The Shanghai Motor Show 2025 is in full swing, welcoming some 70 automotive manufacturers. However, one absence did not go unnoticed: that of Maserati. The Italian brand, once very popular in China, has chosen not to take part in the event, as it did in 2024.
China, a country where the brand has been in decline for several years
Eight years ago, in 2017, Maserati was peaking in China with over 14,000 annual sales, making the Chinese market almost 30 % of its worldwide sales. But this euphoria was short-lived. From 2018 onwards, sales began to fall sharply.
In 2024, the state of play was alarming: only 1,228 Maseratis were sold in China. Read or re-read our article: Maserati in China: the story of an Italian brand that went from euphoria to tears.
A show without Maserati... and without several big names
According to the Chinese media, The Shanghai Motor Show 2025 is marked by the absence of many European and Korean brands. Hyundai, Kia, Genesis, Peugeot, Citroën, Jaguar Land Rover, Lamborghini, Rolls-Royce... and Maserati are all missing. This conspicuous absence, which made headlines in some local media, reflects the rapid evolution of the Chinese market, now dominated by local brands, particularly in the electric car sector.
As far as Maserati is concerned, the strategy seems clear: in the midst of downsizing in China, the brand is refocusing on its traditional markets, notably Europe and the United States, where sales are also at a low. Yet it was at the Shanghai Motor Show 2023 that the brand chose to present its Folgore range.
Falling sales figures in the first quarter of 2025
Data for the first quarter of 2025 confirms this strong trend:
| Country | T1 2024 | T1 2025 | Evolution |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 1701 | 1044 | -39% |
| Italy | 803 | 474 | -41% |
| Japan | 338 | 219 | -35% |
| Germany | 121 | 149 | 23% |
| United Kingdom | 156 | 102 | -35% |
| Switzerland | 76 | 29 | -62% |
| Australia | 101 | 88 | -13% |
| Turkey | 68 | 49 | -28% |
| France | 13 | 24 | 85% |
| 3377 | 2178 | -36% |
In all, Maserati registered 2,178 vehicles in the first quarter of 2025, compared with 3,377 the previous year, an overall decline of 36 %.
Is this just goodbye?
Faced with the rapid erosion of its image in China and fierce competition from new national luxury brands, Maserati seems to have decided to limit its losses. Its absence from this year's Shanghai Motor Show is in line with this logic: reserve resources for markets that are still buoyant, rather than persist in a market where its decline has become inescapable.
English 
French 
Italian 
Spanish 
Portuguese 
German 
Japanese 
Turkish