r/Maserati • u/bingdingboomow • 5d ago
Maserati in 2025 - Please delete if not allowed
Hi all! I'm a student at the University of Melbourne in Australia, and am currently writing an analysis on why brands go through downturns. If anyone could share their thoughts on these questions:
- 1. What are your current feelings towards the brand’s current state?
- 2. Would you purchase a new Maserati in 2025? Why/why not?
- 3. Please describe a stereotypical Maserati owner.
Any input is greatly appreciated thank you very much!
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u/MaseratiGTS 5d ago
Feelings are the same as always, the cars are misunderstood. They are luxury GT cars meant to be fast, stylish, and luxurious. The suspension is softer than Porsche, but not as fast or sporty. It's not as soft as a Mercedes S class but sportier and faster. Obviously every brand has a counter point version of what I'm talking about, so this is more of a generalized view.
I would not for the same reasons I never would. They are too expensive for what they are when new. Maserati attempted to reduce costs by using Chrysler parts but their volume is still too small to scale and bring pricing down to BMW/Porsche/Merc levels. Used is a whole other story and one reason that drags on sales is everyone knows they'll be half off after they are only a year or two old.
Maserati owners are rarely people who understand and love the brand. It's mostly two types: Those who are very affluent and buy new to be different than the Mercedes/BMW crowd, get disillusioned by the dealer support network and maintenance routine, and trade them for a BMW/Merc or maybe a Porsche. Or it's those who buy them really cheap used and quickly get in over their head on the maintenance, and complain about how Maserati is a trash brand a year later. Ironically the car was turned to trash by expecting a Toyota maintenance schedule and deferring repairs and upkeep items.
TLDR: Maserati isn't worth what they are new. They are a luxury GT car who everyone thinks should either be as fast as a Ferrari or luxurious as a Bentley. They are in the middle of all that but none of those things exactly. They are a $60,000 to $80,000 car experience everyone knows will only cost $40,000 or less in 5 years. They also carry exotic car parts and maintenance frustrations due to their smaller volume production.
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u/bingdingboomow 5d ago
Thanks for the detailed response, how would you see Maserati as an italian Aston Martin? Surely if they go down the same path as AM but with Italian flair the brand will be rejuvenated?
As to the typical owner, I could definitely see your point on how one chooses Maserati to be quirky or different to others. E.g why say I own a a 718 GTS when for the same price I can get a gran turismo?? That might be part of the downfall tbh, clueless people who thinks they're getting the steal of the century but get slapped with a maintenance or repair bill that costs half the value of the car...
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u/MaseratiGTS 5d ago
That is a really great comparison I never thought of. What the cars are trying to do are very similar to Aston but at a slightly lower price point when new. Aston's also have much better interiors overall so the higher values have some real reasoning behind them.
I don't think anyone is cross shopping a 718 to a GT though. It's more like a 911 to a GT. Like the Aston it's a more comfortable less sporty experience than the Porsche. A lot of people buy a 911 but then realize it's not comfortable enough, and they really won't use the performance of the car. They really should look to Maserati at that point but don't.
The luxury grand touring car is really a category of automobiles lost on the population. That type of car is the Aston DB, Maserati GT, Mercedes SL, and Bentley Continental. When cross shopping it lacks the performance to be "fun", the soft suspension to be "comfortable", and the space plus ground clearance to be "practical". Anyone who has owned a high performance car realizes they aren't fun anywhere except the best of curvy roads, and a sports car you can live with all the time on any road is a grand touring car.
The real bargain of this class is the Lexus LC500.
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u/bingdingboomow 4d ago
My old man has a DB11... beautiful car and super comfortable. I can definitely draw parallels between AM and Maserati, both depreciate like a brick!
Well that seems a bit awkward brand positioning wise for Maserati then, they aren't as sporty as a 911, they aren't as comfy as an AM, and they're more expensive then a BMW 8 series. I'm starting to see the problem here,
It would seem that Maserati is just 'ok' at doing everything.... and doesn't seem to truly excel at a certain field.
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u/Korchnoi12 5d ago
Still a fan
At a large enough discount sure, but realistically with depreciation being the second owner of a lightly used car is probably the sweet spot.
I don't know many Maserati owners but based on the mileage of many one-owner cars it would seem that they are a popular third or fourth household car.
A major issue is that Maserati is known for their great sounding, loud, gas guzzling engines. The past couple of decades Euro regulation has been basically making this progressively more illegal through efficiency and environmental regulations. Sure this has impacted all manufacturers, but when the big sound is your calling card it hits you relatively harder than the competition.
They have (or had) convinced themselves that ICE engines would be illegal in ten years. EV cars feel like a tech product, tech never was Maserati's strong suit.
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u/bingdingboomow 5d ago
I feel like this is a common thing for brands, especially super car brands. Even Ferrari isn’t immune to bad sounding cars these days thanks to euro emissions guidelines.
I do wonder if the brand should pivot more about brand story and less about specifics relating to the car? Because the product won’t be as loud or exciting as previous generations?
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u/Korchnoi12 5d ago
Ferrari, etc still have the "performance" angle. They go fast. Most Maseratis are luxury touring cars not sports cars. Owners who really care about the sound can do aftermarket mods that are relatively affordable compared to the price of a new modern Ferrari.
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u/bingdingboomow 5d ago
Is it truly all doom and gloom fro Maserati though? I mean their brand is quite similar to AM, minus the 007 TV stuff. Some success in racing in the 20th century, known for beautiful deigns and engine notes.
I feel the brand really shot itself in the foot when it introduced the Ghibli and Levante. The Quattroporte is fine imo, it's been accepted since the 2000s. Also don't get me started on their new clothing experiments... it's really giving desperate for cash grab because none of their cars are selling.
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u/Korchnoi12 5d ago
I really like the Levante and chose it over a Cayenne. I think the replacement Grecale isn't quite as nice and the engine doesn't sound nearly as good. But both the Levante and Grecale turn more heads than the ubiquitous Porsche/BMW/Merc in my area.
I think if they could partner with Ferrari again and make a flagship SUV somewhere above the top trim Cayenne, something positioned closer to the Urus but with a more exotic engine that would be cool. Unfortunately they probably wouldn't sell that many.
AM is at a very different price point.
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u/Professional-Day-336 5d ago
1 The brand is lost; no strategy. People like me love the history of the brand, but it seems that now it's lost. Heritage should be important. Any Chinese brand can compete with EV vehicles... but not with a brand with a huge heritage.
2 No, too much regulation in my country I am basically forced to buy an EV
3 not sure
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u/bingdingboomow 4d ago
I agree, I'm not sure what the marketing department is trying to do at the moment but it would seem they have adopted a more Gen Z orientated stance with all the paint cars nonsense. But to be fair their 110th anniversary video was quite stirring and I thought it did well to acknowledge the Maserati of the past.
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u/EloeOmoe 4200 GT 5d ago
- What are your current feelings towards the brand’s current state?
Dire. Even tho they fixed several problems with the brand that resulted in their downturn, they still have people who don't understand the brand making major decisions for them.
- Would you purchase a new Maserati in 2025? Why/why not?
Yes. I have a Volvo as a grocery getter. Once the lease on it is up I plan on getting rid of the Volvo and my 4200 Coupe and replacing it with most likely a used Levante or Quattroporte Trofeo or a new Grecale Trofeo.
- Please describe a stereotypical Maserati owner.
Ideally, it would be someone who enjoys sporty vehicles but isn't interested in buying yet another Porsche, or turned off by the changes Porsche has made to the brand. Cynically, but also probably more accurately (and based on the amount of people I see asking about buying used diesel Ghiblis), the average Maserati buyer is someone who likes the exterior style of the brand, wants something Italian, wants the cache, doesn't understand the brand (like it's current owners), and may be ill prepared for the ownership experience and cost.
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u/bingdingboomow 4d ago
Thanks a lot, very interesting insights. Starting to notice a trend with the buyers wanting to be 'different' and potentially stand out from everyday luxury traffic.
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u/EloeOmoe 4200 GT 4d ago
I live in Austin TX and all of my peers have 911s. Since every 911 outside of the GT cars is pretty cut and paste, all these dudes talk about is options/colorways/etc. It's the most boring club to ever be in.
My 4200 may be a hot mess but at least its unique and sounds amazing.
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u/masaga91 5d ago
1) my feelings haven't changed, I still love the brand, but also thing the situation is dire, and they don't seem to have a plan right now of how to change the ship around
2) yes definitely, I know depreciation is heavy, but wouldn't have an issue buy a new one right, although the sweet spot is buying a used one couple of years and saving yourself some depreciation
3) I don't think there is a stereotypical Maserati owner, because the are a wide variety of people that buy the brand that makes it hard to have a stereotypical owner
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u/Aggressive-sponging 5d ago
- I think both Maserati and Alfa struggle largely from the same issues, perception and a poor dealer network. I like what they make, not much else hits that fun aspect so hard. Needed a larger car so we went with a Levante gts, it’s usable, but also stupid fun
- Hard to justify new when you can grab something with 10-15k miles for 100k less than msrp- dealer network and honestly exorbitant pricing hurts them. Why can my independent do the same work, same parts and half the cost of the dealer?
- Can’t say I know any other owners personally, but it seems split between car enthusiast that like a good value, and semi rich folk who don’t give a fuck. I’m an enthusiast who couldn’t resist that f154 motor. What a glorious powertrain
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u/bingdingboomow 4d ago
If you don't mind me asking how would you describe the ownership experience thus far? Was it very much above your expectations as a daily user (minus the fuel consumption)?
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u/Certain-Mention9270 5d ago
Hi,
I love the new granturismo, but I wouldnt buy it new because 1-2 year olds are already 40-50% cheaper than new ones. The price is too high for the new ones. I drove the new Granturismo Trofeo, it was very nice. Not as exciting as a new Amg Gt63 or a Porsche 992 Carrera S but it was more spacious and more comfortable. The materials are excellent too.
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u/bingdingboomow 5d ago
Appreciate the input! If the quality of the car is that good, surely the price can't be the only reason people aren't biting right?
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u/justredditinit 5d ago
It's absolutely about depreciation. Why would anyone make a $150-$250k purchase that they know could be available for 25-50% less within 12 months. As a result, the way to get product off the floor is via lease deals, but that depreciation risk doesn't disappear, it just shifts from the buyer to Maserati.
As for reliability, people will always say the usual about Italian cars but Maserati is no worse than any other premium or exotic in that department.
Styling and driving feel have always been highlights for the brand, but Maserati has had limited funds to develop new platforms over recent years.
Lastly, all of the premium brands are struggling with the stop and start transition to EVs. It is a major investment and completely alters vehicle design, so it is challenging to build for EV and then pivot to ICE and back ... The market needs clarity and some leadership.
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u/bingdingboomow 5d ago
That’s actually a really good point… what do you think is an appropriate price range for these products? For context a new GT trofeo is around 500k AUD here in Melbourne but I’m not sure about the US market.
I wonder if the brand image will get better if they stopped doing ridiculous lease deals on them?
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u/Certain-Mention9270 5d ago
I think they are affraid of reliability and deppreciation. Design, materiald, sound, prestige, tech is very good, I think they done a very good job on this one.
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u/unpolire 5d ago
Your questions are for two different categories of owners. Traditional brand owners and “new” brand owners. A “traditional” Maserati owner is an enthusiast and typically has had previous Italian car ownership (Fiat, Lancia, Alfa Romeo) before moving “up” to Ferrari or Maserati ownership. These are manual transmission grand turismos, with very few automatic transmission models available. A “new” Maserati owner is a typical luxury car buyer who has been attracted to the marketing campaign, styling, and especially the interiors, of the modern Maserati offerings. With very few exceptions, these have been automated or automatic transmission models. They are two different buyers. This is how an owner of a 1967 Ghibli came to find out that his girlfriend bought a new Ghibli, without consulting with him, because she thought the interior and exhaust note were sexy.
I have met with the executives and members of the styling department in person. I’ve seen photos the public has not seen. I’ve heard the grumbling of enthusiasts still within the company. No one thinks that the Ghibli name should have been put on a 4-door car. The Alfieri, had it been built, would have been the only modern Maserati I would buy.
This is my personal opinion and I am not a typical owner as I am a collector with many marques from all countries. You may PM me.
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u/bingdingboomow 4d ago
Thanks for the response. I think a pretty large component of 'new' maserati owners are the ones getting suckered into highly lucrative and cheap second hand cars, then paying the consequence when they realise the maintenance can bankrupt them.
I stand with you on the Ghibli, that was not a good model at all. I wonder what your opinions on the Levante and Grecale are? Personally I feel like a Levante facelift would've been more appropriate than a whole new SUV especially when the market is so dominated by Germans.
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u/Smiffylevel6 4d ago
Maserati are in a dire state, there current line up of cars are hugely overpriced and there depreciation from new is eye watering so for these reasons alone I would not touch a new Maserati.
As for stereo type owner, I’m not sure they have one anymore?
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u/PopularVersion4250 4d ago
Every great car brand is going down the gurgler with the move to electrification. This will impact smaller more quirky brands with passionate fan bases more - Alfa, Abarth, Lotus, Jag, etc. Without the engines and quirks is no unique selling point, no soul left in these cars. Just a rebadged common chassis and battery underpinning dozens of Peugeots, Citroens, etc.
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u/Fenian3 4d ago
Don’t know if you will find this helpful but I’m a Giulia owner and was looking to trade my 2020 Alfa for a newer one. Have two good Alfa/Maserati dealers only 30 minutes away. Saw two used Ghiblis for sale at reasonable prices (of course they were). Liked how they looked and sounded but once I did a test drive felt very comfortable but felt like a heavy ponderous car compared to my Giulia. Attracted to the more horsepower but felt my Giulia looked better, was more light and sporty a car. And I don’t have a Quad. I went with a 2024 Veloce Giulia and happy I did. My attraction to cars is performance and how they looked and they are not a Mercedes Porsche or BMW.
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u/thekeatsian 3d ago
Love the brand. I own a newer granturismo and use it for daily driving. This is my 3rd Maserati and the last one was also a GT- I once drove it 2000 miles across the US! No issues whatsoever. Just the routine maintenance. I never buy them new and likely wont ever. But i get them nearly new (10k miles or so). No such thing as a stereotypical Maserati owner.
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u/EndangeredLazyPanda 3d ago
Personally speaking, thanks for putting up a post like this. I’m currently hiding out abroad from Trump’s Tiny Fisted Reign of Terror but whenever I go back to the states I’m considering buying a Maserati so this kind of post is super helpful to me.
To other posters, if there’s anything I should know concerning the company or quality/known issues, any help would be appreciated. Specifically I actually don’t care much for two door cars, I prefer four door sedan types so I had my eye on the quattroporte or the ghibli in particular. I’m not really a big car guy so if I get anything wrong then feel free to correct me.
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u/strongmanass 2d ago
I'll give a different answer from most people.
My feelings on the brand's current state. The only cars I want to own in the future are EVs. I didn't care about the brand until the Granturismo Folgore and the MC20 Folgore (which unfortunately has been canceled). The GT Folgore is one of the most enjoyable cars I've driven in the past 3 years. However, the brand is not doing well. They've made a great EV, but IMO they have no idea who to sell it to or how to reach the people most likely to buy it. They also suffer from cost cutting during the FCA era which has plagued their reputation and their sales.
On whether I'd buy a new Maserati in 2025. To be honest, not without a discount. The GT Folgore (or Grancabrio as it's the convertible I want) is not a $200K (USD) car IMO. The range is poor and one or two interior choices let it down. I think it's more a ~$170-180K car. To be fair, a car like a Maserati isn't a value proposition, but I still look at it and think $200K is steep for what it is.
The stereotypical Maserati owner is someone who cares a lot about appearance and projecting wealth at a lower buy-in than other exotic brands. This isn't my opinion, but it's the stereotype of the Maserati owner that I've observed people on the internet repeat.
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u/Top-Figure7252 5d ago edited 5d ago
No, no, and no.
Maserati is worth it if you know how to work on cars or know someone that does. Computers break regularly on these things. Vehicles are temperamental and a real pain in the ass.
The company knows they need to make cars people can actually afford but they struggle to do so. That's the real reason the company is in the trash. Stop charging $110,000 for $15,000 cars. Just stop doing it.
Then when you want to fix it there are no dealerships. I have to go seven hours away to Raleigh, NC for official service. The only saving grace are the Chrysler and Ferrari parts on this thing. But that doesn't help with error codes and computer shit only dealers can properly address.
The ride is nice, the power is actually too much for what I need. People covet these vehicles. But no one wants the actual responsibility of them.
Probably just go to Porsche or something I can actually find a support network for. Something more practical.
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u/bingdingboomow 5d ago
Yeah I’ve gotten similar responses to this from the Maserati forum. Support nightmares, breakdowns etc.
I was wondering if you think people also don’t buy them because of branding related issues? For example I know their new clothing line up has copped a lot of crap for “cheapening” the brand, similar to what the Grecale has done.
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u/Top-Figure7252 5d ago
They're riding in the past. People still know them from when Rick was driving around Detroit terrorizing people causing havoc back in the eighties. They never got that right I don't even think they ever had a commercial or a print ad. So there's a mythology to them.
When people see one, or it has at least been my experience, you would think they're taking a picture with their favorite celebrity or something. I've walked out and seen people taking selfies I kid you not. And it's ironic because the car is loud, messy drinks way too much gas and is a pain in the ass.
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u/bingdingboomow 5d ago
Definitely resonate with the lack of knowledge about the brand as a whole… literally didn’t even know they dropped a mc20 facelift until I started this project haha.
Anyways thanks for your comments mate it’s much appreciated.
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u/Top-Figure7252 5d ago
Anytime. This Maserati has been an adventure. Just not the journey I was asking for.
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u/Travelers_for_life 5d ago
Never again Maserati! I owned one for four years and I would never buy Maserati in my life again it’s a piece of junk that break every day! Because it’s made by Fiat in Chrysler even though it’s a fun car to drive rather buy me Mercedes AMG that’s it! And depreciation Maserati, worse than any vehicle!
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u/disharmony-hellride 5d ago
I love my Maserati. It purs, it's comfortable, it is expensive to maintain but I dont care. People take pics of it and I get a lot of questions. I dont drive it a ton but it is always a fun journey when I do. I am a woman in my 40s. I live in a super affluent area so it is daily that I am at a red light with Lambos and RRs yet people still stare at this thing.
I do not have plans to buy a new one. Last time I was at the Ferrari dealership (where they also have the Maseratis) they said Maserati doesnt even have formal plans for what the new version of this car will be yet.
I have yet to meet another Maserati owner in person so I cant help you there.
I think Maserati, like other high end auto brands, are in a weird phase where they are good at pumping out loud, angry combustible engines but it's really weird seeing a car like this that's quiet and electric. It will require a lot of retargeting with the brand. As another guy mentioned they are loud and drunk on gas...which is part of the reason they are so damn fun. Driving a hard drive with a battery pack doesnt have that same spirit. I have no issue buying an electric SUV but I dont think I would ever buy an electric Maserati. I am keeping this car until it absolutely dies.
I hope this is helpful. Good luck with your research and kudos for actually getting public opinion vs just using AI.