Maserati Seeks to Increase Sales 900 Percent by 2015

Fiat SpA subsidiary Maserati SpA plans to increase sales at least 900 percent by 2015, CEO Harald Wester reportedly said on the sidelines of the Geneva Motor Show 2012 where it debuted its new Maserati GranTurismo Sport last week, Auto News said.

Maserati, a Modena, Italy based subsidiary of Fiat S.p.A., will be doubling its number of dealers to 500 and hopes to sell 55,000 to 60,000 vehicles a year by 2015, the report said Sunday. Maserati sold just 6,159 cars last year and expects similar sales in 2012.

A new mid-range sedan from Maserati, coupled with expansion of its dealer network and production level, could be the first rumblings in a new competitive expansion for the Fiat subsidiary. Fiat posted a net profit in 2011 of approximately $130 million, while Maserati, which sold over a third of its cars last year in the United States, posted a profit of $52 million.

A spokesperson for Maserati was neither able to confirm nor deny the report of expansion.

Maserti will lead its charge with a new Quattroporte premium sedan set to premier at the 2013 Detroit Auto Show and go on sale in Europe in the first quarter of next year, Automotive News reported.

According to In Auto News, Maserati claims the new sedan will be built on a new platform, but there is speculation that it will borrow heavily from the Chrysler 300C.

There are also rumors that Maserati will add a model in the mid-range sedan market to compete with the Audi A6 and BMW 5 series.

According to Automotive News, the new sedan will cost between $71,632 and $97,680 and will go on sale in Europe in September 2013.