James Dean Special! on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Maserati to cap output at 75,000 cars

Maserati appears set to take a page out of corporate sibling Ferrari's playbook with the possibility that it may cap global annual output in the coming years. Ferrari announced in 2013 that it would limit itself to 7,000 vehicles a year to maintain exclusivity, and so far, it has stuck to the plan.
According to an unnamed Maserati executive speaking to Reuters, the Italian luxury car maker wants to cap its sales to 75,000 vehicles a year. However, it's hardly there yet. The company doesn't forecast reaching that production benchmark until 2018.
Dave Sullivan, an auto industry analyst for AutoPacific, thinks that limiting sales could be a smart move for Maserati. "If it is profitable at 75,000 and doesn't require a significant investment in capacity to get there, this appears to be sound," he said to Autoblog via email. "Alfa Romeo is intended to be the volume brand and by capping Maserati, it means that even if you opted to buy the 'entry level' Ghibli, you still have a level of exclusivity."

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.

All future Maseratis will borrow styling cues from the MC20

Maserati's recently-unveiled MC20 coupe points to the direction stylists will take the rest of the company's range in during the 2020s. Its proportions will remain unique – the company isn't about to make the family-friendly Levante mid-engined – but its front end and its pure, simplified approach to design will permeate other models. "The face of the MC20, with the low-mounted grille and the headlights positioned much higher on the fascia, is our new design language," affirmed Klaus Busse, the head of the company's design department. He added it's a look that draws inspiration from past models, including the limited-edition MC12 built between 2004 and 2005. Lighting technology has evolved considerably since the middle of the 2000s, so designers and engineers are now able to use LEDs to give Maserati's future models a more distinctive-looking face, especially at night. Autoblog understands the second-generation GranTurismo scheduled to make its debut in 2021 will be the first MC20-inspired model. Its styling cues will also influenced the Grecale, a smaller SUV positioned below the Levante and possibly related to the Alfa Romeo Stelvio. Maserati's aim isn't to end up with a range of nesting doll-like models that all look the same, so expect to see variations of the MC20 theme as the line-up develops. Busse also shared insight about how his team shaped the MC20 (pictured). Early on, he insisted the car shouldn't receive oversized air inlets or a park bench-sized wing on the back. His team consequently integrated all of the components that create downforce below the axle line, which runs through the middle of the wheels. It's a pure, simple approach to design that will characterize future models, meaning they'll be sporty in a subtle, elegant way. Related Video: