have not been clamoring posts from people harping & grinding on maserati losing money for 17 years: when will the company execs get their heads out of their asses, maserati will be gone in 3 or 4 years, discontinue the brand, etc etc etc.

That's only fashionable to do with American brands*, you know that!!

*and sometimes Mitsubishi

[Robert Hall]

That's only fashionable to do with American brands*, you know that!!

*and sometimes Mitsubishi

Well, with Fiat as a parent, I suppose Maser can be allowed a few money-loosing years. Look at Jaguar under Ford..did it ever turn a profit in about 18 years of Ford ownership?

Edited August 14, 2008 by moltar

[nferr]

One of our Executives has one of these auto's. I was not impressed. Lot's of money for a name. The look is just OK. I will take a caddy over this car.

A Caddy over a Maserati Quattroporte???? Well....ok I guess