Jaguar, Maserati Planning For a Post-Recession World--No, Really!

By Ryan ZumMallen

Ryan ZumMallen

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Ryan has covered cars and the auto industry for the Long Beach Post and Road & Track, among others. He has a closet full of Jordans and The Sopranos... More

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2011 Bertone B99 Jaguar concept

Who comes out looking good at the end of a recession? The middle class.

Just kidding! There is no middle class anymore. There is only the working class, which you belong to, which is just a nice term for “poor,” which ranks just above “really poor.” For that, you can thank nose-diving financial markets and ballooning public employee pensions, which you had no control over, anyway.

The correct answer is, of course, rich people. Oh sure, they took a hit, but after firing a maid, cook or stylist there was nothing left to do but sit back and wait for luxury automakers to debut new models because hey, your lease is up.

This is extremely good news for car companies. That is, if your car company is named “Jaguar” or “Maserati.” It is not such good news if your cars are designed to appeal to the masses, because you probably still haven’t figured out how to build affordable, quality cars and besides, the masses have no more monies.

But back to the rich! They are in the market for new cars, again, so much so that some companies are creating new markets out of thin air, just to keep up. For instance, Jaguar is reportedly planning an entry-level sedan dubbed the XS, and will show a near-production model in Amsterdam this April. Whatever it is, though, it won't be retro like the Bertone B99 concept from Geneva, though it's a pretty notion.

The idea is to compete with the 3-Series, C-Class and the like, with a focus on technology and a showroom date in 2015. With new ownership and eye-catching styling, you can bet that Jag has learned from the debacle that was the X-Type, hilariously ripped to shreds in this 2007 New York Times article. No word on pricing, but considering the current lineup it’s fair to estimate a starting figure around $45,000. Because that is what an entry-level car costs when you are rich.

If that’s setting the bar a little low, perhaps you would be interested in a new Maserati? The Italian luxury brand will refresh one current car and possibly create two new ones in the next few years to woo you and your wallet. A redesign of the performance sedan Quattroporte will bow at Frankfurt this fall, and the company also may have a smaller sedan in the works aimed at rivals like the BMW M5, Mercedes E63 AMG and Jaguar XFR. If that weren’t enough, Maserati is also rumored to be preparing a crossover/SUV vehicle in the vein of the BMW X6 and the Audi Q6 that we reported on earlier this week.

It’s quite significant that the niche automaker is planning such a broad model expansion. Maserati has a relatively low sales volume compared to the heavy hitters. The new models will require a significant investment from parent group FIAT, partner Chrysler and parts provider Ferrari. This kind of groupthink is what once provided us with the Pontiac Aztec. If it all comes together nicely, however, this could be the start of a completely new Maserati from the one we know today.

So that gives you about four years to get rich. I would suggest earning a prestigious degree, if anyone were hiring, or applying for a government job, if voters weren’t about to slash those aforementioned pensions. Hmm… maybe I would make a good stylist.