2013 Maserati Granturismo Sport Coupe on 2040-cars

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Maserati switching to in-house twin-turbo V6 and turbo four

Automotive News has been able to put some output figures to the two primary engines that will power Maserati's renaissance. Last year the Italian luxury brand sent notice that it would terminate its deal to with Ferrari to use the Maranello-sourced F160 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6 and F154 3.8-liter twin-turbo V8. As new Maserati models appear and current models are overhauled, the brand will begin installing either Maserati's own 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6, or an FCA-sourced 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder. The V6 will greet the world from the middle of the MC20 supercar poised for debut in September, assuming nothing goes worse with the world than it already has. Rumor from Mopar Insiders and Allpar forums is that Maserati began building its V6 based on Alfa Romeo's 690T V6. Alfa Romeo puts the 690T in the Stelvio and Giulia Quadrifoglio, the engine's development having started seven years ago with Ferrari's F154 V8 as its heart. Tuned for speed, peak output could reach 542 horsepower. After making its home in the racy coupe, the V6 will also serve a new midsize Maserati crossover coming next year, as well as the next GranTurismo coupe and GranCabrio convertible. In the crossover, power is apparently limited to no more than 523 horses. In Maserati's new V6, one piece of technology that permits such high output and emissions friendliness is turbulent jet ignition (TJI). German supplier Mahle has been developing the technology for at least 10 years, and put it to use in Ferrari's Formula 1 engine about five years ago, after which Japan's Super GT manufacturers picked it up. Instead of a spark plug igniting fuel directly in the combustion chamber, TJI places the spark plug and an injector nozzle at the top of a "jet ignition pre-chamber assembly." The injector shoots a mist of gasoline into the pre-chamber, the spark plug fires, and the force of ignition in the pre-chamber sprays the combustion through tiny holes at the bottom of the pre-chamber into the cylinder as the piston rises. Mahle says the shorter burn and improved combustion spread means cleaner-burning gas engines that emit fewer emissions.   AN says that the "new V-6 engine will be 'electrified' in some form." It's not clear if that means all versions of the V6 will get some sort of hybrid assistance, or if — as had been thought — there will be a non-hybrid unit.

Maserati planning second smaller SUV?

Maserati's product plans have taken a few wild turns, but as we get closer to production dates for the long-awaited offerings things are getting a wee bit clearer. The the sixth-generation Maserati Quattroporte is here, and a quick recap according to a report in Car and Driver has the smaller Ghibli sedan on Chrysler's LX/LY platform next, then the next-generation GranTurismo coupe and cabrio on a Maserati platform, then the Kubang SUV concept (pictured) that, for production, will become the larger Jeep-Cherokee-based Levante SUV.
All of which gets us to 2015. That same year, according to the report, the Levante will get a brother: a smaller SUV or crossover, perhaps sized like the Kubang concept, to challenge the Audi Q5 and the Porsche Macan. It is predicted to use the Compact US Wide platform, built for front-wheel and all-wheel-drive vehicles, that supports the Dodge Dart and 2014 Alfa Romeo Giulia. In addition to giving the premium brand a competitor in what is a very popular segment, a Maserati move slightly downmarket can help fill a gap while Fiat brass figures out what to do with Lancia.

Maserati confirms Ghibli hybrid, second SUV

Maserati is sitting out the 2020 Geneva auto show, but that doesn't mean it has nothing to announce. It's working on overhauling its range with new models, including a second SUV, and electrified technology. The Italian company confirmed earlier rumors claiming it will introduce a hybrid version of the Ghibli, its entry-level sedan, in 2020. There's no word yet on when the car will make its debut, though previous reports tentatively point to an unveiling at the biennial Beijing auto show. Work on what Maserati refers to as its super-sports car continues, and the model (pictured as a test mule) will spawn a battery-electric variant that will sound as awesome as it will look. It's scheduled to make its public debut at a standalone event penciled in for May of 2020. An ˆ800-million (about $870-million) investment will allow Maserati to build a second SUV, which hasn't been unveiled yet, in its Cassino, Italy, factory. The last product plan published by the brand positioned the yet-unnamed model below the Levante. The first pre-production cars will roll off a new production line by 2021, meaning we're likely to see it in the metal in the coming year. It might not arrive in American showrooms until the 2022 model year, however. When it does, Maserati predicts the model will play a leading role in its turnaround. Finally, an additional ˆ800 million investment will help prepare the historic Mirafiori, Italy, factory to build the next-generation GranCabrio and GranTurismo. They'll take Maserati into the electric car segment for the first time.  These sizeable investment will ensure every upcoming addition to the Maserati range will be developed and built in Italy. The announcement still leaves plenty of questions, but it points to a line-up that will look completely different in 2024 than it does in 2020, and that's good news for fans of horsepower with an Italian flair.