Maserati cars

2011 Maserati SUV Concept Headed to Frankfurt

It wasn’t until just recently that the idea for a Maserati SUV was completely taboo, but times are tough and if Maserati hopes to stay in the game, they’ll need to bring the bulk. After all, with only 5,675 units sold a year and big plans to push sales up to 50,000 units a year, Maserati will need all of the lineup expansion they can muster to see that dream become a reality. Enter the Maserati SUV Concept.

Fiat CEO, Sergio Marchionne, has a clear picture of what he wants to see in Maserati’s future, and that image has been projected into the first concept version of the company’s future SUV based on the Jeep Grand Cherokee platform. The future SUV will most likely be powered by a 4.7 liter V8 engine mated to a ZF eight speed automatic gearbox. This engine will deliver about 450 HP, but the European market may only be seeing a 3.0 L V6 producing about 300 HP.

There’s not much information on the Maserati SUV Concept just yet, but all will be revealed next week at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show, so stay tuned!

Rendering: 2013 Maserati Baby Quattroporte

After seven years of high end luxury and sales, the Quattroporte is changing it up just a bit to please a greater chunk of the luxury sedan market. One of the major changes befalling Maserati’s flagship model is the addition of a younger brother. The baby Quattroporte will be arriving in the middle of 2012 and is rumored to be priced at $68,000.

The whole idea behind the baby version is to please Maserati customers complaining that the standard Quattroporte was too big. The Italian luxury car manufacturer responded by providing a shorter wheelbase, thereby shrinking the vehicle in general. Recent spy shots have also shown smaller front brakes, an ill-fitting windscreen, and one exhaust on each of the vehicle’s rear end. Say what you want, but we need to see this to believe it which is why we created this rendering as a portal to the future.

As far as power goes, rumors have been circulating that Maserati will be dropping their Ferrari-sourced V8 engines and picking up a twin-turbocharged, 3.0-liter version of the Chrysler’s Pentastar. This has yet to be confirmed, but seems to be a viable option considering the extreme pressure on automakers to improve fuel consumption. The problem with this engine, though, is that the standard Pentastar V6 only delivers a total of 280 horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque, a far cry from the Quattroporte’s 400 HP. However, the turbocharging should help out in that department. Whatever the output is, this engine will be mated to an eight-speed ZF automatic gearbox.

Maserati’s future Quattroportes will borrow from Chrysler and Ferrari

As part of their aim for 50,000 units sold per year, Maserati is keeping busy by trying to put together the perfect Quattroporte. Long since considered too big for a daily driver, but too small for a chauffeur’s car, the Quattroporte will need to be just right for customers’ consumption. Maserati’s answer to that dilemma is to create two new sedans - the Quattroporte and ’baby’ Quattroporte - at just the right size and to borrow systems and components from Chrysler sedans such as the Chrysler 300 and the Dodge Avenger.

So, will the consumers be force-fed re-badged Chryslers? Not according to Maserati. The company has maintained a clear picture of what they want the Maserati to look like and have therefore stuck to borrowing elements from Chrysler that will not be readily seen. Elements such as wiring, air conditioning, passive safety systems, and seat structures will find their way into to the Quattroporte, leaving the overall look purely Maserati.

Details for the future Maserati Quattroporte and ’baby’ Quattroporte after the jump.

2011 Maserati Gran Turismo S Automatic Sport Pack

The GranTurismo S Automatic has turned out to be Maserati’s most sold model on the British market and, as a thanks to their customers, the automaker is now offering a new Sport Pack as a bonus. The new add-on further enhances the GranTurismo S Automatic so that it delivers a performance oriented experience, but don’t expect that experience for free; the new package is priced at £3,840, or about $6,240 at the current exchange rates.

The most important feature of the new Sport Pack is a revised exhaust system which keeps its bypass valves fully open in Sport mode to provide an even richer sound. Next to this, the package also includes body colored side skirts and front winglets, a stylish black grille featuring the Maserati Trident logo with red accents, black mesh side grilles, black look headlights, an integrated rear boot lid spoiler, and oval exhaust pipes. Grigio Mercury Neptune-design alloy wheels finish off the Maserati’s sportier look.

Other than that, the GranTurismo S Automatic’s specifications remain unchanged. Look for the usual 4.7-liter V8 engine that delivers a total of 440 HP and a peak torque of 361 lbs-ft at 4750 rpm to get the vehicle from 0 to 60 mph in 5 seconds flat. Top speed remains at 183 mph.

2011 Maserati GranTurismo S Superior Black Edition by Anderson Germany

Anderson Germany seems to have a thing for turning already superior sports cars into lean and mean beasts of the road with exquisite black exterior paint finishes and upgraded power outputs. Their most recent transformations have come for the Porsche Panamera and the Aston Martin DBS, but they are now revealing the GranTurismo S Superior Black Edition. Just like the previously spectacular tuning packages, the GranTurismo S Superior Black takes the standard model and adds the aggressiveness it needs with a matte black exterior finish and other upgraded features, as well as extra thump for the engine.

The body of the vehicle get a cool matte black paint job while the window frames, grill, and the rear logo are covered in a shiny black finish. Anderson Germany then covered the exterior mirrors, tailgate and roof ledges, and the lateral left and right air inlets in carbon fiber before finishing the vehicle off with a new set of 21" glossy black exclusive rims with carbon framing. The use of carbon fiber in these accessories has reduced the GranTurismo’s weight by a total of 28 lbs.

Once the doors are opened, it becomes abundantly clear that Anderson Germany has also used carbon fiber to enrich the inside of the Maserati. The air inlets, door knobs, the switch desk in the roof liner, the door sill panels, the steering wheel, the seat regulation levers, the shifting paddles, and the radio mask are all made of carbon fiber. The luxury continues with black carbon leather seats with black Alcantara, keder piping, and red rhombus seams.

Anderson Germany continued to throw themselves into this tuning kit by providing an exhaust enhancement, racing cats, and software optimization for the GranTurismo’s 4.7 liter V8. These additions brought the output to 492 HP from the standard 440 HP.

Maserati’s future plans get laid out

Yesterday’s news on Maserati’s plans to unveil the concept version of their future SUV in Frankfurt have apparently sparked a bit of interest for the rest of the brand’s lineup. Automotive News has revealed more details on the full Maserati future product line which includes plans for a boost in sales of 50,000 units per year. This alone will be quite an achievement considering only 5,675 Maserati models were sold last year. With that goal in mind, Maserati went to work to develop new models.

As of right now, three new models will be launched as part of the brand’s extensive sales boost: two new sedans and the aforementioned SUV. Fiat CEO, Sergio Marchionne, has said that the two sedans won’t just be rebadged Chrysler models, but have different bodies, new interiors, new front and rear suspensions, and dedicated powertrains.

The first of the new sedans will be the long rumored baby Quattroporte, followed by the larger Quattroporte, code-named M156. The baby Quattroporte will be launched next year as a competitor for models like the BMW 5-Series and the Audi A6. It will feature a high performance version of the Chrysler V-6 Pentastar engine with a total output of about 400 HP. Prices will lay between $78,000 to $99,000.

Hit the jump for more details from Maserati’s future lineup.

Maserati’s future SUV to be revealed in Frankfurt

After being rumored for quite some time now, Maserati’s future SUV will make its world debut in September at the Frankfurt Motor Show as confirmed by CEO of Chrysler Group and Fiat, Sergio Marchionne. The model will be appearing as a concept, but will provide a good idea as to what to expect from the production version set to follow in 2013.

The new SUV will be built on a Jeep Grand Cherokee platform, but the power behind it is still a mystery. Marchionne revealed very little, saying that the SUV’s engine will be "a rock and roll engine," possibly in both V8 and V12 variants. It was first rumored to be loaded with a Ferrari-sourced V8 or V12 engine, but recent talks have nixed that notion. Now, the rumor mill is churning information about a Chrysler Hemi V8 with 465 HP, but no confirmations have been made. For Europe, there may even be a diesel engine, most likely a 3.0 twin turbo Fiat.

Whatever engine gets the chance to reside under the Maserati SUV’s hood, it should be ready to pounce on models like the Porsche Cayenne. The Cayenne, being the pioneer SUV of the performance-based automakers, has had its time to shine and may need to up the ante to battle with the upcoming competition.

2012 Maserati GranCabrio Convertible Sport

Sitting in the shadows of its more-esteemed sister - or in this case, brother - brand has long been one of Maserati’s shortcomings. It’s not a fair tag to put on the Italian brand, but the fact is, Ferrari’s larger-than-life status in the industry has made it frustratingly difficult for Maserati to step out of the enormous shadow of the Prancing Horse.

But to say that Maserati isn’t trying is likewise a slap in the face of the Italian automaker. And to be completely on the up-and-up, if there’s a car that can definitely make the world stand up and take notice, the brand’s new 2012 GranCabrio Convertible Sport is that car. Scheduled to be unveiled at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show, the newest Maserati GranCabrio Convertible is nothing short of jaw-dropping.

The design of the car is stunning, the body color is resplendent, and the powertrain is by no means a slouch. All three things that are important to any supercar, Maserati hits right out of the park with the GranCabrio Convertible Sport.

Now we understand that a man’s taste is totally subjective, but in the case of the GranCabrio Convertible Sport, it makes the discussion completely moot.

UPDATE 08/02/11: After finding out just how much it will cost us to buy one of the babies, Maserati has now revealed an online configurator for the new model to tempt us even more with the growing number of options. Get your kicks by customizing the car’s exterior color, wheels, calipers, and the color of the soft top! In conjunction to the configurator, the company has also revealed the first presentation video for the new GranCabrio Sport. Enjoy!

2011 Maserati GranTurismo MC Stradale

Maserati may err on the side of of caution when choosing between luxury and speed, but eventually speed-loving fanatics have no choice but to reveal their road-gripping, fire-breathing side. Alas, we now have evidence of Maserati’s wild side. Just a couple of weeks before the Italian luxury brand was set to unveil their new special edition Gran Turismo at the Paris Auto Show, the company has jumped the gun and released the first official details of the fastest, lightest, and most powerful Maserati in the line-up. We hope everyone is just as intrigued as we were because this is a side of Maserati that should come out more often.

The special edition is called the GranTurismo MC Stradale and is due to go on sale in Europe in the first quarter of 2011 with a U.S. launch shortly thereafter. It is powered by a 4.7 liter V8 engine that delivers 450 HP - an improvement over the standard 405 HP - while still offering the same fuel consumption as a standard Gran Turismo. It also comes with an improved aerodynamic down force and will brake the 186 mph barrier.

Inspired by the Trofeo GranTurismo MC and the race-winning GT4 motorsport models, the Maserati GranTurismo MC Stradale special edition has been tweaked and modified as a direct result of the lessons learned from Maserati’s three racing programs. But what makes this vehicle even better is that it’s road legal.

More details about the car will be released closer to its official unveiling.

UPDATE 07/27/2011: Maserati North American has announced that the new MC Stradale will go on sale at a starting price of $139,000. With its 185 mph top speed, this will be the fastest Maserati offered on the US market.

Hit the jump to read more about the Maserati GranTurismo MC Stradale.

2011 Maserati GranTurismo Sovrano by DMC

In its standard version, the Maserati GranTurismo MC Stradale delivers a total of 450 HP - an impressive output over the GranTurismo’s standard 420 HP, but nothing compared to what DMC is capable. The German tuner has found a simple way to boost the power up to 590HP, and threw in an exterior and interior package as a bonus.

In order to obtain the extra 140 HP, DMC opted to pair the Maserati’s 4.7 liter V8 engine with a supercharger and a new exhaust system. Those simple additions allowed DMC to turn the MC Stradale into a fire breathing dragon.

Every other modification would be considered chump change next to the engine boost, but DMC tackled the exterior and interior anyway. The exterior was smoothed over with plenty of cabron fiber parts, including a new front bumper, a new spoiler lip to improve downforce, new air inlets and outlets, and new Wide Body side skirts. The rear of the vehicle gets a rear trunk spoiler and a rear diffuser, while the whole look is finished off with a new set of 20" forged alloy wheels. As for the interior, DMC opted for the finest leather with carbon fiber for the seats, doors, dash, and cabin-ski.

Our only problem with this package is that they downgraded from the last MC Stradale package they created. Last year’s model was pushed all the way to 600 HP and featured a couple of other exterior features to help the engine along, like three air-vents, one on each side consisting of three air-stairs to go with the cooling vent in the center.