Maserati Sebring Reviews

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. 

   

   

The launch of the new Quattroporte -- the world's fastest four-door saloon -- which replaces the best-selling Maserati in the company's 100-year history, heralds the start of an onslaught of new models over the next 18 months that may drive global Maserati sales to 50,000 worldwide.In additional to the new Quattroporte, Maserati will also launch a second sedan, the Ghibli, and its first SUV, the Levante, both of which take Maserati into new market sectors for the first time. These new models will be complimented by the fastest selling Maserati of all time, the GranTurismo, and its four seat open-top sibling, the GranCabrio.The new Maserati flagship, the Quattroporte, is larger, lighter, more luxurious and more practical than the car it replaces. With a three dollar top speed and a 0-100kmh time of 4.7 seconds, it's also as fast as most two-door supercars.The sixth-generation Quattroporte delivers a leap forward but also remains faithful to Maserati's long history in luxury sports saloons. The powerful engine and the large cabin at the core of the Quattroporte's design, dominated by a long, powerful nose and a concave Trident grille, provide a clear link to both the outgoing Quattroporte and the GranTurismo.Even with all of its new technology, the new Quattroporte remains true to Maserati's roots. Its V8 twin turbo makes it not only the fastest four-door Maserati ever built, but also the most powerful and the most fuel efficient.The Maserati direct-injection engine family boasts a twin turbo, 390kW/710Nm 3.8-litre V8 and a 301kW/550Nm 3.0-litre V6, both of which are new, twin turbo charged, designed by Maserati Powertrain and assembled by Ferrari at Maranello. The V6 twin turbo doesn't lack in performance.The V8 Maserati Quattroporte has lowered both its fuel consumption and emissions by 20 per cent over the outgoing Quattroporte. The all-new architecture retains the Quattroporte's handling thanks to its 50:50 weight distribution, a double-wishbone front suspension and a state-of-the-art five-link rear suspension.It also delivers new standards in quality in every area from design, development, fabrication and process controls. It is produced in a new plant that combines Maserati's traditions of craftsmanship with cutting-edge technologies that are able to guarantee outstanding quality by controlling even the tiniest details.Traditional hand crafted detailing continues in the Quattroporte's cabin, now more spacious and featuring both four and five-seat layouts. Cabin luxury leaps forward technically too, with features like the Maserati Touch Control screen, adjustable pedals (left hand drive only), reversing camera and the optional 15-speaker Bowers & Wilkins audio system, as well as WLAN-based WiFi and compatibility with most modern mobile phone systems.It lobs here in the fourth quarter of 2013. 

Tired of reading about hybrid cars? At least one car company is bucking the trend towards petrol-electric propulsion and sticking with raw horsepower. Maserati is poised to build a supercar based on the LaFerrari -- but unlike its Italian stablemate it will not have the high-powered hybrid system.Car magazine in the UK reports that Ferrari’s sister company is planning to produce a supercar of its own based on the same underpinnings as the LaFerrari that was unveiled at Geneva motor show a fortnight ago.The two companies have worked closely before. The last time Ferrari built a supercar - the Enzo - Maserati had a limited edition version of the same car called the MC12. Only 50 were built compared to the run of 400 Ferrari Enzo models.Significantly, the Maserati wasn’t allowed to out-power the Ferrari; the magazine report says the same deal will apply this time around as well. The Maserati supercar is due in 2015, about a year after the LaFerrari has enjoyed its first full year in production.The Maserati is likely to make do with a slightly detuned version of the mighty 6.2-litre V12 in the LaFerrari. It will also be slightly slower because the LaFerrari gets a power and acceleration boost from the electric motor.The LaFerrari will be the fastest and most powerful hybrid in the world when it goes on sale next year priced in excess of $1 million. Only 499 will be built. Ferrari, which used to mock the Toyota Prius, the world’s highest selling hybrid, has been forced to embrace the technology because of stringent emissions regulations in Europe.Ferrari used to boast that its cars produce fewer emissions than the Prius because so few Ferraris are sold each year. There are more than 4 million Prius hybrids on the road compared to Ferrari’s annual production of about 7000 V8 and V12 sportscars.But at least the “LaFerrari” will go like the wind. With a 0 to 100kmh time of “less than 3 seconds” it is almost as fast as a Formula One race car. It has a top speed in excess of 350km/h, and can reach 300km/h from rest in less time than it takes a tiny Smart car to reach 100km/h.It is powered by a conventional 6.2-litre V12 engine matched with a 120kW electric motor to create a combined output of 960 horsepower, or 715kW (more than a race-ready V8 Supercar). It is so fast that tyre maker Pirelli had to develop special tyres. “The LaFerrari represents Ferrari’s most ambitious project yet, to push the boundaries of technology on a road car,” the company said.This reporter is on Twitter: @JoshuaDowling

After hitting the auto show scene in 2010, Maserati’s race-inspired GranTurismo MC Stradale has undergone its first major update. Set to debut at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show next week, the updated Maserati GranTurismo MC Stradale goes on sale in Europe this summer and previews some of the changes we may see on our own GranTurismo MC. Key among the changes is an upgrade to the 338 kW variant of the GranTurismo’s 4.7-litre V-8 engine as well as the availability of a 2+2 seating configuration. Previously, the GranTurismo MC Stradale came with 331 kW and just two seats (the rear seats were removed in order to save weight). And just like the previous car, the updated GranTurismo MC Stradale continues to take its inspiration from the racing version which competes in the Maserati MC Trofeo racing series. This means it also features the race car’s latest upgrades, which include a new vented hood constructed from carbon fiber, forged alloy wheels measuring 20 inches in diameter, and carbon ceramic brakes from Brembo. The transmission remains Maserati’s six-speed automated manual ‘box, which paired to the slightly more powerful V-8 engine helps deliver a top speed of 303 km/h. www.motorauthority.com  

Despite only being formally announced six months ago, Maserati’s upcoming ‘baby’ sedan, the Ghibli, will reportedly be revealed as early as April’s 2013 Shanghai Auto Show.

Maserati will launch a new sports car in 2015 to challenge the likes of the Jaguar F-Type and Porsche 911; a car that could end up reviving the GranSport name. Unfortunately, apart from its 2015 launch, few details are known about it. A previous report suggested it will feature a mid-engine layout, possibly using a stretched version of the platform developed for the upcoming Alfa Romeo 4C, which, incidentally, will be produced in one of Maserati’s plants. Autocar is now reporting that the new Maserati sports car will offer the choice of V-6 and V-8 powerplants. Those engines are the same units produced by Ferrari for Maserati’s other models. In the latest 2014 Maserati Quattroporte, the V-6, a twin-turbocharged and direct-injected 3.0-liter mill, produces 410 horsepower, while the V-8 displaces 3.8-liters and develops 530 horsepower, also with the aid of turbocharging and direct-injection technologies. It’s likely that the new sports car will offer slightly higher outputs, reportedly up to 450 horsepower in V-6 trim and 550 horsepower with the V-8. It’s claimed that all-wheel drive may also be offered as an option to help boost the car’s popularity. An official document showed that the new sports car won’t be the flagship of the Maserati range. That role will remain with the GranTurismo, whose successor will also be launched in 2015. This means that we could see the new sports car launch with a pricetag of around $100k, which should make it competitive with its aforementioned rivals. With its Ferrari engine, mid-engine layout and expected $100k pricetag, the new Maserati sports car is starting to sound like a cut-priced 458 Italia. www.motorauthority.com  

One of the most striking cars of next year, the 2014 Maserati Quattroporte, recently made its online debut, but at the time Maserati only gave us a handful of photos to lust over. Now, finally, the automaker has released a wave of new photos for the sixth-generation Quattroporte, providing us with the opportunity to examine virtually every detail of the car.Competing in the full-size luxury sedan segment, the Maserati Quattroporte faces strong competition from the likes of the Mercedes-Benz S Class, which will also be all-new for 2014, as well as the recently updated BMW 7-Series and Lexus LS.Apart from its beautiful Italian styling, the Quattroporte also benefits from having its engines designed and built by Ferrari. We say engines, as the 2014 Quattroporte will for the first time offer more than one engine option.Two engine options have already been announced, a V-6 and a V-8, and it’s almost certain a V-6 diesel will be offered in select markets. Another first for the Quattroporte will be the option of all-wheel drive on the V-6 model, which should prove popular across the snow belt states.The most powerful of the engines is the V-8, which benefits from direct fuel injection and a twin-turbocharging system. It’s rated at 390 kilowatts and 650 newton-meters of torque (709 newton-meter with Overboost) and will rocket the big sedan from 0-100km/h in 7.6 seconds and see it reach a supercar-like top speed of 307km/h.In addition to being a better performer than the last Quattroporte, which came exclusively with a V-8, the new model is also bigger, lighter and more fuel efficient. Maserati claims the Quattroporte V-8 has lowered both its fuel consumption and emissions by 20 percent compared to the previous car.The V-6, which is also twin-turbocharged, is rated at 302 kilowatts and 510 newton-meters of torque, and is also more capable than the old V-8 model. It needs just 7.9 seconds for the 0-100km/h sprint and can reach a top speed of 285km/h.Underpinning the 2014 Quattroporte is a brand new platform composed mostly of steel, though with some aluminium to help save weight. The Quattroporte is not exactly light, weighing in at close to 1905 kg, though it should handle decently thanks to its ideal 50:50 weight distribution as well as double-wishbone front suspension and a state-of-the-art five-link rear suspension.The trunk space comes in at a generous 530 litres and the wheels measure between 483 and 533 mm in diameter. Most of the extra size comes in the rear, where occupants in the back will find an additional 102 mm of legroom.Please check out our gallery of the 2014 Maserati Quattroporte.Traditional hand crafted detailing continues in the Quattroporte’s cabin, now more spacious and featuring both four and five-seat layouts. Cabin luxury leaps forward technically too, with features like the Maserati Touch Control screen, adjustable pedals, a backup camera, optional 15-speaker Bowers & Wilkins audio system, and WiFi and smartphone connectivity.In terms of safety, the 2014 Quattroporte still lags many of its rivals, though it still offers a high level of safety. In addition to six standard airbags, the car also gets electronic stability control, ABS brakes and hill-hold assist, active cruise control, the aforementioned backup camera, active headrests and seatbelt pre-tensioners.The brakes are from Brembo and feature six-piston fixed calipers up front and ventilated and cross-drilled discs all around. On the V-8 model, the discs measure 380 mm in diameter and on the V-6 model they are 350 mm across.Stay tuned for live photos of the 2014 Maserati Quattroporte fresh from its debut next month at the 2013 Detroit Auto Show.www.motorauthority.com