After roadblocks, Maserati hopes for smooth second ride in India

It was not just Ferrari which suffered the brunt of a soured relationship with its earlier dealer Shreyans Group in India. Another Italian luxury carmaker, Maserati, which entered into a partnership with the same dealer back in 2008, also faced hurdles.

After that troubled stint, Maserati has made a comeback in the Indian market this week with three new partners. This time, the auto major will now sell models priced between Rs 1.1 crore and Rs 2.5 crore.

Umberto Cini, managing director for Middle East, India and Africa markets, says the relationship with Shreyans caused a damage to their brand and business. "We sold less than 20 units in India in the three years of partnership with the earlier dealer," Cini tells ETPanache.

Because of strategic differences with the partner, Maserati terminated the dealership contract two years ago. "It was a lost opportunity for us. Our customers were facing issues," he says.

The company had to fly in customer support teams from Italy to handle complaints. "Our technical teams used to come from Italy to assist the customers," he says, adding, "Till now we have been flying people in to service the cars."

However, in their second stint, Cini insists the company will not repeat past mistakes. "It took us a long time to come back, but we wanted to do it properly," he says.

The company has now appointed three new dealers in the country and is hoping to sell in double digits every year.

"We have not given ourselves any targets, but we want to sell in double digits. It could be 99 and it could be 10 also. I wish for the right number," he says. According to him, there is a lot of demand for Maserati cars in India. "There is a wealthy population here. For now, you probably see fewer Indians driving this car in India, but we see more Indians driving it outside India," says Cini.