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2014 Maserati Ghibli prototype spied for the first time

Looking to better compete with mainstream luxury automakers, Maserati has already announced its plans for expanding its model lineup. Now, these spy shots give us our first look at a new, smaller sedan that resurrects the Maserati Ghibli nameplate. Seen for the first time as a prototype rather than a Quattroporte-based test-mule, this is the closest-to-production view of the upcoming Ghibli thus far.
Aside from its name, we don't know much about the 2014 Ghibli, but we do hear that this Maserati, like the upcoming Maserati Levante SUV, will have a direct lineage to a Chrysler product. While the Levante will be based on the Jeep Grand Cherokee, it sounds like the Ghibli could use the Chrysler 300 as its starting point. This means that the standard version of the car could get Chrysler's 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 - rumored to produce around 400 horsepower - paired with the latest eight-speed automatic transmission; sportier trim levels would almost certainly get a V8 from Ferrari rather than using the 300C's Hemi.
As for some of the details apparent in the spy photos, we can obviously see the size difference between these two cars when comparing previous spy shots of the newly released 2014 Quattroporte, which we drove last week. We also see that this car gets some performance-oriented, cross-drilled brake rotors, and based on the depth of the snow in which this car was caught testing, we also wouldn't rule out the use of all-wheel-drive on the Ghibli.

Heidi Klum and Maserati go Beyond the Swimsuit for Sports Illustrated

When sports and cars come together, the world "super" often comes up - whether it's a high-performance super sports car, a racing series (like Japan's Super GT, Australia's V8 Supercars or Italy's Superstars series), the latest crop of Super Bowl ads from the world's automakers or a supermodel posing with a car in the pages of the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue.
This year's edition already saw Lisalla Montenegro cozying up to the new Lexus RC F, but it's not the only pairing to be found between an import luxury performance machine and a swimsuit model. The new 50th anniversary edition of the popular bikini special features a seven-page pictorial titled "Beyond the Swimsuit" shot by Francesco Carrozzini.
The spread features the inimitable Heidi Klum posing beside and inside various Maserati models - including the new Ghibli S Q4, the GranTurismo MC Trofeo race car and the Quattroporte Ermenegildo Zegna concept. Of course it's not the first time we're seeing a leggy blonde stepping out of Modena's finest - a role often taken up by one Jodie Kidd, to say nothing of the rich and beautiful in exotic locales the world over - but it's a pairing of which we'll never grow tired.

Maserati Levante is Italy's answer to the Porsche Cayenne

When Maserati released the first images of the new Levante – and said little else about it – we wondered what it would be under the hood. Crossover or not, it is still a Maserati, after all. The full details are now here. Globally speaking, Maserati will offer the Levante with three engine options. All of them are turbocharged 3.0-liter V6s, but they vary widely in output and even burn different types of fuel. The base model packs 350 horsepower and 368 pound-feet of torque for a 0-62 time of 6.0 seconds flat – the same as the base Ghibli, but four tenths slower with a bigger form to move. The Levante S offers a rather impressive 430 hp and 427 lb-ft (more than the Ghibli S) for a 5.2-second sprint. And while the diesel model has the least power, it also offers the most torque, at 275 hp and 442 lb-ft (slightly more than the oil-burning sedan) for a 6.9-second time. Whichever engine is chosen, it comes mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission, all-wheel drive, and a limited-slip differential. Those output figures compare rather favorably to the Porsche Cayenne with which the Levante will invariably be compared. But Porsche and Maserati aren't the only high-end, old-world automakers that have now broken into the crossover game. So have Bentley and Jaguar, and soon so will Aston Martin, Lamborghini, Lotus, and Rolls-Royce. It's all part of an onslaught of crossovers coming from some of Europe's most vaunted marques. And while Maserati hasn't gotten there first, it hasn't gotten there last, either. With two sedans already out and a new sports car on the way, the Levante puts the Modenese automaker in prime position to grow, and grow big. View 21 Photos View 4 Photos Related Video: MASERATI LEVANTE DEBUTS AT THE GENEVA MOTOR SHOW Maserati's first SUV receives its eagerly-anticipated world unveiling at the Geneva International Motor Show Modena, 01 March 2016 – Maserati has chosen the 86th Geneva International Motor Show to introduce the first SUV in its hundred-year history: the Levante. As with many Maseratis from the past, the new car's name is inspired by a wind: the Levante is a warm Mediterranean wind that can change from a light breeze to an irresistible natural force in an instant, mirroring the character of the first Maserati SUV. The Levante is the ideal complement to the Maserati range. Combined with the Quattroporte, Ghibli, GranTurismo and GranCabrio, the range now covers the entirety of the global luxury automotive market.