Separating the loss-making Maserati brand from Ferrari is likely to make Ferrari more appealing to investors in a pending initial public offering (IPO), Automotive News Europe (ANE) said on Thursday.
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The newspaper reported that Fiat still isn’t publicly discussing any details about a Ferrari IPO that would raise cash for the troubled Fiat group, but an initial offer seems imminent.
“Floating Ferrari is something that is back on our agenda but not [in the] short term,” Fiat group and Ferrari-Maserati group chairman Luca Cordero di Montezemolo said.
In Italy, a company must wait 90 days after filing an IPO request before selling stock. Financial sources in Milan confirmed they expect Ferrari’s IPO before year’s end.
Unlinking Ferrari and Maserati was not a surprise, although moving it to the Fiat S.p.A. holding company instead of Fiat’s fully owned automotive subsidiary, Fiat Auto, was unexpected.
Despite not having direct financial links, Maserati and Fiat Auto division Alfa Romeo will immediately begin to work closely together.
“The synergies between the two marques” will help “strengthen our portfolio in the sports car market,” Montezemolo told ANE.
Fiat Group CEO Sergio Marchionne said Fiat Auto needs to devote more attention to making its brands more distinctive. Collaboration between Maserati and Alfa Romeo will help Alfa “re-establish itself as a leading contender in its segment and expand its presence in international markets,” he said.
Maserati is expected to base two new models on Alfa’s Premium platform: an entry-level spider and a five-door crossover based on the Kubang GT wagon concept.
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