Maserati may have billed the Alfieri as a “true sports car,” but apparently, but apparently, even those flowery words weren’t enough for the Italian automaker to stick to its initial timetable. According to Autocar, Maserati has recalibrated the launch dates of the Alfieri, as well as the Granturismo and Grancabrio 2+2 GT. The initial plan was to launch the Alfieri between 2018 and 2019 with the Granturismo and Grancabrio 2+2 GT following suit in 2020 and 2021, respectively. But now, the latter two cars are now slated to be replaced in 2018 and 2019 with the Alfieri following suit in 2020.

The Italian automaker didn’t specifically explain the rationale behind the switch in timetables and the only thing that came close to an explanation came from Maserati Europe general manager Giulio Pastore, who told Autocar that both the Granturismo and Grancabrio models are “vital elements of the Maserati lineup.”

Vague as that may be, the decision likely boils down to Maserati having a change of heart regarding the status of some of its models, most notably the Grancabrio, which was previously linked to getting the proverbial axe. In fact, Maserati’s previous product plan stated that the Grancabrio was going to be replaced by a soft-top Alfieri.

Now it looks like the Grancabrio will live to see another day as Maserati continues to build up its product portfolio. There’s no word yet on whether the Alfieri will still get a soft top variant now that the Grancabrio is going to stick, but don’t expect an answer to arrive soon now that the Alfieri’s own production timetable has been moved back.

Autocar

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It’s worth pointing out here that Maserati has been known to take a long time getting new cars off the ground. If you think the Alfieri’s new schedule is frustrating, consider that the Levante SUV, a vehicle that’s probably more important to Maserati, took almost two years from the time it was green lit for production to actually getting them built.

So while I am surprised that Maserati decided to take this step, my reaction is alleviated by the welcome news that the company isn’t going to stop production of the Grancabrio. That’s good news for fans of Maserati, especially those who pride themselves on being purists of the brand. The last iteration of the Grancabrio may not have been received as well as Maserati hoped, but it still remains one of the brand’s core models and the company isn’t going to let the car’s status end.

Make no mistake; the Alfieri is also an important car for Maserati, maybe even more important than the Grancabrio when you consider the design influences it’s already had on other Maserati models, most notably the Levante and the Ghibli. The fact that it’s timetable has been pushed back shouldn’t be a cause for concern of those looking forward to seeing the production version hit dealerships. Sure, it’s going to take longer than expected, but it’s still arriving, which is what’s really important.

Read our full review on the 2014 Maserati Alfieri here.