Maserati Folgore GranCabrio: interview with CEO Davide Grasso

GranCabrio Folgore: business

Interview with Davide Grasso, CEO of Maserati

In short: there is an air of sex, beauty, the desire for a sweet life but also embracing modernity, with all its challenges. We talked about it with the man behind the wheel: Davide Grasso, CEO of Maserati.

Piazza Cordusio at night, Portofino, Damiano… It looks like a fashion or perfume ad. Is this a change of pace in Maserati Folgore’s communication strategy?

You become a luxury brand by creating objects of desire. The allure that a character like Damiano can provide is entirely consistent with this claim: “It turns you on” it is ambiguous, it aims to tease, to ignite this passion. Maserati has been selling a lifestyle for 110 years: it is a brand born on the tracks as the creativity of the Maserati brothers.

From the Type 26 to the “off-center” engine designed for tracks like Indianapolis. Or the Birdcage, the first machine with an aluminum structure… Innovation in the brand’s DNA has always been combined with performance-oriented design, creating these desirable objects for decades.

So, in the end, the product is our most powerful marketing lever. The rest is a good setup, a plate that will be presented. In the marketing mix you increase efficiency and effectiveness: and then there are multipliers, and Damiano is one of them. For the color “rose gold” and the interior made in a certain way. And our new marketing capabilities that maximize investment value.

Another thing Damiano has in common: international recognition, and Italians…

This is also part of a series of shared values: performance, design, luxury, passion. Not for everyone: time to run to influencers: beyond cases of (lack of) trust, there remain people who know how to promote and improve brands.

FORCE OF NATURAL INCIDENT (AND SPECIAL MILITARY RELATIONS)

Even the choice of the Folgore brand that defines Maserati’s complete electricness: it has an almost military meaning, for paratroopers…

Technically it is a line extension for the entire electrical array. Folgore is a beautiful title that tells the story of a natural adventure, and this is the first one to experience. Then some of us can remember other Italian pride, from El Alamein to peacekeeping initiatives, in Kosovo or elsewhere. So we didn’t see it as an obstacle, but as a guarantee for a name that takes you to a completely different place. The noble force of Folgore…

There is a global struggle going on in the car industry…

And it takes courage. In an increasingly chaotic world, the ability to compete becomes essential to ensure the future of brands, companies and those who work there. We live in a critical period in all things, there is a need for strategic clarity. In the game you have to direct yourself, be ready to execute your game plan… We have aimed with confidence and mental clarity to develop the luxury brand and its global presence.

Maserati’s additional weapon: Trident.

It is surprising in terms of brand purity, perfect for a brand that has been around for 110 years. As Klaus Busse, our Head of Design, pointed out well: if you see the fountain of Neptune in Bologna, the Trident is not marked as a formidable weapon, but held in the fist as a symbol of authority and courage. It is up to us to use it with calm confidence, without aggression. Maserati is the brand quiet luxury of the automotive world. It’s a way of being. A reliable, timeless proposition.

ELECTRIC CARS AND LIMOUSINES MADE IN MODENA

Is it more interesting for Maserati to compete in Formula E or to be the official limo of the G7?

Two sides of the same coin. Let’s move those who move the world, politicians, scientists.

Grancabrio, a new model, will leave the factories of Mirafiori. But is the heart of Maserati still Modena?

Modena remains the root of the brand, where all the high-end products represented by the Mc20 and Cielo models come from, and where the customization atelier is located. It continues to be the axis around which the entire world of Maserati revolves, which remains 100% made in Italy because we build the Grecale in Cassino and the others in Turin. And the desire is to further enhance the Italian character of Maserati.

MADE IN THUNDER, BUT ALSO IN STELLANTIS

Even within a large international group like Stellantis, that brings benefits and challenges…

With Carlos Tavares there is a community of mission on branding and on the need for Made in Italy. Both offer Maserati opportunities to use the resources of the international group and access to synergies and economies not only of scale but also of scope.

In further development of the range that you see on the horizon?

We aim for a seamless relationship between car and driver. As Mr. Brummell points out, at the highest level beauty is invisible. Trident gets under your skin without screaming in your face. Form follows formall fluid and balanced also in the level of interaction with the car, during the development phase we continue to work to ensure not only respect for the environment but also driving pleasure.

“Made for Thunder” is Folgore’s claim: does it also speak to climate change for Maserati? What do you see on the horizon?

In a sea of ​​dark clouds, a moment of light. Which gives us strength again.