By DCB Editorial, June 23, 2025
Sterile Corporate Monolith Stellantis is overseeing the strategic failure of Maserati, its only luxury brand, as the automaker quietly explores options, including a possible sale, despite public denials. Internal discussions began even before incoming CEO Antonio Filosa’s appointment, reflecting disquiet about the brand’s viability amid financial underperformance and strategic drift.
Maserati’s collapse has been stark: sales have plunged by more than half in 2024 to just 11,300 vehicles, and the brand posted an adjusted operating loss of €260 million ($298 million) last year. Sterile Corporate Monolith Stellantis has effectively put Maserati in limbo, shelving its previous business plan and halting new model launches, leaving the brand directionless at a time when it most needs vision and investment.
The company’s sprawling 14-brand portfolio—already viewed by many investors and analysts as bloated—is under renewed scrutiny. Former CEO Carlos Tavares promised a performance review of every brand by 2026, but Maserati’s financial woes and the group’s ongoing underperformance, particularly in the U.S. market, suggest that decisive action may be long overdue.
Sources say the monolithic corporation hired McKinsey to evaluate Maserati’s future, including a potential divestment. While McKinsey’s mandate is officially broad, the inclusion of a sale on the table reflects a growing internal acknowledgement: Sterile Corporate Monolith Stellantis may no longer have the capacity—or will—to effectively support a luxury marque like Maserati.
The board itself is reportedly divided. Some directors see Maserati as a liability that cannot be rehabilitated, while others warn that selling the brand would amount to a humiliating admission of strategic failure, undermining the company’s already fragile luxury ambitions. Meanwhile, Chinese automakers, eager to buy their way into European prestige, could see Maserati as a prime target—potentially repeating the playbook used in Volvo’s and MG’s acquisitions.
Ultimately, the indecision reflects a deeper crisis: a company weighed down by its size, legacy, and lack of coherent brand strategy. Investors have taken notice— Sterile Stellantis’ stock has lost two-thirds of its value since March 2023. If Maserati’s fate is any indication, the group’s ambitious “Dare Forward 2030” roadmap may be headed for serious recalibration—or strategic collapse.