Maserati Granturismo S, Highly Optioned, Pristine on 2040-cars

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2017 Maserati Model Year Preview and Updates

From a storied past, to an almost-forgotten nameplate and to what it offers today – in the guise of two four door sedans, a coupe or convertible GT and its first-ever SUV – Maserati has, over the last several years, quietly exploded into the ranks of desirable brands. And with the introduction of the all-new Levante SUV (pictured above), the Italian marque once again confounds the skeptics. MASERATI LEVANTE: The Levante, Maserati's first-ever SUV, arrives in the US marketplace at exactly the right time, as interest in all-road capability has never been higher, and high-end offerings have never been more numerous. Supplying what Maserati describes as best-in-class on-road handling in 'sport' mode and leading off-road comfort, propulsion is supplied by your choice of two V6 powertrains: a 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6 with 345 horsepower in the Levante, and the same basic V6 with 424 horsepower in the Levante S. GHIBLI: Maserati's most accessible model, with a base price of just over $70K, is unchanged for 2017. GRAN TURISMO COUPE/CABRIOLET: Maserati's 2+2 coupe and convertible are unchanged for 2017. QUATTROPORTE: Maserati's luxury four-door receives an exterior nip here and tuck there, along with updated infotainment inside. Available in both GranLusso and GranSport, you can enjoy sport-oriented luxury or luxury-oriented sport. And unlike its siblings, which offer either V6 powertrains or V8 powertrains, the Quattroporte allows the buyer to select one from each column.

Maserati switching to in-house twin-turbo V6 and turbo four

Automotive News has been able to put some output figures to the two primary engines that will power Maserati's renaissance. Last year the Italian luxury brand sent notice that it would terminate its deal to with Ferrari to use the Maranello-sourced F160 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6 and F154 3.8-liter twin-turbo V8. As new Maserati models appear and current models are overhauled, the brand will begin installing either Maserati's own 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6, or an FCA-sourced 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder. The V6 will greet the world from the middle of the MC20 supercar poised for debut in September, assuming nothing goes worse with the world than it already has. Rumor from Mopar Insiders and Allpar forums is that Maserati began building its V6 based on Alfa Romeo's 690T V6. Alfa Romeo puts the 690T in the Stelvio and Giulia Quadrifoglio, the engine's development having started seven years ago with Ferrari's F154 V8 as its heart. Tuned for speed, peak output could reach 542 horsepower. After making its home in the racy coupe, the V6 will also serve a new midsize Maserati crossover coming next year, as well as the next GranTurismo coupe and GranCabrio convertible. In the crossover, power is apparently limited to no more than 523 horses. In Maserati's new V6, one piece of technology that permits such high output and emissions friendliness is turbulent jet ignition (TJI). German supplier Mahle has been developing the technology for at least 10 years, and put it to use in Ferrari's Formula 1 engine about five years ago, after which Japan's Super GT manufacturers picked it up. Instead of a spark plug igniting fuel directly in the combustion chamber, TJI places the spark plug and an injector nozzle at the top of a "jet ignition pre-chamber assembly." The injector shoots a mist of gasoline into the pre-chamber, the spark plug fires, and the force of ignition in the pre-chamber sprays the combustion through tiny holes at the bottom of the pre-chamber into the cylinder as the piston rises. Mahle says the shorter burn and improved combustion spread means cleaner-burning gas engines that emit fewer emissions.   AN says that the "new V-6 engine will be 'electrified' in some form." It's not clear if that means all versions of the V6 will get some sort of hybrid assistance, or if — as had been thought — there will be a non-hybrid unit.

Driving the 2021 Chevy Tahoe and big news from Hyundai | Autoblog Podcast #640

In this week's Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by News Editor Joel Stocksdale. They discuss some of the big trucks Joel drove: the 2021 Chevy Tahoe and a Mil-Spec-modified Ford F-150. After that is a look at the latest car news including Trofeo versions of Maserati's sedans, Hyundai's new electric brand called Ioniq, and the BMW M3 Touring station wagon and Hyundai Elantra N-Line. They wrap things up with some musings on anniversary of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution and how cars played a role in it. Autoblog Podcast #640 Get The Podcast iTunes – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes RSS – Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator MP3 – Download the MP3 directly Rundown Reviews2021 Chevy Tahoe Mil-Spec Ford F-150 Maserati Ghibli and Quattroporte Trofeo models revealed Ioniq becomes EV brand for Hyundai 2021 Hyundai Elantra N Line revealed BMW finally announces an M3 station wagon The 19th Amendment and how cars fit in Feedback Email – Podcast@Autoblog.com Review the show on iTunes Related Video: Government/Legal Green Podcasts BMW Chevrolet Ford Hyundai Maserati