Stellantis, the world’s fourth‑largest automaker, is reportedly negotiating a strategic alliance with China’s Huawei and JAC Group aimed at revitalizing its luxury brand Maserati. Sources close to the talks told Reuters that the discussions have moved beyond preliminary interest and are now focused on concrete industrial cooperation.
Why Maserati needs a new partner
Maserati shipped fewer than 8,000 vehicles last year and posted an adjusted operating loss of €198 million (about $230 million). The brand’s under‑performance has prompted Stellantis CEO Antonio Filosa to seek manufacturing partnerships as a core pillar of the company’s long‑term strategy, which was unveiled earlier this year.
Filosa has already announced tie‑ups with Chinese firms Leapmotor and Dongfeng as part of a €60 billion business plan that runs through 2030. The new Maserati talks follow that same logic: leveraging Chinese technology and market access to improve production efficiency and broaden the model lineup.
Potential structure of the deal
According to Italian daily Milano Finanza, the negotiations revolve around using Huawei’s Harmony Intelligent Mobility platform for Maserati’s next vehicle. The goal is to have a jointly developed model ready for production by the end of next year.
The partnership could also feature a dual‑branding strategy. In China, the vehicle might be sold under JAC’s newly created luxury marque “Maextro,” while the same model would carry the Maserati badge in international markets. This approach would give Maserati a foothold in the world’s largest automotive market without diluting its heritage brand elsewhere.
Impact on Italian factories
Filosa told investors that a successful agreement would positively affect production rates at Stellantis’s Cassino and Modena plants, where Maserati’s current models are built. Higher output could help the plants return to full capacity, preserving jobs and supporting the local economies of the Lazio and Emilia‑Romagna regions.
Stellantis released a statement saying that, as part of its normal course of business, the company “holds discussions with a range of industry players around the world on various topics, always with the ultimate aim of providing customers with the best mobility choices.” Huawei and JAC have not yet responded to requests for comment.
Broader industry context
The move reflects a growing trend of Western automakers seeking Chinese technology partners to stay competitive in an era of electrification, autonomous driving and connected services. By tapping Huawei’s expertise in intelligent mobility and JAC’s manufacturing capacity, Stellantis hopes to accelerate Maserati’s transition to next‑generation platforms while keeping the brand’s Italian craftsmanship at the forefront.
Analysts note that the success of such a partnership will depend on how well the companies can integrate Huawei’s software‑centric approach with Maserati’s performance‑oriented engineering. If the collaboration works, it could serve as a model for other legacy brands looking to modernize without sacrificing their identity.
Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
