1962 Maserati 5000gt Coupe on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Maserati ends GranTurismo production with one-off Zeda model

MODENA, Italy — Maserati celebrated the end of the GranTurismo's 12-year production run by building a one-off example called Zeda, which is the name of the letter Z in the Modenese dialect. The Italian firm unveiled the milestone car in the historic Modena, Italy, factory it's preparing to re-tool for a new addition to its range due out in early 2020. The Zeda is not the last GranTurismo off the production line; Autoblog visited the Modena factory minutes before the car's unveiling and spotted the last dozen or so cars behind it, but a company spokesperson explained all of the unfinished models have already been spoken for. The commemorative coupe is the last GranTurismo that hasn't been sold yet. It stands out from the roughly 40,000 examples made since the model broke cover during the 2007 Geneva Motor Show with an eye-catching paint job that starts with a deep blue applied to the front part of the car and ends with a light satin finish. The rear almost looks like bare metal in person. Edition-specific emblems on the front fenders add a finishing touch to the look.  rg-maserati-granturismo-zeda-2 View 12 Photos There are no changes under the hood. The Zeda is powered by a 4.7-liter V8 engine developed with input from former sister company Ferrari and tuned to deliver 460 horsepower at 7,000 rpm and 383 pound-feet of torque at 4,740 rpm. The eight-cylinder spins the rear wheels via a six-speed automatic transmission that can be left in drive or shifted manually using paddles. Maserati hasn't decided what it will do with the GranTurismo Zeda yet. It might keep the car in its private collection, or it could sell it to a collector. Either way, the coupe will remain a one-of-a-kind example, one that marks the start of a new era for the 105-year old Italian automaker. The plant that currently builds the GranTurismo (and the Alfa Romeo 4C, which is also being phased out) will begin manufacturing a sports car that Maserati will unveil during the 2020 Geneva auto show. It's expected to arrive as a two-seater that will draw inspiration from the Alfieri concept introduced during the 2014 edition of the event. It will be a sharper, more driver-focused model than the GranTurismo, which is a grand tourer by definition. Its rivals will include the Porsche 911 and the Jaguar F-Type.

Maserati MC20 Cabrio is a 621-horsepower Italian hair dryer

Winter is officially here, but Maserati is already looking forward to warmer temperatures and more driving-friendly weather. It released the first official photos of the MC20 Cabrio, which is exactly what it sounds like: a convertible version of the recently-launched MC20 coupe. Maserati likes having fun with the camouflage it uses to cover its pre-production prototypes, it notably dedicated an early MC20 test mule to Stirling Moss, and it designed a cloud-themed wrap specifically for the MC20 Cabrio. Unfortunately, whether it features clouds or swirls, the camouflage does an excellent job of hiding key details and the photos ask more questions than they answer. For example, we know that this is a convertible but there's no word yet on whether it will have a power-folding cloth soft top or if it will be fitted with a removable roof panel. Roof aside, the Cabrio looks nearly identical to the coupe, which isn't a bad thing; we think the MC20 is one of the best-looking cars that Maserati has released, and its exterior design will influence other additions to the company's range, including the Grecale crossover. Both the coupe and the convertible are built around the same carbon fiber monocoque, and we're guessing that there won't be major drivetrain differences between the two body styles. Power for the Cabrio will come from a mid-mounted, 3.0-liter V6 that's twin-turbocharged to develop 621 horsepower and 538 pound-feet of torque. Called Nettuno, it spins the rear wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission. More details about the Maserati MC20 Cabrio will emerge in the coming months. Sales should start for the 2023 model year. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

2014 Maserati Quattroporte to get twin-turbo V6

As we wait for the Detroit Auto Show to get our up-close and in-depth look at the redesigned 2014 Maserati Quattroporte, some details are just starting to emerge about the car's powertrain, but nothing is official just yet. Autocar has posted a first drive of the new Quattroporte, finally spilling the beans about what motivates this sporty and luxurious sedan.
We already knew that the 2014 Quattroporte will offer two engines - a V6 and V8 - but what we didn't know is that both engines will get a pair of turbochargers and direct injection. Previously, we speculated that the smaller V6 would be supercharged, but this 3.0-liter V6 will get turbos instead helping it produce an estimated 410 horsepower. As for the larger 3.8-liter V8, this engine is said to produce 530 horsepower (confirming our previous report) to go with 479 pound-feet of torque; performance specs for the V8 include a top speed of 191 miles per hour and a 0-60 mph time of well under five seconds.
All cars will have a ZF eight-speed automatic transmission, and all-wheel drive will be optional allowing for all of the engine power sent to the rear wheel during normal driving and a full 50/50 split between front and rear axles when needed. As we suspected, the 2014 Quattroporte has grown in size to better compete with the Mercedes-Benz S-Class.