Maserati is in the midst of yet another reinvention, and the current plan is to breathe new life into the brand via a fleet of new electrified vehicles. In an announcement about its future strategy, the automaker also revealed a few key details about a second SUV offering.
The new SUV is expected to slot under the larger Levante, and apparently, it’s just right around the corner. Maserati is investing €800 million (approximately $866 million) in a new production line for the SUV at FCA’s Cassino plant in Italy, currently known for building Alfa Romeo models. Construction on the new line will begin at the end of the first quarter of 2020 and you can expect the first preproduction versions of the new SUV to roll out by 2021.
Maserati’s electrification journey kicks off this year with the debut of the Ghibli hybrid. In 2021, the automaker will begin production on a new GranTurismo and GranCabrio, which will be the brand’s first cars to adopt all-electric powertrains. These models will be produced at Italy’s Mirafiori plant, which will serve as a production hub for the brand’s new electrified cars. What Maserati refers to as a “super sports car” will emerge this year from the Modena factory, and that plant is being retooled to accommodate the electric version of the car. Maserati previewed an electric sports car concept called the Alfieri back in 2014, and a version of that car is expected to be available with a plug-in hybrid or fully electric powertrain.
As we’ve previously reported, Maserati expects to fully overhaul its product portfolio by 2023. We expect an electric version of the Levante to take on Tesla’s Model X, as well as a plug-in hybrid model, too. The Quattroporte is also getting electrified. Despite electrification being a key pillar for the brand, don’t expect Maserati to stop using internal-combustion engines altogether.