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Maserati's Levante crossover gets cold weather test

With winter in full effect in the northern hemisphere, automotive engineers from across the globe have flocked to the fjords and towns of northern Sweden for winter testing. That includes teams from Maserati, who are pitting a mule for the Levante SUV against the snow, ice and bitterly cold temperatures. The last time we saw a Levante mule was in August. That vehicle, though, was riding dirty without any license plates, meaning it's impossible to know if the vehicle shown above is one and the same. Both sport an eye-catching shade of blue beneath their shape-distorting camo, and the wheels and heightened roof are the same too. Beyond that, there's not a lot to see that's new here. Maserati's decision to move testing north to Sweden while still using a mule is an interesting one. As our spies point out, considering how long this particular vehicle has been testing, we'd imagine it's only a matter of time before we see a Levante testing with a more production-based body, rather than the Ghibli shell that's been fitted here. Take a look at the spy photos of the new Levante, available up top.

The BMW 8 Series leads this month's list of discounts

Whether you prefer the sleek looks of a sport coupe, the wind-in-your-hair exhilaration of a convertible or the flexible practicality of a four-door sedan, BMW has an 8 Series to suit your fancy. And if you're in the market right now, you may find that your local BMW dealership is willing to take $18,124 off the sticker price. That figure comes courtesy of TrueCar, and it reflects the discount buyers are getting off the 8 Series' average $122,395 retail price. Most of the 8 Series models in American showrooms today are 2019 models, and that's the model year to which the discount above applies. This represents the largest discount on a new car in America this month, based on the dollar amount off the car's sticker price, and the third largest discount by percentage. And it means the average transaction price for a 2019 BMW 8 Series is hovering at $104,271. 2020 BMW 840i Gran Coupe View 38 Photos BMW offers two distinct versions of the 8 Series, the 335-horsepower 840i with rear- or all-wheel drive, and the 523-horsepower 850i, which comes standard with BMW's xDrive all-wheel-drive system. If you want to step even further up the performance ladder, there's the M8, but that 600-horsepower monster is getting a much smaller $6,150 discount. If you're not into BMWs, the 2019 Mercedes-AMG GT boasts the second largest monetary discount this month, with buyers averaging $16,713 off the Benz's $176,035 sticker price. Another Mercedes, the S-Class, is next with a $11,452 discount. After that comes a pair of Maserati sedans, the Quattroporte and Ghibli, each with discounts of around $11,000. Since the Ghibli's base price is so much lower than that of its larger sibling, that represents a much larger 13.5% cut from its average retail price of $81,384 for an out-the-door cost of $70,373. For a look at the best new car deals in America based on the percentage discount off their suggested asking prices, check out our monthly recap here. And when you're ready to buy, click here for the Autoblog Smart Buy program, which brings you a hassle-free buying experience with over 9,000 Certified Dealers nationwide. Related Video:

Maserati looking to book 13,000 sales of new Quattroporte in 2013

Europe's continuing financial woe is forcing automakers to get creative, and while Fiat may be scaling back its volume vehicles, it's looking to ramp up production of the exclusive Maserati brand. Following the debut of a new Quattroporte sedan, Fiat wants to boost Maserati sales to 50,000 vehicles by 2015. Maserati may lose as much as €7 million ($9.05 million) this year, and Fiat is betting big on Chrysler platforms and dealers to turn that around.
Currently regarded as a low-volume boutique carmaker, Maserati sold just 6,159 units last year, and 4,700 units through three quarters of this year. For 2013, Fiat boss Sergio Marchionne is targeting 13,000 in sales of the redesigned Quattroporte alone. Fiat apparently wants the brand's low volume image to change, hoping to position it closer to BMW and Porsche in the market.
The recent unveiling of the new Quattroporte will be followed by more new vehicle launches, including a crossover utility called Levante, and a long-promised sub-Quattroporte sedan, called Ghibli. The latter will share certain components with the Chrysler 300 sedan in an effort to optimize production costs. The Ghibli will be positioned to take on the BMW 5 Series and Mercedes-Benz E-Class. It's all in an effort to turn the profit tide for Maserati and its parent company Fiat amidst European economic turmoil.