Maserati has gained a bit of a controversial reputation in the United States, but those who focus on that kind of thing are likely not the target demographic anyway. This is not a brand that’s hoping to please everyone. The 2027 fleet is for those who want to arrive at an event, hotel, or work in style. Not anonymous Reddit users focused on outdated flaws.
When I went to test-drive some of the new vehicles (I’ll have more on that soon), Maserati executives repeatedly made it clear that they weren’t trying to change any minds or appeal to any particular customers. It’s a bold move for an automaker that only had 2,838 new registrations in 2025, a 41% drop from 2024. But I honestly respect that. I don’t know if it will translate into the Gen Z sales they are hoping for (not sure how many 25-year-olds have $150,000 to spare), but I can’t help but admire the Maserati team’s authenticity and passion.
Not everyone wears Armani. Not everyone drives Maserati.
Maserati is not trying to appeal to Americans as a whole
Driving up to a vineyard on the top of the winding Mulholland Highway in Malibu in a 2027 GranCabrio Trofeo with Scarf Mode on (my driving partner insisted) does feel like something right out of a sexy Italian novel. And that’s on purpose. Maserati’s new lineup was made specifically for those who want to experience Italy’s “allegria,” or the “lightness of life.”
“So many customers here [in the US] have a love affair with Italy,” Klause Busse, Maserati’s Head of Design, told me. And for those customers, the Maserati represents the country’s elegance, class, and style. It represents Italian hospitality, providing a comfortable, enjoyable ride with every feature you would ever need, the perfectly orchestrated Nettuno V6 growl engaging you as you smoothly race down the Pacific Coast Highway. It goes above and beyond for a grand tourer, a gracious host throughout your drive. The firm, adaptive suspension keeps you planted, making the car predictable and rational.
It may not be the kind of driving experience everyone wants while heading to the office or a dinner reservation. But Maserati isn’t worried about you. They’re not going to change the formula to appeal to you. The 2027 lineup is meant to celebrate 100 years of the trident, not completely erase that history.
And Italy is all about history.
“When we speak about creating our cars, the way we hand sculpt them… Our modelers are descendants of Michelangelo,” Klause said. “That is not a story I’m making up. That is what I truly believe and what is happening at our design center.”
Are they actually the descendants of Michelangelo? I don’t know. But it’s clear that the Maserati team feels that the vehicles not only embody Italy but are also part of the country’s history, culture, and lifestyle. It’s not just something they say to appeal to snooty Americans who want an Italian supercar. It’s something they truly feel. It’s something they live.
“I own a GranCabrio personally. This is my life. We live in Italy. We drive these cars. We don’t have to do journeys. We don’t have to educate ourselves. We’re in this lifestyle. That’s what we try to capture with our product,” he said.
I’m not telling you to pay $186,000 for a GranCabrio Trofeo. I wouldn’t. In fact, Maserati isn’t even telling you to do it. If you think it’s unreliable, needs a V8, or doesn’t have enough physical buttons, that’s okay. Just don’t buy it. The marketing material does not address these ongoing complaints from Americans. It shows a sultry woman putting on a slinky dress, a man putting on an expensive watch, speeding with the Grecale down a romantic Italian city, an expensive wine in the backseat. Is that you? No? Then go get your obnoxiously loud and ostentatious McLaren.
“You can wear Italian fashion, French fashion, British fashion… I’m sure in your head, you know exactly what you would put where,” Klause explained. “Italian fashion stands for certain things. For example, Armani. It has a timeless style. It represents a certain approach to elegance and lifestyle.
“What I like about that brand is it doesn’t overpower the person wearing it. That is also true for our cars. If you drive a Maserati, I can still see you.”
You’re a Maserati customer, or you’re not
And that was a theme throughout the interview. Comparing cars to fashion. Comparing Maserati to Armani. Just like Armani, Maserati vehicles are meant to “make a statement” not only about the ride itself but the person driving it. It shouldn’t overpower you. Chanel bags have a ton of logos all over them. People look at you and immediately see that big “C.” Armani is sleek, sexy, no big logos. People look at you and think you look trendy and chic. The Porsche 911 has a massive wing on the back. The GranTurismo does not.
Earlier in the day, Klause explained to us (appropriately inside an art gallery) how Maserati allows endless customer customization, especially when it comes to color. While the base colors are the result of an incredible amount of team discussion, trust, and taste, you can do anything you want with the customization. You may even recall the hot pink Barbie Maserati Grecale. I asked him if anyone has ever requested a massive wing. And if someone did request it, would Maserati do it?
Well, Maserati has never had to make this kind of decision. No Maserati customer has ever asked for it. This proves, once again, that the automaker appeals to those who want this kind of vehicle. And it doesn’t really give a f*** about appealing to those who don’t. If you want a massive wing, you probably are looking elsewhere. And that’s fine.
“Customers don’t want this over-designed, ostentatious cliché,” Klause reassured me after asking about the wing. “They are looking for a rolling sculpture. A beautiful car. If Maserati were only designed for its underlying performance, it might be a different performance. But Maserati, by definition, is 50% style and 50% performance.
“You don’t need to shout at the world around you. The less performance a car has, the more you want to pretend or overcompensate. It’s not necessary in our case.”
Did the GranCabrio Trofeo need a wing? No. I was perfectly confident without it (when there wasn’t a massive cliff on a narrow switchback, I should admit for my other height-phobic readers). The car itself inspired confidence, however, and I quickly started to wonder how obnoxiously fast I could pull and weave along the coast. It’s firmly planted. No wing necessary.
But I still do wonder if Maserati would let a customer add that wing. Klause never really said, but I do venture that it’s a no. The team is very, very particular about how the Maserati brand and lineup present themselves. Klause basically told me he’d never be caught dead in an orange Grecale in some parts of the world. But they loved the look of the orange along the sunny California coast, with the Pacific Ocean in the background, which is why it was one of our options on the ride back down from the vineyard.
This is a brand that thinks about every little detail. And it believes Maserati customers are the same.
“When you dress, you dress for the occasion and for where you are,” Klause said, comparing to clothes once more. “As a customer, it’s not only personal taste but also the context of where you will be.”
In Italy and around Europe, many people are still wary of supercars, noted Klause. Maybe they see them as obnoxious. Trying too hard. Maybe just irritating? I guess it’s a controversy over there. But they like Maserati in Italy.
“In Northern European countries, supercars are more intensely debated. But when I drive a Maserati in Germany, people smile. They respect the fact that this car is not trying to shout at you or be ostentatious. It’s truly beautiful.”
Well, in the United States, we all know that car spotters flock to supercars. It’s one of the reasons that Monterey Car Week sorta blew this year. Americans want loud. They want people to know they spent money. They want crazy colors, big wings, stepping out of dramatic doors. They apparently want flying cars. But that hasn’t deterred Maserati. Maserati is not trying to appeal to everyone, even if it’s suffering in the United States.
Those who want to experience Italy’s allegria get it. Those who don’t want to experience it, don’t.
There were a few hints at a big update on the way. A new concept car is getting revealed along with a new strategy come December 2026. But for now, Maserati’s lineup is for those who believe in understated elegance. For those who wouldn’t dare drive an orange car in the Italian countryside, if they ever got to fly out there.
Well, with a Maserati you don’t have to fly out there. You have a Michelangelo sculpture at home.
