CEO Grasso said Maserati’s hotly anticipated Porsche Taycan rival is “unmistakably a Maserati” but also “such a disruptive design project”, suggesting it will take inspiration from the latest Granturismo and Grecale but adopt a radical new look defined by its electric underpinnings – likely to be chiefly influenced by a focus on aerodynamic efficiency.
Grasso stopped short of naming any key rivals but he suggested the new EV saloon can stand out on the basis of its overt luxury appeal and “Italian flair”, which will be crucial in cementing the firm’s credentials as a bona fide luxury brand and helping it to maintain the healthy profit margins it achieved in 2022.
The new saloon will tend more towards the Quattroporte end of the spectrum than the Ghibli and come with a lofty price to match, as Maserati moves away from targeting volume sales in the mainstream executive segment.
“We’re making the choice of not doing that,” Grasso told Autocar. “As a luxury brand, you want to choose what not to do, and then you choose what to do. This is not where I’m going to play. We are not for everybody. We are for those that are willing to pay a premium to have a unique performance and luxury experience.”
Grasso pointed to the Grecale as a good example of how to translate Maserati’s luxury credentials into a more accessible, volume-friendly package. He highlighted its driver-focused cockpit, rear leg room and attention to detail as differentiators from rivals.
“We have freed ourselves up from thinking about volume,” Grasso said. “Volume is a consequence of what we do. The driver is profitability, because without profitability and quality, luxury doesn’t exist.”
All clues point to the Quattroporte EV being a sibling to Alfa Romeo’s upcoming electric Giulia, expected to be based on the recently revealed STLA Large platform and potentially sharing its promised 1000bhp range-topping powertrain in a fearsome Trofeo variant.
This platform can accommodate batteries large enough for 500 miles of range, as well as high-performance motors with the potential to make it Maserati’s quickest car yet.
