Stellantis Halts Production At It’s Mirafiori Assembly Plant

In a surprising turn of events, Stellantis has announced a temporary halt in production at its Mirafiori plant located in Turin, Italy. According to a spokesperson for the company, this decision will affect both assembly lines for the current week and will be followed by another production stoppage from October 19 to November 3. Regrettably, this move will significantly impact approximately 2,400 workers who will not receive payment for the days of forced downtime.

Mirafiori is renowned for being the production hub of four Maserati models: the popular Ghibli and Quattroporte sedans, the stylish GranTurismo, and the robust Levante SUV. While the smaller Grecale crossover finds its home at the Cassino factory in the Lazio region, and the MC20 is meticulously assembled in Modena, the Mirafiori facility remains a pivotal cog in Stellantis’ production wheel.

One noteworthy revelation is that Stellantis plans to discontinue the current-generation Ghibli and Quattroporte by December. However, there’s a silver lining for fans of the Quattroporte, as it is slated for renewal in 2024, with a next-generation model promising a fully electric variant.

The Levante, an aging but beloved SUV, is not due for a successor until 2025, and it too will make the transition to an electric vehicle. Meanwhile, the GranTurismo, which saw its latest iteration unveiled just a year ago, will be joined by a GranCabrio before the end of 2023, featuring a zero-emission Folgore variant to cater to the growing demand for electric vehicles.

In addition to Maserati models, the Mirafiori plant also serves as the production site for the 500e, while the previous-generation model with combustion engines continues to roll off the assembly line in Poland at the Tychy factory. The 500e has been in production since early 2020 and enjoyed significant success as the third-best-selling electric vehicle in Europe in 2022.

However, recent market data paints a slightly different picture, with demand for the 500e in Europe dropping by 1.7% through August this year, as reported by market analysts Dataforce. In the first eight months of the year, the 500e slipped to the sixth position among best-selling electric cars on the continent.

Source: Automotive News Europe