2014 Maserati Gran Turismo Sport Coupe on 2040-cars

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Maserati Ghibli gets smashed on its way to Top Safety Pick rating [w/video]

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has crash-tested the 2014 Maserati Ghibli, and the Italian luxury sedan scored has well enough to earn the institute's Top Safety Pick rating. The model netted "Good" marks - the IIHS' highest rating - in moderate overlap front, side, roof strength and head restraints and seats tests.
The new Maserati is equipped seven airbags and features strategic use of hot-formed steel to optimize vehicle strength for safety and aluminum to lower weight for better driving performance. While it still pains us to see two new Maseratis smashed to smithereens (watch the videos below), we imagine the company's well-heeled prospective owners will feel better about their $65,600+ purchases knowing that they aced the tests.
Head on below to see crash test videos from both the IIHS and Europe's NCAP, as well as for Maserati's official release, which covers some of the safety engineering that has gone into its new entry-level sedan.

2013 Maserati GranTurismo MC Stradale gets its groove, seats back

The Maserati GranTurismo MC Stradale was exclusively a two-seater, but here in Geneva, the big Italian coupe gets its rear thrones back. We don't know if the addition of rear passenger space will help improve sales of this special trim of the aging GT, but it's at the very least an excuse for Maserati to shine a few lights on its gorgeous two-door.
Under that rakish carbon fiber bonnet is the same Ferrari-sourced 4.7-liter V8 we've loved for years now, tuned to 460 horsepower in this application and mated to Maserati's MC Race Shift six-speed automatic transmission. Other updates for the MC Stradale include new 20-inch alloy wheels and a smattering of new materials inside the cabin.
Yes, it feels like we write about some version of the GranTurismo every time we attend the Geneva Motor Show, but this car still tickles our fancy each and every time. Scroll down for the press blast and check out the four-seater for yourself in the high-resolution gallery.

2019 Maserati Levante GTS has a 550-hp Ferrari-derived V8

A V6-powered Maserati Levante just wasn't enough. At least that's what a group of engineers thought as they formed a sort of skunkworks and secretly set out to see if they could fit the Ferrari-derived V8 from the Quattroporte GTS into the Levante. Turns out they could, and after revealing their project to company honchos, were given the green light for not just one V8-powered Levante, but two. The first to be revealed was the Levante Trofeo shown at the New York Auto Show. Now we get this, the Levante GTS, which was revealed last month to journalists in Pontiac, Mich., and kept under wraps until now. It will debut in Europe at Goodwood. Although the GTS shares the same 3.8-liter V8 as the 590-horsepower Trofeo, it features a slightly less prodigious output of 550 hp with peak torque of 538 pound-feet available from 2,500 rpm to 5,000. Maserati says the GTS will hit 60 mph in 4 seconds with a top speed of 181 mph. View 8 Photos The chassis was tuned to better handle the extra power, and while the suspension shares the same components as the rest of the Levante line, the tuning was changed for the GTS and Trofeo. The Sport Skyhook adaptive damping system was also retuned, while the air springs feature six different height levels spanning a total of 3 inches from its lowest to highest position. A rear-biased all-wheel-drive system and a rear limited-slip differential are included. These mechanical updates are largely shared with the Trofeo, which differs visually and features extra luxury equipment. Outside, the GTS features a larger lower air dam, a special black-trimmed grille and 22-inch wheels. Inside, there's a full-leather interior package and carbon fiber trim. That includes the shift paddles, which are carbon fiber rather than metal. Maserati models also receive some updates for the new model year. The eight-speed ZF automatic gets a new electronic shifter. Similar in layout to BMW's (forward for R, rearward for D, push button for Park), it replaces the previous Chrysler-sourced PRND layout. It's similar to what you'd find in a current Alfa Romeo but the shifter itself is more luxurious and substantial in feel and appearance. The infotainment system has been refreshed, but remains a Chrysler Uconnect system in Italian clothing. There's also new optional "Pieno Fiore" leather for all three models, Levante, Ghibli and Quattroporte. It is available in red, black and tan.