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Why Maserati won't share the Nettuno V6 with its siblings

Maserati spent a great deal of time and resources developing a twin-turbocharged, 3.0-liter V6 called Nettuno. It made its debut in 2020 in the MC20, and it will be available in the Grecale Trofeo in 2022, but Autoblog learned that the six won't travel outside of the trident family. "We want to keep the Nettuno engine as a signature for the brand. It was developed with the aim of being uniquely associated with the Maserati brand, so it was designed and engineered specifically for Maserati. It's technically feasible to apply it to other cars [in the Stellantis group], but we want to keep it proprietary. We have it in the MC20 and now in the Grecale; there will be other uses for it in the future, but always in Maserati cars," Federico De Medio, Maserati's head of vehicle validation, told Autoblog on the sidelines of the Grecale launch. While he stopped short of providing details about the other uses, De Medio hinted that Nettuno will gradually replace the Ferrari-derived V8 that Maserati has used for many years. He explained that the project's goal was to design a six-cylinder engine with V8-like power. Does that mean that a V8 with V10-like power is on its way? Nope, it sounds like the eight-cylinder's days are numbered in the Maserati line-up. Asked how long the V8 had left to live, De Medio replied that "it depends on the life of the product itself, so the response will be provided by the market and by regulations." And, how about a new V8 designed in-house? "Never say never, but for now we just launched Nettuno so let's enjoy the V6," he answered. What's certain is that the Levante and the Quattroporte won't need a V8 for much longer: they're going electric in the coming years. We know the Ghibli is on its way out, so that leaves the next-generation Gran Turismo as the only candidate for a V8. Nothing is official, but our crystal ball tells us it's more realistic to expect that the coupe will make its debut with a V6 than with a V8. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Maserati dedicates MC20 prototype to Stirling Moss

Maserati is paying tribute to Stirling Moss, the British race car driver who died on April 12, by wrapping one of its MC20 test mules in commemorative camouflage. The mid-engined sports car is due out in September 2020. It's a fitting homage, because Moss logged thousands of miles behind the wheel of Maserati race cars like the 250F (which he called one of his favorites), the 300S, and the famous Tipo 61 Birdcage. It's difficult to add retro-inspired styling cues to the camouflage applied to a prototype, but Maserati pulled it off well. It added simple, eye-catching red graphics of the racer's name to the MC20's rear end and over its wheel arches. The rest of the car is plastered in a Maserati-branded black and white wrap, though there's a red trident emblem on the roof. On a secondary and more lasting level, the images published by Maserati give us a better look at the MC20 — a name that likely won't be retained for production — than previous spy shots. The four round taillights fitted to earlier prototypes have been replaced by a pair of seemingly production-bound horizontal units. We can see the outline of its rear window, and the vents that let hot air escape the engine compartment. The rear panel is held down by four pins. Its front end remains relatively well hidden, though we spot a grille that's low and wide. "Sir Stirling Moss would certainly have liked the new MC20," Maserati summed up. It also reaffirmed its commitment to returning to "a leading role" on the racing circuits, meaning we'll likely see the MC20 driving flat-out on some of the world's greatest tracks shortly after it makes its debut. It was scheduled to break cover in May, but its unveiling was pushed back until September due to the coronavirus lockdown measures. When it arrives, the MC20 will inaugurate a twin-turbocharged V6 engine developed in-house and allegedly tuned to deliver over 600 horsepower. Unverified rumors indicate a hybrid model will join the lineup a little later in the production run with at least 700 horsepower on tap. It will be the first in a long line of new Maserati models, including the next-generation GranTurismo (which will again spawn a convertible) that will be available with an electric powertrain. The coupe will arrive in 2021, while the roadster should appear by the end of 2022. Related Video:     Featured Gallery Maserati MC20 Stirling Moss Spy Photos Maserati Luxury Performance stirling moss

Fiat set to invest $12B on new models, stop Euro losses in 3 years

Naturally, you'd expect a massive automaker like Fiat to have an in-depth plan to exit the current European-market doldrums, and you'd expect that plan to include plenty of new vehicles to attract those precious buyers that still remain despite the financial downturn. And you'd be right, though Fiat does seem to have a few unexpected twists up its corporate sleeve.
Perhaps the biggest shocker is a report that Fiat will completely drop the Punto, a car with mass-market appeal aimed at small-car buyers cross-shopping the popular Volkswagen Polo. Its replacement will be a five-door Fiat 500 aimed at upmarket buyers (sounds awfully similar to the 500L) that will be built in Poland. Lower-end customers will reportedly be served by variants of the Fiat Panda.
Borrowing a page from the BMW, Daimler and Volkswagen playbook, reports Automotive News, Fiat is said to have plans to reignite production at its Italian factories by retooling them to build high-end vehicles from Maserati and Alfa Romeo. These will be marketed as premium products, built by skilled Italian workers (who are paid wages that are 75-percent higher than those building Fiats in Poland), and will be sold around the world.