Maserati may keep its Italian suit while China rewires everything underneath
Italian styling could stay while Huawei supplies the digital backbone. Stellantis is discussing a deal that could put a joint electrified car into production by the end of 2027.
Maserati may be heading for one of the strangest turns in its modern history: the Italian styling could stay, while much of the technology comes from China. Reuters, citing two sources, reported that Stellantis is discussing a long-term partnership with Huawei and JAC, while Milano Finanza says most of the obstacles to an agreement have already been cleared. One crucial detail has not changed, though: no deal has been signed yet.
The idea did not appear yesterday. Back in May, Chinese sources described a fairly clear division of labor: Huawei would define the product and supply key technologies, JAC would handle development and manufacturing, while Maserati would take charge of design, branding and positioning. Then comes the most intriguing part. The same vehicle could potentially be sold in China under the Maextro brand and outside the country as a Maserati. At the time, the project was also said to be at an early stage of development.
Now Milano Finanza is also giving a possible timeline. If an agreement is reached, the first jointly developed electrified vehicle could potentially enter production by the end of 2027. Huawei's Harmony Intelligent Mobility ecosystem is being considered at the heart of the project. What has not been decided is where the car would be built — in China or Italy.
Why would Maserati even consider such a radical alliance? The numbers make the answer painfully clear. In 2025, the brand shipped just 7.9 thousand vehicles and posted an adjusted operating loss of €198 million. For a marque with this history, that is an alarming signal. A partnership with technology players could cut development costs and timelines, while a future Maserati program could also support utilization at the Modena and Cassino plants.
There is one important catch. This Chinese project cannot yet be automatically counted among Maserati's officially announced future models. Under the FaSTLAne 2030 plan, Stellantis separately confirmed two new E-segment models and promised to reveal a detailed Maserati roadmap in Modena in December 2026. Are those cars connected to Huawei and JAC? The company has not said so. That makes the December presentation, or the signing of an agreement, the next point after which Maserati's new strategy could be treated as a confirmed plan rather than an extremely intriguing scenario.