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Maserati teases all-electric 2022 GranTurismo prototype

Maserati trotted out an early prototype of the 2022 GranTurismo this week, teasing the all-electric replacement for its long-running luxury coupe. The spy-style photographs were shot around the streets of Modena, near the automaker's Innovation Lab, Maserati said in the announcement accompanying the shots. The previous-generation GranTurismo was in production for 12 years before finally retiring in 2019.  The new GranTurismo and its drop-top counterpart, the GranCabrio, have been in development since 2019, but it wasn't until more recently that Maserati confirmed that the next-gen two-doors would spearhead (trident-head?) the company's electrification push. We expect it to borrow from Maserati's upcoming Folgore powertrain which can be configured with up to three electric motors for both all-wheel drive and torque vectoring.  "Going electric is the next logical step. We are trying to avoid unnecessary air openings and air outlets, in contrast to some of our competitors that seem to depend on them to convey a message," explained Maserati head of design Klaus Busse in a previous interview with Autoblog. "In our case, it's about the purity of the body. We can further purify the car by reducing the amount of air intakes and air outlets, which will help us tell the design story even better." We expect to learn details of the all-electric GranTurismo later this year.  Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

2023 Maserati Grecale starts taking off its camouflage

Maserati is still working on bringing the Grecale, its long-awaited entry-level SUV, to production. With a little over a month to go before the model's unveiling, the Italian company released a batch of preview images that give us the best look yet at the next addition to its lineup. The prototype depicted in the images wears a black and white wrap that previews some of the Grecale's specifications and features, like the amount of storage space and leg room available in the cabin. Key figures remain under wraps, they're replaced by asterisks, and a message written on the wrap lets the Grecale tell on-lookers that it "can't tell you much more" about what's underneath. The photos are telling, though. While previous images released by Maserati hid the SUV's finer design details, the latest batch shows the grille, headlights, some exterior trim pieces and cool-looking wheels with trident-shaped spokes that echo the firm's logo. Its profile is reminiscent of the Levante's in the sense that it unmistakably leans towards the sporty side of the SUV scale thanks to styling cues like a rakish roof line, though its rear wheel arches look less pronounced. Up front, it's a different story: the headlights are more rounded and positioned above the grille. Out back, we spot horizontal lights connected by a piece of trim (or a well-hidden light bar) and four exhaust outlets. All told, the Grecale falls in line with Maserati's design language without blatantly copying the Levante. Its interior remains hidden for the time being, however. Nothing is official yet, but earlier reports claim that the Grecale will ride on a version of the Giorgio platform that underpins several members of the Alfa Romeo range, including the Stelvio and the Giulia. If that's accurate, rear-wheel-drive will likely come standard (at least in some markets) and all-wheel-drive will be available as well. We know that a high-performance Trofeo version will ultimately join the range. Aimed directly at the Porsche Macan, the 2023 Maserati Grecale will make its debut on March 22. Production will start shortly after. 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.