Maserati Condemned to the Chinese Pavilion?

Nothing is going well for Maserati. With a 48% drop in sales in the first quarter of 2025, the Italian brand continues to sink deeper into crisis.

At Stellantis, questions about Maserati’s future are multiplying. And despite official denials, a sale of the trident manufacturer now seems to be a seriously considered option.

The economic situation of the Stellantis group only intensifies the pressure. In six months, its stock has lost 33%, including 10% in just the last thirty days. The trade war reignited by the Trump administration is hitting the group’s European brands hard, starting with Maserati. With about 40% of its sales in the United States and no factories outside Europe, the manufacturer is seeing its costs skyrocket and its margins collapse.

In this tense context, Stellantis has mandated the McKinsey firm to think about Maserati’s future. Officially, it is to explore solutions to navigate the new trade barriers. Unofficially, all options are on the table, including the possibility of a sale. According to Bloomberg, John Elkann has expressly asked McKinsey to assess the viability of a complete or partial divestment.

Optimism or self-deception?

The group continues to claim that Maserati is not for sale, but these statements struggle to mask the signs of a gradual divestment. The range has shrunk to a shadow of its former self, and most of the recently launched models such as the MC20 or the electric Folgore are more showcases than commercial engines.

Exploratory discussions are reportedly underway with Asian players, even though John Elkann currently rejects the idea of selling to a Chinese manufacturer. This hypothesis seems almost obvious given that the prestige and history of Maserati ignite the appetites of these new players from Asia. Brands like Lotus, MG, or Volvo have survived thanks to these welcome investors.

In summary, Maserati is expensive, is not generating much profit, and no longer seems capable of supporting the group’s ambitions. Yet the brand is attractive, so a sale, currently denied, could tomorrow appear as a sensible solution.

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