Maserati to Expand U.S. Dealership Count 52% This Year

Maserati SpA tells Automotive News it will have 120 dealers in the U.S. by the end of 2014 compared with 79 at the end of 2013.

CEO Harald Wester describes the U.S. as the Fiat SpA brand's most important market. He said earlier this year that Maserati expects to hike its annual sales worldwide to 75,000 units by 2018 from 15,400 last year.

Maserati expanded its global dealership count from about 230 at the end of 2012 to 355 today, Wester says. He adds that the company targets a network of 450-500 outlets by the end of next year.

Maserati expects volume to grow in part through the addition to its four-model lineup of a sports car and crossover vehicle.