24.06.2004 Martin Leach has talked to the press for the first time since becoming the new CEO of the Maserati, seeing a bright future in the luxury sporting segment for the famous brand

Martin Leach has talked to the press for the first time since becoming the new CEO of the Maserati. At a presentational press conference held by the specialist sportscar maker, Leach commented on the Maserati brand's future.

While guarded, ahead of the completion of of a full internal review he has ordered, which is expected to be completed within the next three weeks, he indicated that a small company like Maserati would have to seek technical and financial input from other manufacturers in areas that could create benefits.

While casting his net further than just Audi, who Maserati already have a growing technical agreement with, he brought Fiat's Alfa Romeo brand into the equation, commenting that he would like to explore the possibility of sharing both costs and parts.

This immediately threw up the old consideration of bringing the Alfa Romeo brand into the Ferrari-Maserati portfolio, an idea previously pursued by the then sportscar arm's boss Luca di Montezemolo, but at the time stamped on by former Group CEO Guiseppe Morchio. With Morchio now departed and di Montezemolo in the Chairman's seat, the spectre of a Ferrari-Maserati-Alfa Romeo division raises its head once more.

Leach, a former Ford Europe CEO, and a highly regarded auto industry figure, strongly believes that Maserati has a prosperous future despite strong opposition from established luxury brands including Audi, Mercedes-Benz and BMW.