Since
the resurrection of Maserati in the United States in 2002, the Company has been
known for their exclusive Italian GT cars. In late 2004, Maserati sought to
appeal to broader group of customers with the Quattroporte. Despite this product
expansion, Maserati remained a "boutique" automaker. While
"boutique" automakers do have their limitations, there are many
advantages.
Due
to their smaller production scale, these companies produce vehicles that are
not seen often on the road. This allows customers to own a special product that is
uncommon. Additionally, these vehicles are usually more customizable. Most
importantly though, some smaller automakers like Maserati can establish a
closer connection with their customers as there simply are not that many of
them. This allows Maserati to address all customer concerns more accurately as
well as offering clients exclusive perks.
However,
all of this could be potentially jeopardized. Fiat, Maserati's owner, is
looking to expand sales from under 10,000 cars per year to nearly 50,000! In
the next few years there will be a Quattroporte replacement, a sedan slotting
below the Quattroporte, the Kubang SUV and potentially more. With this huge
increase in volume, all of the characteristics that have made Maserati so unique
could be gone. Hopefully, not too many Fiat Group parts will be used in the car
which would further mainstream the brand. One of Maserati's main selling points
is exclusivity. With this key element going away soon, Maserati needs to make
sure that they differentiate themselves enough so as not to be just another
ubiquitous BMW, Mercedes or Audi competitor.
