12 Nero Pastello 4.7l V8 Granturismo S *contrast Stitching *body Colored Emblems on 2040-cars

Auto blog

2018 Maserati GranTurismo First Drive | Better with age?

There are not many rational reasons for owning a Maserati GranTurismo (or GranCabrio convertible, for that matter). Even Maserati admits this. The short list occupies a single paragraph. Firstly, the GranTurismo is not German. Don't laugh. For some people, that's enough. Secondly, it has rear-seat space and comfort that remains the class benchmark. Thirdly, its cabin is the place where art and craftsmanship meet. There are far more rational reasons to not buy one. Let's tick them off, since we're in the mood. Firstly, it's already had its tenth birthday. It's not jeepers-fast by today's standards and neither is it remotely frugal. It drives the back wheels through a six-speed transmission, so it has 50 percent fewer gear ratios than AMG. Also, the only thing light about it is the weight of its driver-assistance systems. The 4.7-liter GranTurismo and its roofless GranCabrio sibling prospered in the plus-minus ledgers early in their careers, but they now operate outside them, in the sketchbooks of translated emotion. The Pininfarina-designed body is still stunning, a decade on, from any angle. It's had some tickles on the front and rear bumpers to make the grille more like the one on the Alfieri concept car, there are new headlights in the same space and the aerodynamics have been cleaned up so it can streak beyond 186 mph. When we say "streak" we really mean "creep" because it tops out at 187 mph. It has air vents behind the front wheels now, but they're not functional, and neither are the three signature vents high up on the front fenders. Maserati's aero guys tested German cars with working air vents and found their aero contributions were minimal. The air inlet on the MC's is, though, and so are the twin hot-air outlets that give the carbon-fiber hood its exaggerated contours. The big news from the Powertrain Department is that it's been busy eliminating stuff, rather than doing new things. It simplified its life by killing off the entry-level 4.2-liter V8, so the only engine in the entire range now is the Ferrari-built 4.7-liter, 90-degree V8. Don't think of bolting in the torque-rich twin-turbo V6 motor from the Ghibli, Quattroporte or Levante – or the twin-turbo V8, either – since neither are available. The V8 also comes in just the 453 horsepower version, regardless of whether you like the standard GranTurismo Sport or shell out another $17,745 for the $150,570 GranTurismo MC.

Limited woven-leather Maserati Quattroporte and Levante headed to Monterey

At the New York Auto Show, Maserati unveiled two luxury novelties. One was the carmaker's new One of One customization program with the tagline, "Anything is possible." The other was the new Pelletessuta woven leather interior developed in conjunction with Italian fashion house Ermenegildo Zegna. Calling it a first for the automotive industry, Maserati will offer the lightweight Napa fabric in 100 special-edition vehicles coming to North America next year. During Monterey Car Week, customers will get the opportunity to order one of the 50 custom editions of the 2020 model year Quattroporte S Q4 GranLusso, and 50 custom editions of the Levante S GranSport. It should be known that the standard GranLusso trim of the Quattroporte comes with a silk and leather interior by Zegna, so the Pelletessuta version is a cut above. The sedan wears custom Blu Sofisticato metallic paint over a dark brown Pelletessuta interior. The brake calipers are also dressed in blue, and a Zegna Edition badge adorns the cabin. Maserati hasn't mentioned pricing, but the regular sedan starts at $122,775, so that's there to start adding a premium. The Levante gets an exclusive Bronzo tri-coat outside over a Black Pelletessuta leather interior with custom Radica wood trim. Instead of the usual 20-inch wheels on, the limited edition gets 21-inch Helios rims hiding black brake calipers. The standard SUV starts at $94,475, we wouldn't be surprised if one of these 50 examples surpassed six figures before options. The Italian camaker says these configurations will not go on sale again.

Stellantis expects to hit emissions target without Tesla's help

Franco-Italian carmaker Stellantis expects to achieve its European carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions targets this year without environmental credits bought from Tesla, its CEO said in an interview published on Tuesday. Stellantis was formed through the merger of France's PSA and Italy's FCA, which spent about 2 billion euros ($2.40 billion) to buy European and U.S. CO2 credits from electric vehicle maker Tesla over the 2019-2021 period. "With the electrical technology that PSA brought to Stellantis, we will autonomously meet carbon dioxide emission regulations as early as this year," Stellantis boss Carlos Tavares said in the interview with French weekly Le Point. "Thus, we will not need to call on European CO2 credits and FCA will no longer have to pool with Tesla or anyone." California-based Tesla earns credits for exceeding emissions and fuel economy standards and sells them to other automakers that fall short. European regulations require all car manufacturers to reduce CO2 emissions for private vehicles to an average of 95 grams per kilometer this year. A Stellantis spokesman said the company is in discussions with Tesla about the financial implications of the decision to stop the pooling agreement. "As a result of the combination of Groupe PSA and FCA, Stellantis will be in a position to achieve CO2 targets in Europe for 2021 without open passenger car pooling arrangements with other automakers," he added. Tesla's sales of environmental credits to rival automakers helped it to announce slightly better than expected first-quarter revenue this week. The next tightening of European regulations will soon be the subject of proposals from the European Commission. The 2030 target could be lowered to less than 43 grams/km. Related Video: Government/Legal Green Alfa Romeo Chrysler Dodge Fiat Jeep Maserati RAM Tesla Citroen Peugeot Emissions Stellantis