A Whopping 540,000 Yuan Price Cut

Once hailed as the ultimate 'dream car' among WeChat entrepreneurs, Maserati's price tags are now experiencing a dramatic slump.

Recently, Maserati dealerships across various regions took to social media to announce that the starting price for the Maserati all-electric SUV model, the Grecale Folgore, is now a mere 358,800 yuan. This model's official guide price stands at 898,800 yuan, meaning dealers are offering it at a staggering 540,000 yuan discount from the list price.

Just three or four months ago, promotional posters were still advertising the car at 388,000 yuan. Now, before the year's end, the price has plummeted to new depths. Some netizens have humorously remarked that if one lives long enough, they might even witness a Maserati priced at 350,000 yuan.

'Where do we old owners stand?' Some disgruntled owners expressed their dismay, having initially purchased Maserati models after being swayed by review videos. At that time, several automotive influencers had lauded the car as the Richard Mille of SUVs, boasting a sleek coupe-like design, stunning aesthetics, and formidable performance. Out of admiration for Maserati's brand prestige, they opted to buy it without any discounts, with the final price nearing 860,000 yuan. To their astonishment, within a few years, an ultra-luxury brand had become so vulnerable, with its retail price crashing to such unprecedented levels.

Behind Maserati's decision to implement 'drastic' price reductions in a bid to boost sales lies a multitude of disgruntled old owners. Once the 'Queen of Sports Cars,' Maserati is now significantly slashing prices to compete with Chinese brands like Xiaomi and AITO, with its influence now far eclipsed by these automotive newcomers. Will Maserati become the next 'casualty of the era?'

Fading Glory

Maserati's recent price reductions have garnered significant attention. Although sales personnel have claimed that the low price is a result of special approval for new store opening inventory, with approximately 70 to 80 units available, and that 358,800 yuan is merely the base price for a bare car (requiring additional optional fees to match the appearance of the fuel version), with the final price hovering around 400,000 yuan, the plummeting prices have still focused industry attention on the fading 'glory' of Maserati's luxury cars.

This not only shatters the value system constructed by brand premium but also completely destroys the scarcity of Maserati's ultra-luxury cars.

In 2011, Maserati's main models included the Quattroporte, GranTurismo, and GranCabrio. Among them, the GranTurismo had a starting price of 2.468 million yuan, while the GranCabrio's guide price soared to as high as 3.028 million yuan. At the end of 2013 and the first half of 2016, the Ghibli and Levante were launched with starting prices exceeding 800,000 yuan. By 2019, after adjusting its product lineup, Maserati's models on sale were primarily the Quattroporte, Ghibli, and Levante, with no models priced over 2 million yuan.

At that time, Maserati's ultra-luxury 'glory' was at its zenith, even becoming the preferred choice for WeChat entrepreneurs to 'flaunt their wealth.' It was even humorously said that without 'proudly purchasing' a Maserati or posting photos of the car on WeChat Moments, one couldn't be considered a successful WeChat entrepreneur.

Perhaps due to this, Maserati's brand image became somewhat 'peculiar.' However, no one anticipated the decline would come so swiftly.

After losing the engine supply from Ferrari, Maserati's new product plans were continuously postponed. Since selling 14,400 units in China in 2017, making it the brand's largest global market, Maserati's fortunes in China took a sharp downturn. In 2018, sales plummeted to 10,696 units, a year-on-year decrease of 26.2%. Following annual declines, sales in China in 2024 were a mere 1,228 units, a year-on-year decline exceeding 70%, less than one-tenth of its peak.

In September this year, Maserati's Chinese import sales were 83 units, a year-on-year decline of 5%. From January to September this year, Maserati's Chinese import sales were 1,023 units, a year-on-year decline of 3%. Concurrent with the sales decline, Maserati's product prices collapsed, with dealers quoting a 'shocking' price of 358,800 yuan for the Maserati Grecale Folgore, which has an official guide price of 898,800 yuan. Similar discounts have been reported for models like the Ghibli and Levante, which, like its former 'rival' Porsche, are now hovering in a vortex of 'halving' price reductions and urgent sales.

Surrounded by Competitors

Maserati's price storm, apart from its own product competitiveness 'lagging behind,' is largely related to the relentless upward surge and encroachment of Chinese brands.

After Chinese brands shattered automotive brand boundaries with technology, the 'golden age' for luxury brands gradually came to an end. Whether it's Porsche, the German Big Three, or American and Japanese luxury brands, all are finding it difficult to escape tough times of 'tightening their belts.' In contrast, the market share of Chinese luxury brands continues to rise, with their voices becoming increasingly 'authoritative.'

As the 'glory' of luxury cars gradually fades, consumer purchasing psychology and behavior become more rational. Comprehensive evaluations of price, performance, intelligence, maintenance costs, and service quality are leading to more diverse choices among consumers, with traditional luxury brands losing significant market share.

Although Maserati has initiated an electrification strategy, launching models like the Grecale Folgore, its intelligence level and rapid iteration capabilities are virtually no match for mainstream electric models in the current market.

Some consumers have reported that its in-car system cannot be upgraded online, and its intelligent assisted driving only offers cruise control, making these configurations somewhat outdated in the era of intelligent electric vehicles. The Grecale Folgore, built on a 400-volt electrical platform, has a pure electric range of 533 kilometers, offering little advantage among 300,000-yuan-level pure electric models. Some owners even bluntly say that they only feel like they're driving a luxury car when it's time for repairs.

Furthermore, Maserati is now facing genuine 'alternative' products.

Since its parent company, Stellantis Group, acquired a stake in Leapmotor, Maserati's team and resources have also begun to tilt towards Leapmotor. For example, Maserati's chassis team has deeply participated in the tuning of Leapmotor models like the C10 and B10, providing significant assistance to their popularity. Given the consecutive setbacks faced by multiple brands under the Stellantis Group in China, more resources may flow to Leapmotor in the future.

Maserati's predicament is not unique; Bentley, Porsche, Lamborghini, Ferrari, and other ultra-luxury brands are also struggling. When the mechanical aesthetics that traditional luxury cars pride themselves on, such as the V8 roar and transmission tuning, rapidly depreciate under the wave of electrification and intelligence, and when the original brand hierarchy logic is no longer recognized by consumers, how should ultra-luxury brands position themselves and save themselves?

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