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2019 Maserati Levante Trofeo Drivers' Notes Review | A mixed bag

The first thing you need to know about the 2019 Maserati Levante Trofeo is that it's the most powerful vehicle Maserati currently makes, outgunning models like the GranTurismo and Quattroporte GTS by a good margin. In fact, the only production Maserati more powerful than the Levante Trofeo was the V12-powered MC12 Versione Corse. The Trofeo's 3.8-liter twin-turbo V8 is built by Ferrari and shares more than a little with that company's current crop of V8 engines. The biggest difference is that this engine uses a cross-plane crankshaft in place of Ferrari's flat-plane crank as well as a wet sump oiling system. The Trofeo hits 60 mph in just 3.7 seconds on its way to a top speed of 187 mph. The styling is more aggressive than the already bold Levante GTS thanks to 22-inch wheels, carbon fiber trim and a new hood with vents to help cool the engine. Inside the cabin, nearly every surface is covered with leather and carbon fiber. Now, all this comes at a cost. The Levante Trofeo starts at $169,980, $39,000 more than a Levante GTS and more than twice as much as a base model. You're mostly paying for performance and styling since most of the features on our tester like the upgraded leather upholstery and four-zone climate control can be found on lesser Levantes. Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore: Ferrari is ending its deal to supply engines to Maserati. That's a shame — for Maserati. The 3.8-liter twin-turbo V8 in the Levante Trofeo is a riot, and it gives this golden-retriever-hauling crossover the feel of a true Italian sports car. You might know this engine from the Ferrari Portofino. It's lightly modified and built on the same line in Maranello, Italy. Mash the gas and this thing emits a growl that grows more guttural as the revs build. It sounds pretty good at 3,000 to 4,000 rpm, which is about all you can sensibly summon in the suburbs. I've driven the twin-turbo V6, which is also solid and also supplied by Ferrari, but trust me, you want the V8. The rest of the Levante is attractive, though it's not the most practical thing around. I was able to get a rear-facing car seat in the back, and my toddler certainly enjoyed his first ride in a Maserati. Other thoughts: I like the elevated ride height, toothy grille and curvy fenders. The Levante is a compelling option in this expensive segment designed for Rich Uncle Pennybags. If that's you, don't scrimp with six cylinders. Go with the V8.

Maserati MC20 spy photos show supercar in broad daylight

The upcoming Maserati MC20 mid-engine supercar has been teased a number of times, but thanks to new spy photos, we finally get a clear look at the prototype. Our spy photographer caught the MC20 in broad daylight from nearly every angle, and it was wearing relatively thin camouflage. The nose of the MC20 seems to take a lot of inspiration from past and present Maseratis. It has a slightly more aggressive oval grille that will house a big trident square in the middle. Two smaller grilles flank the center one. The headlights and hood design look slightly reminiscent of the MC12 supercar, which was based on the Ferrari Enzo. The lights have a similar shape that looks like it might wrap down around the sides of the fender. The little vents in the hood also call to mind the MC12. The sides of the MC20 aren't too over-the-top. It has two relatively small intakes in the rear fender, one upper and one lower. There's a small vent in the front fender. The body's lines are smooth and curvy. The rear pillar is fairly thick and the side skirts are rather deep. The wheels have quite a bit of vinyl covering, but they seem to have some sort of three-spoke or split three-spoke design. At the rear of the car, there are few wings, spoilers or other aerodynamic paraphernalia besides the simple rear lip to distract from the clean curves. What we can see of the taillights suggests thin, wide units with arrow-like points in the lighting elements. There appear to be plenty of vents for cooling and aerodynamics, and the twin tailpipes exit roughly in the middle and a bit inset to the edges of the car. While we don't know all the details about the car, we know a fair bit about what will power it. It will use a twin-turbo 3.0-liter V6 making 630 horsepower and 538 pound-feet of torque. It's also an in-house engine, not one built by Ferrari. There have been reports that the engine could see a hybrid version with multiple electric motors appear with over 700 horsepower, but it's also possible that those reports of an electrified engine could simply be referring to a 48-volt mild-hybrid assist that could be a part of the standard V6. We're expecting the regular V6 MC20 will be rear-wheel-drive with some kind of dual-clutch or conventional automatic transmission. If the high-output hybrid rumors are true, that version would likely be all-wheel-drive. We should know more when the car makes its debut this September. Related Video:    

Maserati plans to launch Alfieri and GranTurismo by 2018

Maserati reportedly aims to have the next GranTurismo and the Alfieri (concept above) on the market by the end of 2018. According to Drive, we should see the GT sometime in 2017, and the production Alfieri doesn't arrive until 2018. The company's five-year plan in 2014 originally slated the Alfieri to arrive first in 2016 and the GranTurismo in 2018. The Alfieri will have a modified version of Maserati's current chassis, but the tweaks will incorporate more aluminum, which will make the new sports coupe lighter. "Today the architecture is shared between Ghibli, Quattroporte, and Levante," Maserati engineer Davide Danesin told Drive. "With the Alfieri we think we need to make another step on the architecture so we're going to arrive at another more sporty architecture, with some common basis but with development from there." The Alfieri and GranTurismo will also likely use Maserati's latest turbocharged V6 and V8 engines. However, the power will only go to the rear wheels because the company doesn't think all-wheel drive is right for them. "So let's say for the next sports car we don't foresee all-wheel drive to be the best option for the style. We also have some solution for some sports cars with all-wheel drive for the future but that is not what we're working on now," Danesin told Drive. After the stunning concept in 2014, the longer wait for the production Alfieri is disappointing, but at least the model appears to be still on the way. Recent rumors suggested the 2+2 sports coupe was on hold because of the weakening market in China. Company boss Harald Wester also refused to speculate about the model's future at the Geneva Motor Show, but he said the GranTurismo would arrive first. Related Video: