Maserati 5000 Reviews

News of Maserati’s plans to launch a sports car positioned below its GranTurismo first broke in May of last year. The speculation was quickly followed with confirmation of the car by Maserati boss Harald Wester, who added that it might feature a mid-engine layout.This led to talk that the car might use the platform of the Alfa Romeo 4C, which, incidentally, is built at a Maserati plant. However, it’s since been reported that the new sports car will feature an engine mounted up front. Now, Motor Trend has dug up some fresh details on the car after speaking with Wester.The Maserati boss said a new, small sports car was needed as a rival for the likes of the Jaguar F-Type and Porsche 911. He explained that volumes for cars like the bigger GranTurismo and GranCabrio (a.k.a. GranTurismo Convertible) were simply too limited. “The four-seat GranCabrio is in a segment where even the biggest-selling competitor sells just 2,000 a year maximum,” he said.Though it’s yet to be confirmed, the new sports car, which most are predicting to revive Maserati’s GranSport nameplate, will reportedly ride on a shortened version of the platform underpinning the Ghibli and Quattroporte sedans.This platform will allegedly be used for a number of performance models within the Fiat Chrysler Group including the new GranSport, next-generation GranTurismo and GranCabrio, and possibly even the next-generation Dodge Challenger and the long-rumored Barracuda it will spawn.The GranSport will be one of the smallest of these new performance models, stretching approximately 4.49m or roughly the same length as a C7 Corvette. To differentiate it from the larger GranTurismo, the GranSport will feature V6 power while the new GranTurimso will stick with a V8. The V6 in question is Maserati’s new twin-turbocharged 3.0-litre mill, which is manufactured by Ferrari and rated at 297 kW and 550 Nm.A convertible version of the GranSport is said to also be in the works, possibly as a replacement for the current GranCabrio. Both the new GranSport and the next-generation GranTurismo are expected to be launched on the market during 2015.www.motorauthority.com 

Maserati has ambitious plans to boost its annual sales to as much as 50,000 units per year in the mid to longer term, up from less than 7,000 units sold last year. To do so, the automaker intends on two brand new model introductions. One of these is the recently revealed 2014 Ghibli sedan, which goes on sale later this year. The other is the Levante SUV, which was previewed in 2011 by the Kubang concept car and is expected to be revealed late next year as a 2015 model. The Levante name comes from Via Emilia Levante in Bologna, Italy, where the Maserati brothers first dreamt of the company that today still bears their name. And, with Maserati’s centenary taking place next year, the use of the Levante name on the SUV seems appropriate; it hints at the past while also serving as a bridge to Maserati’s future.  As we’ve reported for some time, the Levante will share a platform with the Jeep Grand Cherokee. However, it will feature its own engines and be produced in Italy rather than the Jefferson North Assembly plant in Detroit as originally envisaged by Maserati. According to a report from Edmunds, demand for the Jeep Grand Cherokee means capacity at the vehicle’s plant is too tight to include the additional run of Levantes expected. The Levante is expected to be Maserati’s top seller, just as the Cayenne SUV is the most popular model in the Porsche lineup. Previous estimates have put production figures between 10,000 and 15,000 units annually. Power will come from the same assortment of engines fitted to the 2014 Ghibli and Quattroporte sedans. This means a twin-turbocharged 3.0-litre V6 with 300kW in the base model and a twin-turbocharged 3.8-litre V8 with 390kW in a range-topping model. The Ghibli’s 3.0-litre V6 turbodiesel will also be offered in the Levante overseas. The only transmission will be an eight-speed automatic. Interestingly, the report claims the Levante will use Maserati’s Q4 all-wheel-drive system rather than the existing setup found in the Jeep Grand Cherokee. This is due to the Levante being tuned more for sport handling rather than off-road prowess. With a reveal scheduled for next year, we should be seeing the first spy shots for the 2015 Maserati Levante very soon. www.motorauthority.com  

While many top manufacturers in the luxury segment have phased out their diesel V-8 engines, Maserati is reportedly looking to introduce a new one. Apparently the automaker sees a void in the market now that the likes of BMW and Mercedes-Benz are no longer offering a diesel V-8 option on their cars. The information comes from Car and Driver, which reports that the Fiat Chrysler Group is working on a new diesel V-8 engine aimed at global markets, something that is said to be in strong demand. The engine is expected to be a turbocharged V-8 unit displacing 4.0 litres and producing as much as 268 kilowatts and 623 Newton metres of torque. Whether such an engine makes it to production will depend on how well Maserati’s new diesel V-6 engine sells in the upcoming 2014 Ghibli sedan. This engine is a turbocharged 3.0-litre V-6, rated at  202 kilowatts and 599 Newton metres of torque. It is Maserati’s first diesel engine and it was developed together with Ferrari. There is one other major automaker still offering diesel V-8 engines to luxury buyers: the Volkswagen Group. Its latest model equipped with such an engine is the Porsche Cayenne S Diesel, which sports a twin-turbocharged 4.2-litre V-8 good for 285 kilowatts and a massive 848 Newton metres of torque. If this isn’t impressive enough, the Volkswagen Group has even more capable diesel engines in the works. Just this week the automaker announced new technology that will allow its diesel engines to deliver an astonishing 100 kilowatts per litre of displacement. www.motorauthority.com  

A BMW-chasing mid-size Maserati is tasked with being the vital cog in an extraordinary plan to boost sales by more than eight times. Maserati this week debuted its first mid-size sedan, the Ghibli, at the Shanghai motor show and claims it will sell 20,000 a year by 2015. In fact, Maserati wants a total of 50,000 sales in 2015 - more than eight times the 6200 units sold in 2012. Company chief executive Harald Wester is dead serious about the prediction that flies in the face of a massive car sales retraction in Europe. Wester agrees that since the recent sales peak of about 9000 annual Maserati sales of 2008, the market has plummeted. “Italy has been our Number 2 market for seven years up to 2008 when we sold about 900 cars,’‘ Wester says. “Last year, in Italy, we sold less than 100 cars.’’ Wester is clinical in his outlook but says the Ghibli, the new Quattroporte (on which the Ghibli is based) and the 2015 debut of Maserati’s first SUV, the Levante, will be so well received by buyers that sales of the company will hit 50,000 for 2015. “We’re doing cars better for our customers,’‘ he says. “The engine, the transmissions, the size of the cars and the price, will all meet the requests of our customers. “The old Quattroporte, for example, didn’t meet the requests of buyers. It had a size issue, it had an engine that was to big for the market and it was only available as a rear drive. “Now we move into a new Quattroporte with a selection of engines, all-wheel drive and rear-wheel drive, new levels of equipment. It satisfies markets like North America and Europe where if we don’t have an all-wheel drive, we don’t have a sale. “The Quattroporte appeals to a far bigger audience than before.’’ Though the emphasis is on the Quattroporte, Wester says the mid-size Ghibli will have ‘’substantially’’ more sales than its bigger sister. The Ghibli is the first mid-size four-door sports luxury sedan in Maserati’s 100 year history. It goes on sale in Australia in early 2014 from about $160,000 and follows the third-quarter release of the new Quattroporte. Australian importer Ateco says Maserati’s global 2015 target of 50,000 cars a year will be matched by local sales of about 1400 in 2016. Wester says the Ghibli is heavily based on the Quattroporte, using the same platform - but shortened by 200mm - and common suspension and drivetrain components. He says the Ghibli will have engine options of two 3-litre turbo-petrols and a 3-litre turbo-diesel. The three are built by - and related to - Ferrari products. Both V6 petrols have a bi-turbo system and are based on the Quattroporte’s V8. The higher-spec version will also be available as an optional powerplant in the Quattroporte. This engine produces 310kW/550Nm and allows the car to hit 100km/h from rest in only 4.8 seconds. The second petrol is slightly detuned with 243kW/500Nm and a sprint of 5.6 seconds. It claims 9.6 L/100km. The 202kW/600Nm 3-litre turbo-diesel is a Chrysler-VM engine though has been “enhanced’’ - says Wester - by Ferrari and is capable of less than 6 litres/100km and a 0-100km/h time of 6.3 seconds. The diesel represents not only a first for Maserati, but possibly the first time Ferrari has worked on a diesel engine for one of its family cars. “Diesel engine represent 75 per cent of the large-car segment in Europe ,’’ Wester says. “Buyers in Italy, for example, are more interested in the car’s size and the engine - they’re not interested in 500 horsepower.' “This is also a time of new engines. The old engines were normally-aspirated, big capacity, high revs and conventional technologies.“The new engines have two turbochargers, smaller capacities and direct injection. We are also seeing technologies of petrol and diesel engines getting closer and closer.’’ All Ghibli engines pick up improved economy and performance thanks to their eight-speed automatic transmission. “We have been accused on not being faithful to our roots,’’ Wester says. “But the Ghibli is everything we stand for. It remains an exclusive product. It is a car for someone outside the mainstream.’’ Maserati expects the Ghibli will contribute 20,000 units to its predicted 50,000 annual sales in 2015. The Quattroporte will deliver an estimated 10,000 sales and the new Levante SUV, based on the Jeep Grand Cherokee which is part of the new Fiat-Chrysler family, will sell at a rate of 20,000 a year. This is the third time the Ghibli name has been worn on a Maserati, though the first applied to a sedan. But Maserati nods to its predecessors by giving the Ghibli a couple-like style, especially around the C-pillar. It shares most of the dashboard design with the Quattroporte - one of the first signs of the commonality of the two models - while the shortened wheelbase crimps rear-seat room back to the same accommodation as the Audi A6 and BMW 5-Series. The Ghibli also continues Maserati’s dedication to an aural symphony. Like the petrol models, the diesel also gets the Maserati Active Sound system comprising two sound actuators fitted near the exhaust tailpipes that  accentuate the engine sound. Ghibli also shares Quattroporte’s suspension system with a double-wishbone front suspension and multi-link rear suspension with the option of the active Skyhook system, part-time all-wheel drive and sport-spec suspension damping. The Ghibli also has a standard mechanical limited slip differential to maximise traction.  

Two of Italy’s finest luxury labels, Maserati and Ermenegildo Zegna, have entered a partnership aimed at promoting Italian design and manufacturing excellence worldwide. At the same time, the two will collaborate on a number of projects, starting with a special edition model next year to celebrate the centenary of Maserati. The new special edition will be a Quattroporte sedan inspired by the collections of the famous fashion label. The Maserati flagship sedan will be reinterpreted and customised with new colours, materials and trims, with some lifted directly from Zegna’s famous suit line. In particular, fabrics will be produced by the historic Lanificio Zegna wool mill in Trivero, Italy. Only 100 examples will be built and owners will also benefit from a unique collection of accessories by Zegna, specially designed for each of the cars. The first prototype will be unveiled at a major international auto show later this year (a standard 2014 Quattroporte is featured above). In 2015, Maserati will start offering Zegna-designed trim across its range, and in 2016 the automaker will launch a new personalisation department to help capitalise on the growing demand for tailor-made products. The demand has been so strong that even Hyundai has developed a custom version of its Equus flagship with French fashion label Hermès. “The partnership between Maserati and Ermenegildo Zegna Group is the meeting point of two leading companies representing pioneering Italian design and manufacturing,” Fiat Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne said in a statement. “The partnership with an equally prominent company such as Ermenegildo Zegna will benefit both brands and the Fiat Chrysler Group.” www.motorauthority.com  

It appears Maserati’s mystery teaser for this month’s 2013 Shanghai motor show was in fact depicting the automaker’s upcoming Ghibli sedan, which has already been spied in prototype form for several months and was rumored to be debuting at the Chinese show. After an early leak, Maserati has now revealed its Ghibli and provided some initial details. These images, plus our own spy shots, confirm that Maserati designers have gone with a coupe-like profile for the latest Ghibli. This coupe styling, plus the long hood, is reminiscent of the original Ghibli, which was a sporty, two-door GT. The powerful rear fenders of the car, on the other hand, look similar to those found on the latest 2014 Maserati Quattroporte, while up front, the nose and grille section appears to protrude much farther than on Maserati’s bigger sedan. The interior has also been revealed; it exhibits a sporty, distinctly Italian design, with some elements also borrowed from the more upmarket Quattroporte in addition to plenty of carbon fiber to denote its sportier positioning in the Maserati lineup. Sales of new Maserati sedan will commence late in the year, making the Ghibli a 2014 model. The reason for the speedy rollout is due to Maserati’s ambitions growth plans, with the automaker hoping to boost its annual sales almost 10-fold to as much as 50,000 units per year by the middle of the decade. To speed up development, the Ghibli shares most of its underpinnings with the Quattroporte, including engines, transmissions and Maserati’s available Q4 all-wheel-drive system. In fact, the two cars were largely developed side by side. At launch, the Ghibli will be available with two turbocharged 3.0-litre V6 engines, the more powerful of which will develop 297 kW. Overseas, the car will also come with a 3.0-litre V6 turbodiesel option, likely to be the same VM Motori unit fitted to a number of Fiat and Chrysler vehicles. This makes the Ghibli the first production Maserati to feature a diesel engine. www.motorauthority.com  

Though no mention of what model is hidden beneath the teaser’s blue veil -- which will come off at Shanghai motor show later this month -- we do know Maserati is working on a new generation of its Ghibli nameplate, which we’ve previously reported will debut in Shanghai before going on sale as a 2014 model. We’ve even spotted prototypes for this new 2014 Maserati Ghibli testing in Europe. In the description that accompanied the latest teaser, Maserati said the shrouded car represents the newest addition to its lineup and that it not only borrows from the past but also looks to the future. The shrouded car also appears to have a long hood and coupe-like fastback design, which are both reminiscent of the original Ghibli and could certainly appear on any new model, even though the new Ghibli is expected to be a four-door coupe rather than a two-door like the stunning original. The powerful rear fender of the shrouded car looks similar to that found on the latest 2014 Maserati Quattroporte, while up front, the nose and grille section appears to protrude much farther than on Maserati’s bigger sedan. Whatever model Maserati is teasing, we don’t have long until its reveal; the 2013 Shanghai Auto Show opens on April 19. www.motorauthority.com  

It's the mid-sized Ghibli, which soon joins the Italian lineup ahead of the arrival of the SUV called Levante. Details will be revealed soon, but the new Maserati is expected to tap Chrysler technology - through the Fiat-Chrysler partnership - including a turbocharged 3.5-litre Pentastar V6 engine.It will arrive later this year priced at less than $100,000.