Maserati Eyes New Partners as It Rethinks Its Future

Walk into Modena and you can still feel the echo of race engines and hand-stitched leather. But the roar has softened. Sales that once flirted with 51,500 units in 2017 have dwindled to roughly 7,900 in 2025. That drop is not a single misstep; it is the residue of a growth strategy that stretched a boutique brand into high-volume territory without the model depth of its German rivals.

Stellantis chief executive Antonio Filosa has admitted talks are underway with two strategic partners to help steer Maserati back to relevance. He didn’t name names in public testimony to Italian lawmakers, only suggesting the right partner could supply technologies and fresh ideas the Trident needs. The whisper network, however, points to Huawei and JAC Motors as the front-runners, with past interest from Xiaomi, BYD, and XPENG also part of the backstory.

Heritage versus scale: a delicate balance

Why does partner choice matter so much? Because this isn’t just about cash. It’s about identity. Maserati’s challenge is familiar: how do you preserve artisan DNA while surviving in an electrified, software-driven market? Give control of too much to an outside partner and the marque risks drifting toward a different aesthetic and decision-making culture. Look at Lotus: the Eletre and Emeya show how rapid shifts can confuse customers when the electric wing of a brand becomes detached from its traditional products.

Yet hands-off management isn’t an option either. The company needs investment in electrification, software, and next-generation powertrains. And it needs product coherence—real depth across model ranges, not one-off sales spikes.

Stellantis says Maserati is not for sale.

That sentence is decisive. Filosa also made clear the Cassino plant, the high-volume facility tied to longer-term plans, isn’t being marketed either. Cassino builds the Grecale while Modena focuses on grand tourers and supercars. Any strategic deal will have to account for those production footprints and where future models will be made.

Bloomberg and industry sources note that a partner’s influence would ripple through both plants. If Huawei is truly involved, expect a push toward advanced connectivity, in-car computing, and an EV-first roadmap. A partner like JAC would bring manufacturing scale and local market know-how. Neither outcome is inherently good or bad; the details would decide whether Maserati remains recognizably Italian or gradually morphs into a new hybrid of influences.

Maserati has already sketched parts of its future. The brand plans to reenter the executive segment with two all-new models likely to replace the Levante and Quattroporte. The Nettuno twin-turbo V6, an engine with clear Ferrari lineage and a unique pre-chamber ignition setup, is also slated for hybridization. And for enthusiasts who still crave tactile engagement, the BottegaFuoriserie division teases manual-equipped special editions.

So what happens next? Expect cautious, strategic moves. Talks will weigh technology transfer against brand stewardship. There will be conditions about design control, manufacturing sovereignty, and product roadmaps. And there will be close watching from dealers and loyalists who remember when Maserati was small, focused, and unmistakably Italian.

In short: the Trident faces a crossroads. The right partner could restore the brand’s technical edge and open new markets. The wrong one could blur what made Maserati special in the first place. Either way, Modena’s craftsmen are listening. And so is the market.