The mood at Maserati has palpably changed since the new leadership took over at parent company Stellantis: people are in good spirits and back on the offensive. finews meets Emanuele Checcaglini, the newly appointed General Manager of Maserati Switzerland, on a morning when the brand is hosting two events in the country at once — one in Zurich, one in Geneva.

Mr. Checcaglini, for the first time in quite a while, Maserati has a General Manager for Switzerland. What is behind this restructuring?

Maserati is entering a phase of strategic refocusing. We want to further empower key markets, allowing for more agile and locally focused decision-making, and Switzerland is one of them. As the only pure luxury brand within Stellantis, Maserati naturally requires a closer relationship with customers, partners, and dealers.

Switzerland is a small market. Why manage it independently?

It’s small, but very international. And it speaks the same language as Maserati. People here are passionate about cars, about the history of the brand, about Italian culture and the Italian way of life. When the Swiss think of Italy, they imagine a place where they can relax, enjoy life and reward themselves with something special, always with a sense of elegance in the background. Then there is the Swiss love of being visible, but not too much. That is exactly the mindset in which we are designing our brand: effortless elegance, everyday luxury. Looking at performance, Switzerland usually ranks second or third worldwide in terms of market share. So managing it independently is also a sign of Maserati’s commitment to the Swiss market, its network, and the Maserati enthusiasts across the country.

“Switzerland usually ranks second or third worldwide in terms of market share”

What does Maserati’s role as the only pure luxury brand within Stellantis mean for the model range?

We have a separate, dedicated industrial plan. In May, there was the Investor Day for all Stellantis brands, with the exception of Maserati. Maserati will have its own dedicated one in December, at our home in Modena. A pure luxury brand with such a strong history and heritage requires a dedicated approach.

Does the Grecale, as an entry model, still have a place in the luxury strategy?

Absolutely. The Grecale plays a key role as an entry model for us, even more so now with the new 390 HP Nettuno V6. For Switzerland, this will be particularly relevant: a powerful V6 for daily use, at a more competitive price point than the Grecale Trofeo. The four-cylinder was well received, but I expect the Nettuno V6 to play an increasingly important role in the mix. In other European markets the mix tends to be more oriented towards the 250 and 300 HP versions, while in Switzerland we see a significantly higher share of customers opting for the V6. My perception is that the Company’s attention towards Grecale will remain strong.

How have orders been for the facelifted GranTurismo, GranCabrio, and Grecale?

Very good. The dealers were allowed to order first and immediately recognized the added value, resulting in a very strong initial order intake across the network. The first units arrived on the market in September, and we are now in the full launch phase. Customer feedback has already been extremely positive.

Unveiling of the new Grecale (left), GranCabrio and GranTurismo in Trieste, Italy. (Image: Maserati)

Still, your new registrations are slightly below last year.

True, but the market itself is down around 16 percent year-over-year, and that’s the drop we have seen. It means that our performance is stable. And now we are entering a very important phase. The first Model Year ’27 cars have arrived and the launch is fully underway. We used to plan three or four Maserati events per year across Central Europe; now, we are planning four in quarter four alone in Switzerland. Together with our dealers, we are executing an extremely ambitious launch.

Only two MC Pura and two GT2 Stradale have been newly registered this year in Switzerland. Why?

These cars come in limited numbers by definition, and almost 100 percent of these orders are Fuoriserie. But Fuoriserie is not simply about adding individual details to the car. It is a much deeper journey into its design and creation. Together with our Centro Stile and Fuoriserie teams, the customer becomes part of a unique journey that starts with a tailor-made session in Modena. Our ambition is to offer a complete experience at our historic headquarter, bringing the customer directly into Maserati essence. I believe we are one of the very few luxury manufacturers to offer our customers this level of experience, working directly with our engineers, designers, and stylists to create a car that is truly their own.

You started your Maserati career in personalization yourself.

Yes, this is where my journey with Maserati really began. At the time, there was no dedicated department for this activity. Everything was handled on request, and I became the main point of contact. I did it out of passion, not because it was part of my job description. Once the market knows you can handle this kind of request, more opportunities naturally follow. We were growing the turnover of this activity at triple-digit rates year over year. From there, we started to evolve. We began creating special series and proactively proposing something unique, rather than simply responding to individual requests. Then came the next level: the one-off, the opportunity to design your own dream car. Today we can say that Fuoriserie means Maserati.

How strong is demand for Fuoriserie in Switzerland?

Very strong, starting with our dealers, who are our first customers. 55 percent of all Maseratis sold this year feature at least one Fuoriserie element, making Switzerland one of the leading markets worldwide for Fuoriserie.

What is the appeal of Maserati for you personally?

Maserati is Italy, first and foremost. Our cars offer an experience that involves all your senses: the shapes, the scent of the leather, the materials you touch, the sound. Imagine yourself driving your Maserati through the Val d’Orcia, with its extraordinary landscape unfolding around you. Experiencing these moments with a Maserati means feeling at home. With another brand, you are simply a tourist. This sense of belonging is what makes Italian luxury so distinctive. Luxury can be about owning, showing, exhibiting. Italian luxury is about feelings and memories: the taste of a wine, the beauty of a place, the understatement of true elegance.

“With another brand, you are simply a tourist”

This concept was challenged within Stellantis in recent years. Under the new leadership, there seems to be more understanding of Maserati as a special brand.

Absolutely. Stellantis top management recognizes Maserati as a special brand. For me, two things have to guide us: our customers and our roots. We have to put the customer at the center because habits are changing extremely quickly, but at the same time, we must remain true to who we are. The automotive and luxury landscape is evolving profoundly. If you simply follow the flow, you risk losing your identity. And if you start competing in territories that are not yours, you lose what is most valuable: your story, your heritage, your DNA, and your place in the minds of your customers. That’s also why Fuoriserie is so important.

“If you simply follow the flow, you risk losing your identity”

Maserati’s main image problem in Switzerland may be quality. Many people still remember the issues from ten to fifteen years ago.

Let me show you something. This is the trophy for the 2025 Sales Customer Satisfaction Award, which Maserati Switzerland won. It’s based on customer feedback, quality KPIs, timing and deliveries. It reflects a very clear direction: quality and customer satisfaction are absolute priorities. It’s not our own perception. It’s what our customers tell us.

Maserati is partnering with the Zurich Ball, the new society event at the Dolder. Why?

It’s exactly the kind of setting where Maserati belongs. It’s the first edition, and a great opportunity to connect with some of our most relevant target customers. And this is not a traditional advertising initiative. Luxury communication used to be about campaigns and bringing people into showrooms. Today, I believe, it’s more and more about encounters and experiences. That’s also why we held the Gran Toscana Tour in June: to let customers and prospects experience the Brand, from the factory in Modena through the Tuscan hills. It’s about inviting people into the world of Maserati, allowing them to discover who we are and experience everything the brand represents, beyond the car itself.

Individualisation with Fuoriserie: Maserati GT2 Stradale Tribute to MC12. (Image: Maserati)

Our readers work in the financial industry. Where does the Maserati community overlap with that community?

I think there is a strong connection in the way both communities think: consistency, stability and a long-term perspective matter. In Switzerland, periods of stability are when brands grow. In periods like this one, people tend to wait. For us, consistency means developing new products on a solid foundation, staying true to what is expected from Maserati and its positioning, and always keeping the customer at the center. It also means not pursuing sales at any cost, but focusing on strengthening our position in the market and protecting the value of the brand over the long term.

Emanuele Checcaglini has been appointed General Manager of Maserati Switzerland since September 2026, after serving as Head of Sales & Marketing (2024–2026) and Sales Manager (2022–2024) for the Swiss market. Before moving to Zurich, he spent several years at Maserati headquarters in Modena, where he led the creation and global development of the Fuoriserie personalization program and later managed sales planning and operations for EMEA. He began his career in supply chain management at Ducati Motor Holding in Bologna and holds a Master’s degree in Management Engineering from the University of Bologna.