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Maserati planning second smaller SUV?

Maserati's product plans have taken a few wild turns, but as we get closer to production dates for the long-awaited offerings things are getting a wee bit clearer. The the sixth-generation Maserati Quattroporte is here, and a quick recap according to a report in Car and Driver has the smaller Ghibli sedan on Chrysler's LX/LY platform next, then the next-generation GranTurismo coupe and cabrio on a Maserati platform, then the Kubang SUV concept (pictured) that, for production, will become the larger Jeep-Cherokee-based Levante SUV.
All of which gets us to 2015. That same year, according to the report, the Levante will get a brother: a smaller SUV or crossover, perhaps sized like the Kubang concept, to challenge the Audi Q5 and the Porsche Macan. It is predicted to use the Compact US Wide platform, built for front-wheel and all-wheel-drive vehicles, that supports the Dodge Dart and 2014 Alfa Romeo Giulia. In addition to giving the premium brand a competitor in what is a very popular segment, a Maserati move slightly downmarket can help fill a gap while Fiat brass figures out what to do with Lancia.

Ken Block's Gymkhana 8 to feature Dubai Police cars?

Yesterday we showed you the shiny Ford Fiesta that Ken Block will slide, spin, and hoon through the next Gymkhana video. In case the image above isn't clear, that video will drop at midnight EST on February 30th on the Ford Performance YouTube channel. We don't know all the entire premise of the video yet, but this Tweet from the man himself reveals that the video will be set in Dubai. Block is standing on the Fiesta we saw yesterday, and arrayed behind him are a handful of those famous Dubai Police cars you're probably familiar with. The force has a fleet of sportscars and supercars, and the purpose is outreach and goodwill among its citizenry, not necessarily the pursuit of criminals. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. From left to right, we can see a Maserati GranTurismo, Porsche 911, what looks to be a Nissan GT-R obscured by Block's Fiesta, a McLaren (likely a 650S), Ford Mustang, and a Ferrari 599 of some ilk. Will they take part? Maybe Block will try and run from what might be the most horsepower-intensive police fleet in the world. We'll have answers (and a few minutes of pure Block hooniganism) in a few days. Related Video:

Musing on Maserati's SUV chops | 2017 Levante S Quick Spin

Like a lot of you, I spent the weekend patrolling suburbia in a white SUV. Unlike a lot of you, mine had Ferrari-built engine. It went something like this: I'd innocuously pull up to a stoplight in the 2017 Maserati Levante S. Punch up sport mode. The bass comes on. Suddenly my white refrigerator of a retriever hauler sounds like something else. The light turns. I nail the gas maybe halfway. The low rumble turns to a growl. Like a real, legit growl. It sounds good. Not Camry V6 good, but menacing like an Italian sports car. Full-throated and angry. It gets louder. For a moment I think some dude on motorcycle is being obnoxious nearby. That's my car, I realize. Cover blown, I accelerate through the light, merging gracefully ahead of the slower vehicles dutifully cued up. Then I reach over and grab a warm bread stick that's resting on top of a pizza and blithely enjoy some open space on the road. That neatly sums up the dual personalities of the Levante. You can marshal all of the horsepower of 16 World Championships from the Prancing Horse. Or steer one-handed while you cruise suburbia. Your choice. NOTES So yeah, the Maserati-designed Ferrari-built twin-turbo V6 is pretty great. It makes the Levante feel special, more so than a BMW X5 or X6 or Mercedes GLE or GLE coupe. That's the essence of Italian cars: the engine. Blasting around metropolitan Detroit with this 424-horsepower arsenal under the hood is a riot. The downside: As expected, the Levante is thirsty, slurping a quarter of a tank during relatively shortly runs around town, inline with its 14-mpg rating in the city. The highway is marginally better, getting 19 mpg, though with the 21.1-gallon tank, the you could theoretically get 338 miles of range. The Levante looks the part. With portholes, a long, creased hood, bulging fenders, and attractive head-and taillights, it conveys the appearance of Italian sport and luxury. The chrome door handles and trim tastefully add some bling to the design. My favorite part? The shark-tooth grille. With tall vertical lines and a monstrous Maser crest, the Levante almost sneers at you. The idyllic cabin does a solid job of keeping the outside world at bay. The interior is quiet at cruising speeds, broken up only by the engine's bark. I'm quite comfortable. The rich brown leather was supple yet supportive, and I quickly find a commanding view of the road. It's cool how the door pulls are neatly blended into the trim.