'06 Maserati Coupe/Spyder - Axed?
Discussion
Most of the motoring magazines have been reporting the teaming-up of Alfa Romeo and Maserati. Details, or at least reliable ones, seem scant. It appears Ferrari will still paint the Masers and the engines will come from the same source. I guess this makes sense as the operation is already up and running.
However, it's been reported that the '06 Maserati coupe & Spyder have been canned (due to being too expensive to build) and any replacement is still at least a couple of years off. Whilst I can't comment about how much they would have cost to build, the fact that many development hacks had been "scooped & spotted" must have meant that much of the development was already done. Using a shortened Q'porte chassis must have meant good savings anyway. Are they crazy to axe them at the last minute? I think so. Just what is any new car going to be based on?
I fear, in the attempt to increase sales to 10,000 units a year, Maserati are going to go "down market". A new 4x4 based on the new Alfa premium platform is mooted. Is this really what people want? There's also talk of a cheap Qporte based on this platform.
Whilst I appreciate Maserati must make a profit (or at least smaller loses), surely there's a better way?
I just hope they don't "do a Jaguar" and alienate the true Maserati enthusiast/buyer by diluting the brand.
I'm just a bit gutted the Coupe/Spyder won't be with us next year. Especially if it looked like the 4200/DB9 lookalike rendering in Autocar late last year. No THAT was a car to kickstart sales
However, it's been reported that the '06 Maserati coupe & Spyder have been canned (due to being too expensive to build) and any replacement is still at least a couple of years off. Whilst I can't comment about how much they would have cost to build, the fact that many development hacks had been "scooped & spotted" must have meant that much of the development was already done. Using a shortened Q'porte chassis must have meant good savings anyway. Are they crazy to axe them at the last minute? I think so. Just what is any new car going to be based on?
I fear, in the attempt to increase sales to 10,000 units a year, Maserati are going to go "down market". A new 4x4 based on the new Alfa premium platform is mooted. Is this really what people want? There's also talk of a cheap Qporte based on this platform.
Whilst I appreciate Maserati must make a profit (or at least smaller loses), surely there's a better way?
I just hope they don't "do a Jaguar" and alienate the true Maserati enthusiast/buyer by diluting the brand.
I'm just a bit gutted the Coupe/Spyder won't be with us next year. Especially if it looked like the 4200/DB9 lookalike rendering in Autocar late last year. No THAT was a car to kickstart sales
Yep, I meant the replacement for the current coupe/spyder has been canned. Sorry for the confusion.
I'd love this to mean the Alfa 8C gets the go-ahead, but the cynic in me just sees cheaper Maseratis on the horizon.
I guess the 4200 is good enough to soldier on for a couple more years, but my fear is to start developing an alternative replacement now would take 3-4 years. I just hope they don't think about using the new Alfa 159 "premium" platform. They would have problems fitting the V8 anyway as that chassis is designed for a transverse engine.
Hopefully the product plan will be outlined soon.
I'd love this to mean the Alfa 8C gets the go-ahead, but the cynic in me just sees cheaper Maseratis on the horizon.
I guess the 4200 is good enough to soldier on for a couple more years, but my fear is to start developing an alternative replacement now would take 3-4 years. I just hope they don't think about using the new Alfa 159 "premium" platform. They would have problems fitting the V8 anyway as that chassis is designed for a transverse engine.
Hopefully the product plan will be outlined soon.
Didn't I read on one of these forums that a Maserati dealer will arrange for boomerang lights on a 4200 for something like £8k?
I think it was also somewhere on www.italiaspeed.com that I read the 4.2 litre V8 was going to be stretched to 5 itres for the new car (or the top version of it.)
I wish I could find a picture of the Autocar rendering of the replacement 4200. I had a thread going late last year and someone found a picture and posted it on the thread. Now all you get is a red X
That car was truly gorgeous. An artists impression it may have been, but if the real thing was as good looking I'm sure it would have sold 10000 units alone.
I think it was also somewhere on www.italiaspeed.com that I read the 4.2 litre V8 was going to be stretched to 5 itres for the new car (or the top version of it.)
I wish I could find a picture of the Autocar rendering of the replacement 4200. I had a thread going late last year and someone found a picture and posted it on the thread. Now all you get is a red X
That car was truly gorgeous. An artists impression it may have been, but if the real thing was as good looking I'm sure it would have sold 10000 units alone.
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