Chrysler 2008 Annual Report Download - page 76

Report on Operations Maserati 75
Operating Performance
For Maserati, 2008 was a year of confirmation: both in terms of
profitability and the commercial success of new vehicles
launched in 2007 and 2008.
Trading profit was €72 million, improving significantly over the
€24 million figure for 2007. Furthermore, despite the sharp
decline in Maserati’s reference market for the year (-25% in the
Quattroporte’s segment and -20% for the GranTurismo),
Maserati posted an increase in deliveries of 16.8% over 2007.
With more than 5,500 units sold, the GranTurismo, including
the GranTurismo S sport version presented in Geneva in
March, reconfirmed its position as the company’s flagship
vehicle. The Quattroporte, which created the ’luxury sport
sedan’ segment and has received 47 awards, both domestically
and internationally, recorded 3,240 units delivered during the
year.
In competition, Maserati Corse swept the championships again
in 2008 with the MC12, taking both the driver and team titles,
in addition to a prestigious victory at the Spa 24 Hours.
Maserati delivered 8,759 vehicles to the network, a 16.8%
increase over the 7,496 units delivered in 2007. Despite the
global economic difficulties experienced in the latter part of the
year affecting nearly all 59 of the countries in which the
company operates, Maserati achieved increases over 2007. The
U.S. was once again Maserati’s most important market with
2,666 units being sold in 2008. The average increase for the
other markets was 25%, including excellent performance in
Germany (+21%), Italy and the U.K. (+19%), the United Arab
Emirates (+105%) and China (+80%).
The order book stood at 1,242 units at year end.
Maserati
Highlights
(€ millions) 2008 2007
Net revenues 825 694
Trading profit 72 24
Operating profit (*) 72 22
Investments in tangible and intangible assets 73 97
- of which, capitalised R&D costs 37 42
Total R&D expenditure (**) 47 54
Automobiles delivered (no. of units) 8,759 7,496
No. of employees at year end 767 695
(*) Includes restructuring costs and net unusual income/(expense).
(**) Includes capitalised R&D and R&D charged directly to the income statement.
Innovation and Products
In 2008, Maserati enhanced its market offer, expanding the
GranTurismo range and releasing the new Quattroporte.
The GranTurismo S, designed for the brand’s sportier
customers, was presented at the Geneva Motor Show in March.
In September, the restyled Quattroporte and the 430
horsepower, 4.7-litre V8 Sport version were unveiled for the
public at the Paris Motor Show.