The former Maserati plant in Turin, put up for sale online by Stellantis, may have caught the attention of Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla. Rumors online, fueled by some clues, suggest a potential interest by Musk. The plant, located in Grugliasco, Turin, and built in 1959 by Carrozzeria Bertone, produced historical models like the Fiat Punto Cabrio, Volvo 780, and Opel Astra Cabrio. Acquired by the Fiat group in 2009, it was transformed into a luxury hub for Maserati, producing Quattroporte and Ghibli until its closure in 2020.
Maserati: Is Elon Musk buying the Grugliasco plant?
The 115,000-square-meter plant, listed on a real estate site by Stellantis, has an undisclosed price, rumored to be around 100 million euros. It will be available from 2024, after discontinuing Maserati Bodywork production.
Why might Elon Musk be interested? Several reasons could explain this. Musk admires Italian design and the Maserati brand, stating in a 2018 interview, ‘Maserati makes beautiful cars. I like them.’ Musk also expressed a desire for a Tesla factory in Europe, tweeting in 2019, ‘Italy has great engineers and designers. It would be great to have a Tesla factory in Italy in the future.’
Additionally, the Turin plant offers strategic advantages for Tesla. Already equipped for luxury car production, with a capacity of around 50,000 units annually, it’s strategically located near qualified suppliers and transportation infrastructure. It could provide Tesla access to the growing Italian electric car market.
Lastly, the Turin plant could pose a personal challenge for Musk. Past conflicts with Sergio Marchionne, the former Fiat and FCA CEO, who criticized Musk‘s business model and promises, might make acquiring the plant a way for Musk to demonstrate his superiority and vision.
However, at this point, these are rumors with no official confirmation. Neither Tesla nor Stellantis has commented, and it’s unknown if there have been any contacts. Other buyers, including electric car manufacturers or companies from different sectors, might also be interested. The announcement is online, and anyone can make an offer.