Interview to Daniele Maver, President of Jaguar and Land Rover Italy.

Maver

Daniele Maver

Interview Date: 18th February 2012.

Professional Profile: Daniele Maver

The Italian Market keep falling, while the Worlwide one keep growing. Over 2011, the Italian Light Passengers Market (Cars + Light Commercial Vehicles) scored 2.5% in the world (being 3.7% in 2008).
Did any changes occur against our Market while being approached by OEM?
Are you aware of any deadline in the Chinese Calendar? Really? Me too, I did not know them! Afterwards I learnt that Companies have to keep them in mind (as they do about our Calendar) while fixing worldwide Launch dates of new model years. During the last few years our Market has narrowed while others (particularly Asia) have grown. The Organization has logically changed its own future perspectives. It is a fact that we worth less.

How has Your Company changed its approach about Italian Market?
Some investments have been re-calibrated on the basis of the new “weight” of the Italian and European Markets. However, speaking about Land Rover, it has been recognized the Volume stability and the Italian Branch role. Nowadays we are still the first market over Europe, excluding Great Britain, Jaguar’s and Land Rover’s Country.

Will be there any consequences on the product offer?
Indeed. In the future investment plans (choosing among different options), we are taking some decisions based upon Asian Markets. Land Rover are currently developing a Pick-Up, for example, that is not demanded by our market, but owns great potential sales over Asia and North America.

In Italy there is 1 vehicle every 1.4 residents. Following U.S. (1.2) we are the second in the world. UK, France and Germany are between 1.7 and 1.9. To reach the same index as per the other European Countries, we should get rid of (without replacing them) more than 5 million vehicles (and eventually riding a bicycle).
Would not be more suitable to opt for a policy to not use cars in order to facilitate the most modern substitutes of urban and extra-urban mobility?
I am absolutely in favour for a policy to not use cars in the cities. Huge investments would be required to allow citizens to utilize alternative transports. The main issue is the inefficiency of the public transports in several Italian cities. The quantity and capacity of the “exchangeable parking” should be increased, where citizen could leave its car and pick alternative transports. Rome is a disaster. I do not like to make examples, but the usage of bus, tube, bicycles is not very good. And anybody prefers to drive the car as soon as he can.

I, personally, would not create other obstacles and adverse policies towards poor drivers. However I would create real alternatives. The electric car will not be an alternative. It will be reducing the emissions in the cities, but not the quantities of vehicles.

As previously said, the fiscal pressure increase on cars should not be seen in a positive way in respective to other alternative fiscal pressures on citizens?
Nope! Only during last year, the fiscal pressure increase on cars has been un-proportioned. This is an un-usable lever now.

Are you aware of ZipCar? What do you think of Car Sharing?
No. I am not. Car Sharing is a good idea, but currently has limited margins of development.

6910271805 58662d915e Intervista a Daniele Maver, Presidente di Jaguar e Land Rover Italia

From 2007, France has adopted a “Bonus/Malus” system which sponsor to purchase less polluting vehicles, while the most polluting ones become penalized. This system (with “Zero” costs for Citizens and Countries) re-distribute resources among those ones are producing more or less CO2.

Will you be in support about the introduction of a similar system in Italy? Why?
In Italy there is already a “Malus” system in place, very penalizing, which is well represented by the super-taxes on super-charges. I would not give a “Bonus” to a car buyer, even if small and with low emissions. However I would spend the public money to improve the urban mobility services.

Do you think Italy should keep incentive the GPL/Methane utilization in a structural manner, due to their lower costs and emission levels, taking into consideration Italians own a very strong manufacturing know-how and this sector can create new jobs?
Technical people confirm this kind of technology has reliability issues. Even the same Small Cars Manufacturing Organizations do not step into any “strong” decisions today. Why the State should do that?

(Translated by Matteo Ceronetti)

Share this:


Related Posts

Leave a Comment

Get an alert when there are new comments. Or subscribe without comment.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.