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Fiat Divides Maserati from Ferrari to Bolster Alfa Romeo

Move Should Bring Alfa Romeo to North America Faster than Expected

Maserati is starting to experience the benefits of its relationship with Ferrari, which include superior engineering and exceptional build quality.

Its new Quattroporte flagship sedan is gorgeous, beautifully appointed and extremely competent on road or track, its recently upgraded coupe and convertible more attractive and refined, and the nameplate is once again back in racing with its 630-horsepower MC-12 GT sportscar.

Yet, no matter how many Maseratisti have renewed their faith in the sport/luxury marque that once floundered

Maserati is starting to experience the benefits of its relationship with Ferrari, which include superior engineering and exceptional build quality. (Photo: Maserati)

after more interim parents than a troublesome foster child, one of those wayward parents has decided life will be much better with the Italian brand in its fold.

Why the sudden change of heart? It all comes down to money, all $2 billion of it thanks to General Motors recent payment for defaulting on its

Maserati is once again back in racing with its 630-horsepower MC-12 GT sportscar. (Photo: Maserati)

partnership with Italys largest automaker.

No doubt Fiat has long wanted Maserati back as well, as it would make a fabulous pairing for the Alfa Romeo brand it plans to bring back to premium status. Pairing? Rather than just creating unique components, such as V8 and larger engines, rear-drive architectures and the facilities to produce such a line of vehicles for a single brand, the ability to share the costs between two brands creates an economy of scale that

Joining Alfa Romeo with Maserati creates an economy of scale that could help Fiats top-tier nameplates become profitable. (Photo: Maserati)

could help Fiats top-tier nameplates become profitable.

Fiat once owned Ferrari too, and in actual fact still does despite the Maranello sports car companys autonomy. This is why Fiat asks and Ferrari delivers, despite the "rossa" brands original plan to market the two makes together, allowing its dealers the opportunity to sell a four-door model and potentially a sport utility vehicle, two vehicle types that would never be produced with a Ferrari prancing horse on the grille.

The shake up happened on Wednesday

The Alfa Romeo brand hasnt been sold in North America since the early 90s, but its new Brera coupe has enthusiasts hoping it will come back soon. (Photo: Alfa Romeo)

this week, a move that will resultantly benefit Ferrari in the short term, as Maserati has been bleeding due to poor sales and high investment costs.

On the positive, Maserati isnt about to pull out of North America, and the move will most likely bring Alfa Romeo back to a land that once embraced its stylish Spyder and Velocé coupes, the former made famous as Dustin Hoffmans sporty ride in the 1967 coming of age film, The Graduate.

The Alfa Romeo brand hasnt been sold in North America since the early 90s, and just when fans were getting their hopes up that it would return by 2007 as Fiat had promised earlier, plans were dashed

Alfa Romeo sales have been in a slump, making the need to immediately share costs with Maserati imperative for future product development. (Photo: Alfa Romeo)

as the Italian automakers profits fell to an all-time low and the resultant money woes threw the schedule off track.

"Under this deal, Alfa Romeo and Maserati will establish a close technical and commercial collaboration especially in big international markets," Fiat said in a statement.

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