Stellantis has confirmed it’s in talks with two potential partners for the Maserati brand, with an official announcement expected before the end of 2026.
According to Reuters, Stellantis CEO Antonio Filosa confirmed the news at an Italian parliament hearing this week, lending weight to recent reports that Maserati would partner with Chinese companies such as Huawei and JAC on future electrified models.
While it’s currently unclear what that partnership would look like, it’s rumoured that Stellantis (Maserati’s parent company) has been working with those two companies to produce a model made by Chinese luxury brand Maextro.
The Maextro model is expected to launch in China sometime in 2027 and may also be badged as a Maserati for global markets. Likely candidates for such a model include the next Quattroporte or Levante, but it’s entirely possible it’ll introduce a new nameplate instead.
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Around the same time as that hearing, Maserati previewed facelifted versions of its GranTurismo coupe, GranCabrio convertible, and Grecale SUV. This was done via an online video call, during which the brand frequently referred to its ‘glorious heritage’.
When asked what a potential partnership with Chinese manufacturers would mean for the brand, Maserati COO Santo Ficili said it was more important to find the right company to preserve and respect that identity than to cherry-pick based on region or background.
“For sure, we need to search [for] the right partner suppliers to support the brand – this is not only for China,” he told media.
“What is important is to work together with the best in the world, looking at everything that is related to [the] product … what is important is to keep the soul of Maserati, meaning the proportion of the design, the performance, the materials, the craftsmanship, the interior of the car.
“If we respect this, of course, we need to find the right supplier [and] partnership that can work with us in the future.
“We are in this phase, we are working, and we are sure that soon, we will communicate how and with whom we are going to work for the future.”
Maserati announced in 2023 that it would launch an electric Quattroporte ‘Folgore’ sedan in 2025, as it moved to drop internal-combustion engines across its lineup. This came at roughly the same time as the launch of the electric GranTurismo Folgore and Grecale Folgore, alongside their petrol counterparts.
In 2024, however, the brand confirmed it was postponing the new flagship’s launch to 2028, with subsequent reports indicating that Maserati was considering a plug-in hybrid for the next-generation four-door. That certainly seems to coincide with the expected 2027 launch of the upcoming Maextro.
“We will have the Investor Day dedicated to Maserati in Modena, where we have our headquarters. In that moment, for sure we will communicate worldwide how we want to proceed for the future of this brand,” Mr Ficili said.
“Again, without forgetting our legacy, our story – that is absolutely fundamental for me.”
Maserati’s upcoming Investor Day is scheduled for December 2026.
This news comes after the brand has suffered significant losses and fallen out of the limelight under the Stellantis umbrella. There have even been repeated reports suggesting the storied Italian brand would be off-loaded by Stellantis amid interest from Xpeng and Xiaomi, both from China.
BYD has also shown interest, with an executive previously telling Automotive News the Maserati brand was “very interesting” but would not confirm any action.
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