Stellantis is now paying the consulting firm McKinsey to investigate whether the group can somehow survive a sale of, among other things, Alfa Romeo.
Falling sales figures and new US in the US are putting pressure on Stellantis. Consulting firm McKinsey will now advise on the fate of Maserati and Alfa Romeo under interim CEO John Elkann.
The car group Stellantis is facing challenges with the Italian brands Maserati and Alfa Romeo, so the consulting firm McKinsey has been hired to examine the future of the two brands.
The pressure is due, among other things, to falling sales figures and new tariffs in the USA.
It is the interim CEO John Elkann, who took over after the firing of Carlos Tavares in December, who allegedly initiated the process.
This is reported by the news agency Bloomberg .
The information comes from anonymous sources close to the process. The plans are still at a very early stage.
Stellantis' primary goal is to improve the brands' finances. Both Maserati and Alfa Romeo have experienced significant sales declines. They are also struggling with massive losses on a daily basis.
The consultants from McKinsey will analyze various strategic options, which may include partnerships with other companies.
Separating Maserati and Alfa Romeo completely from the Stellantis group is also an option that the dog-eared consultants have been asked to consider.
Interest in the historic Italian brands is already present. According to Bloomberg's sources, several Asian automakers have shown interest in either acquiring the brands or entering into a partnership with Stellantis.
Economic pressure and falling sales
The situation is being exacerbated by new US tariffs. Rates of 25 percent introduced by Donald Trump are hitting Stellantis hard.
The duties could cost the group large sums of money.
Maserati in particular is feeling the consequences. About 35 to 40 percent of Maserati's customers are in the United States. All cars for the American market must be imported from Europe.
Maserati has no production facilities outside Europe, making the brand vulnerable to import tariffs. This puts additional pressure on the profitability of both Alfa Romeo and Maserati, which are already struggling.
Maserati's sales fell significantly last year. Sales were more than halved. This resulted in an operating loss of 260 million euros. This corresponds to around 1.9 billion Danish kroner.
The economic difficulties have already had consequences. Earlier this year, Stellantis cut Maserati's budget.
The investment budget was reduced by 1.6 billion euros, approximately 11.9 billion Danish kroner. This led to the cancellation of planned new models. Among other things, a supposedly lightning-fast electric car. Read more about it here .
Future opportunities and market challenges
Experts have been speculating about Stellantis' strategy for months. The question is how long the group will hold on to loss-making brands. The current CEO of Stellantis is John Elkann. He is holding the position on an interim basis.
Carlos Tavares was CEO from January 2021 to December 2024. Since then, the management of the large automotive group has been under interim management.
The future of Maserati and Alfa Romeo now depends on McKinsey's analysis. Stellantis will have to make important decisions about the future of the two iconic brands. Options range from restructuring to divestiture.
The challenges of customs duties and declining sales require action, and preferably now. Stellantis is now seeking external advice to find the best solution for the traditional Italian car brands.
At Boosted.dk you can read a lot more about both Maserati and Alfa Romeo. We also follow the Stellantis group closely. You can get the latest news from the world of cars here.
