2009 Maserati Quattroporte on 2040-cars

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2014 Maserati Ghibli snarls in Shanghai

Big things are happening at Maserati, where the automaker is looking to increase its sales to 50,000 units annually. In addition to the revised Quattroporte that we saw at the Detroit Auto Show earlier this year, Maserati has launched the all-new Ghibli here in Shanghai - a smaller, more driver-focused model that will take on the likes of the Audi A6, BMW 5 Series and Mercedes-Benz E-Class.
At launch, the Ghibli will be offered with three six-cylinder engines, two gas and one diesel. The base engine is a turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 with 330 horsepower and 368 pound-feet of torque, good for a 0-62 time of 5.6 seconds. The more powerful Ghibli S, however, comes with a twin-turbocharged version of this engine, good for 410 hp and 406 lb-ft, reducing that 0-62 time to just five seconds flat. On the diesel end, the Ghibli will offer a 3.0-liter diesel V6 with 275 hp and 443 lb-ft of twist, able to do that same 62-mile-per-hour run in a still impressive 6.3 seconds. The more powerful Ghibli S will also be available with Maserati's new Q4 all-wheel-drive system, though we're told that this feature cannot be had on right-hand-drive versions.
As for what we can see here in Shanghai, the Ghibli looks pretty darn good, though that front fascia reminds us an awful lot of the BMW 3 Series. (Seriously, just picture the Bimmer with a more gaping grille opening.) Maserati will offer the Ghibli with standard 18-inch wheels, though 19s, 20s, and even 21s will be available as optional extras.

0-to-62 in 2 seconds: Maserati Alfieri electrics will take on Tesla with Ferrari's help

Maserati's long-delayed flagship, the Alfieri sports car, will go electric, offering hybrid, plug-in hybrid and full-electric versions, parent company FCA said today its five-year plan. The Italian brand also outlined plans to launch a midsize SUV, all-new versions of the Quattroporte and Levante, and said it intends to electrify its entire fleet by 2022. Tim Kuniskis, head of the Maserati brand, said in a presentation in Italy that Ferrari will supply all future powertrains across every configuration, including hybrid, plug-in hybrid and battery-electric vehicles. The brand also announced that it will market full-electric vehicles under the Maserati Blue name. The goal for Maserati Blue is to offer battery-electric versions of four cars: the Alfieri, a convertible version called the Alfieri Cabrio, the Quattroporte and the Levante. All will feature three motors with e-all-wheel-drive, torque vectoring, 800-volt battery technology, long driving ranges and quick charging. They'll also be based on a lightweight modular aluminum platform. If the Alfieri sounds familiar, it should: It first debuted as a 2+2 sports coupe concept at the Geneva Motor Show all the way back in 2014. Back then, it was likely to use Maserati's turbocharged V6 and V8 engines and be rear-wheel drive only. But the concept has hit a series of delays on the way to production. Plans for the new version call for a new modular aluminum space frame to minimize weight gain — Kuniskis says it weighs only about 385 pounds more than the conventional combustion-engine version — and it will offer all-wheel-drive with full active torque vectoring. Top speed will be more than 186 mph, and it'll go from 0 to 62 mph in around 2 seconds. There's no name yet for the forthcoming midsize utility vehicle, which Maserati says will be offered in hybrid and PHEV configurations. It promises a best-in-class lightweight platform and power-to-weight ratio and 50/50 weight distribution. A high-performance Trofeo model will also be offered. New versions of the Quattroporte luxury sedan and Levante crossover will also be based on a new lightweight, modular platform and will include Level 2 autonomous-driving capabilities, with Level 3 available by late 2021 or early 2022, Kuniskis said. Both vehicles will get a Q4 all-wheel-drive system and come with a choice of three powertrains, including hybrid and PHEV.

The Ferrari Enzo's designer isn't worried about the future of supercars

Ken Okuyama is a talented designer with a prestigious portfolio. He spent 12 years at the famed Italian design house Pininfarina after a stint with GM's Advanced Design Studio, where he worked on the C5 Corvette. He also styled the Boxster and 996-generation 911 at Porsche. His first Ferrari design was the Rossa concept car, though his most famous creation is the Enzo. Now Okuyama runs a design studio that not only is responsible for the new Kode57 supercar that debuted in Monterey this past weekend, but also eye glasses, civic planning, and even Japanese bullet trains. We caught up with Okuyama at the Concorso Italiano car show, plopped down on a couple of plush leather chairs right in front of his brand new Kode57, and chatted about what the future holds for car design. Alex Kierstein: Lately there's been a lot of talk about autonomy and future mobility. What sort of challenges and opportunities do you think this autonomous future is going to provide for you as a car designer? Ken Okuyama: It is a really fantastic time for designers because of two reasons. One is that the public and private transport have been two separate, completely different industries up until now. Now, when you think about the future of autonomy, that really brings the automobiles into something more of a public transportation. You really have to think about the total experience of the customers from buying the ticket to the paying mechanism. That's just hardware, actually. It is a huge challenge for engineers and designers, and I really love that. That's one reason. Another reason is that just like horses were a means of transport 100 or so years ago, up until Henry Ford mass-produced the Model T. Now, maybe sports cars are becoming like horses. Now, horses are a great object for hobby, sports, and part of the Olympics and everything. Cars are going to be like that also. Dr. Porsche [was asked what type of] automobile is going to last for the longest time. He said, "the sports car." I really believe in that, because with sports cars, you never lose a sense of ownership. Autonomous vehicles are things you don't have to own. You have to design a total experience and the whole operation. A car, you want to own it. It's part of you. Your mechanical watches, do you borrow them from somebody? You want to own it. Your suits, your favorite shirts, you want to borrow them from somebody for your experience? No, you want to own it. Ownership is a core part of human beings.