Nice Car, 289 V8, Upscale Color Combination, Rare Production Numbers, Won't Last on 2040-cars

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Check out the Maserati Levante's not-finished interior

Maserati continues to develop the Levante luxury crossover years after previewing it as the Kubang concept, but new spy shots give us the best look yet at the interior of this long-awaited CUV. Our spies think we could finally see the production version as soon as the Geneva Motor Show in March. Look past the giant computer screen, keyboard, and rat's nest of wires to get an idea of what Maserati has in store for the Levante's wealthy occupants. The company fits the luxury crossover with thickly bolstered leather seats to hold front passengers tight, and the driver grips a three-spoke steering wheel. A piece of cloth partially covers the infotainment system, but its position echoes the one on the Ghibli. A wood-trimmed center console features several buttons, including a large control dial. This Levante's exterior camouflage and cladding hide a lot, but it's clear that the design sticks fairly close to last year's patent drawings. The big hump on the roof also can't hide the coupe-like arch that leads to the rear hatch. Maserati's crossover uses a tweaked version of the platform from the Ghibli and Quattroporte and likely shares their turbocharged V6 and V8 engines, too. The Italian company has high hopes that the Levante's mix of luxury and performance appeals to customers in the booming CUV segment because a success could turn around the brand's flagging sales. However, the vehicle needs to compete in a rapidly crowding market of high-priced entries that would soon include models like the Bentley Benayga, Lamborghini Urus, and Aston Martin DBX. Related Video:

Maserati Grecale crossover gets a reveal date

The Maserati Levante's little sibling, the Grecale, finally has an official reveal date. The compact luxury crossover will be unveiled on November 16 in Milan. That timing also comes just a few days before the L.A. Auto Show. The Grecale is sized to compete against the Porsche Macan, BMW X3 and Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class, among others. Spy photos have revealed that its styling takes after the MC20 mid-engine sports car, particularly the oval grille shape and the narrow headlights that stretch back over the front fenders. Speaking of fenders, the rears are wide and curvy. The rear taillights are slender and wide. Maserati Grecale 13 View 13 Photos The big question mark for the Grecale is for the crossover's mechanicals. Strong possibilities include the turbocharged four-cylinder from the Alfa Romeo Stelvio, and the V6s from the Maserati Ghibli. It will also get a high-performance Trofeo variant, which would seem to suggest it would get a V8 like the rest of the Maserati Trofeo models. We should have the answers to this question and more this November. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Maserati Ghibli 334 Ultima First (and Final) Drive Review: Arrivederci V8

BORMIO, Italy – Maserati has sold more than 100,000 cars with a V8 engine. Its smallest V8s had 3.2 liters of displacement; its biggest were 4.9-liter units. Its first V8 powered the rare, short-lived V8RI race car released in 1935; its final V8s will be built in December 2023 for the Ghibli, Quattroporte and Levante. After that, the curtains come down. Officially, the Italian brand explains its new, 3.0-liter Nettuno V6 (a brilliant engine thatÂ’s twin-turbocharged to 621 horsepower and 538 pound-feet of torque in the MC20) leaves nothing to be desired in terms of performance. Privately, insiders also cite looming emissions regulations in key markets as a reason for finally hopping on the downsizing train. Will the V8 ever come back? “Never say never,” IÂ’m told, though a return isnÂ’t planned as of this writing. To hell with heritage; the cost of summoning a dark cloud of disapproval from regulators around the world outweighs whatever benefits Maserati would reap by saving the V8 in the name of tradition. ItÂ’s the end of the V8 era, then, and Maserati is commemorating it with two limited-edition models called Ghibli 334 Ultima and Levante V8 Ultima, respectively. The Quattroporte is available with a V8 as well, but a special-edition version of the big sedan isnÂ’t in the pipeline because Maserati wanted to focus on its better-selling models. In both cases, the Italian company has saved the best for last. The Ghibli 334 Ultima stands out with an edition-specific color called Persia Blu, 21-inch Orione wheels, Pirelli P-Zero tires made using a stickier compound, and several carbon fiber bits (such as the door mirror caps) that save about 55 pounds. The Rubino Red “334” logo painted on each fender denotes the new top speed: 334 kilometers per hour, which represents about 207 miles per hour and makes the 334 faster than the Trofeo itÂ’s based on by 5 mph — itÂ’s also the fastest sedan on the market. The previous title holder, BentleyÂ’s Continental Flying Spur, tops out at 333 kph, which also converts to about 207 mph, but Maserati is Italian and uses the metric system to measure its bragging rights. The sedanÂ’s 0-to-62-mph time drops from 4.3 to 3.9 seconds, but the engine remains the same: ItÂ’s the tried-and-true 3.8 rated at 572 horsepower and 538 pound-feet of torque. Inside, the 334 Ultima comes with two-tone Pale Terracotta and black upholstery that echoes some of MaseratiÂ’s classic models without going full-on retro.