Cars, Elkann asks for certainties from the EU. Maserati returns from Mirafiori to Modena

Rome – The first adjustment of the Italian Plan, as announced by the head of Europe Jean-Philippe Imparato , concerns the plants in Turin and Modena. On the day in which the president of Stellantis, John Elkann, in tandem with the CEO of Renault Luca de Meo, guests at the summit on the future of the car organized by the Financial Times , return to the need for Europe to intervene as soon as possible to correct the course on the transition, the Italian-French manufacturer announces the transfer of production of the GranTurismo and GranCabrio models from Mirafiori to Modena by the end of 2025. And the Motor Valley welcomes the move positively . "A strategic decision to strengthen our roots", underlines the head of Maserati, Santo Ficili.

In Turin, despite the minimal volumes tied to Maserati, the move is greeted with fear. The new hybrid 500 will go into production at the Carrozzerie in November – the first pre-series came out a few days ago – but the doubt among the unions, led by Fiom, and politicians is whether Fiat's smallest model will be enough to saturate the plants. Stellantis speaks of a production of between 100 and 130 thousand pieces per year. Much will depend on the market, however. "The repercussions will be positive for the Emilian factory – underline Fim, Uilm, Fismic, Uglm and Associazione Quadri – but at Mirafiori there is an urgent need for mass production to be able to saturate the plant ". Fiom is more harsh , asking for a meeting at Palazzo Chigi: " The move does not solve the problems of either Modena or Mirafiori and marks the definitive end of the Turin luxury hub project".

The move will not be the only intervention on the plan presented last December to Mimit. The company will meet with the government and unions, who have requested a meeting in the next two weeks. The goal of the update is to give priority to hybrid models and engines , which have greater appeal on the market than purely electric vehicles. A step that could lead to recalibrating the times and assignments of vehicles in individual plants, focusing on a relaunch of engine production in Termoli.

Stellantis is the one that sold the most hybrids at the end of the first quarter. An option that, according to the group's president, Elkann , should become the main road for Europe, correcting the transition course. At the Financial Times forum he returned to the point. "2025 is a year in which European countries and the EU must decide whether small cars are still relevant. The opportunity would be to address the issue of emissions, not focusing on zero emissions for new cars but on how to reduce the emissions of the 250 million vehicles that currently circulate in the European Union." How? By replacing them with hybrid cars. And then we need to intervene on a regulation that "makes cars expensive." Two examples: "The Renault 5 or the 500, which Renault and Stellantis have reinterpreted in many ways, were very different cars. You can see it from their size. Today they look like they've been to the gym for weeks or years. We need to make sure we provide cars that people want to buy, but that they can also buy." For Elkann, who rules out any discussion or alliance with Renault, "clarity" is needed from Europe. The thought goes to Trump who according to the president of Stellantis "knows what he wants to achieve... actions will make it possible".

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