2012 Maserati Gran Turismo S on 2040-cars

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Maserati readies Modena plant for Alfieri, shelves GranTurismo soon

It is highly likely that the Maserati GranTurismo will soon go the way of the Biturbo. An Australian Maserati executive was quoted as saying that GranTurismo production will end by the end of this year, and Maserati itself has announced that the Modena plant making the GranTurismo will face production line upgrades to prepare for a new model. Glen Sealey, general manager of Maserati's Australia and New Zealand operations, told Carsales that GranTurismo production will cease by the end of 2019, and that dealer stock Down Under will last until mid-2020. The GranTurismo will reportedly be succeeded by the all-new Alfieri coupe, based on a space-frame chassis that will also see a convertible variant added to the lineup. Earlier reports have included the mention of a full-electric Alfieri version produced with Ferrari know-how. Maserati's own statement says that upgrading and renewal of the Modena production lines will begin in the autumn of 2019, meaning that the GranTurismo should remain in production for less than nine months. Maserati also mentioned "a totally new model, a characteristically Maserati sports car" entering pre-series production during the first half of 2020, but according to other reports, it could take until 2022 for the Alfieri to reach customers. If that's true, there'd be quite a gap in the Maserati portfolio. The GranTurismo was launched at the 2007 Geneva Motor Show, though updates have strived to prolong its shelf life. Recent GranTurismo sales in the United States have been modest: after a little more than 2,000 units sold in 2016, sales halved for 2017. Maserati has stated earlier that it wants to reach 100,000 global sales by 2022, with a 15-percent profit margin. Image Credit: Maserati Plants/Manufacturing Rumormill Maserati maserati alfieri

Maserati Shamal restomod is sketched out and could become reality

Remember the Maserati Shamal? Alright, maybe you don’t, but Maserati certainly hasnÂ’t forgotten. As this year's quasi-virtual SEMA show continues, Maserati has joined the fray by threatening to build a restomodded version of the Shamal. All we have to go on are some renderings posted to Instagram, but Maserati does a bit of explaining in its post. The company is calling this Project Rekall. If Maserati goes through with it, weÂ’d end up with a sci-fi Shamal full of modern technology conveniences and some epic, retro design. Maserati says it needs help to turn this idea into reality, and by that they mean people need to show some financial interest in such a thing. Since the Instagram post is on the Maserati Fuoriserie account, we'll assume this customization arm of the company would be doing the work. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. As a quick history lesson, the Shamal is an exceedingly rare Maserati that was sold in the early-to-mid 1990s. It was designed in part by Marcello Gandini, the famous Italian car designer who happens to have the Miura, Countach and so many other famous designs on his resume. Power came from a 3.2-liter twin-turbo V8, and it used a front-engine, rear-drive layout. These renderings depict a deeply changed Shamal. And while the boxiness and sharp edges remain, many elements of the car were revised. The changes are most obvious inside, where Maserati is showing a totally digital instrument cluster and some spacey bucket seats. WeÂ’d love to see Maserati turn it into reality, so if youÂ’re someone who would purchase a restomodded Shamal, speak up now. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Maserati wasnÂ’t quite done yet, though. A snow-munching MC20 supercar rendering also made it to Instagram. It looks as though it was lifted, fitted with studded winter tires and given a set of skis to carry around. And for whatever reason, Maserati also drew a caution tape insert on the side of the mid-engine supercar. This MC20 is definitely far off in SEMA fantasy land, but we still fully support anyone who ends up using their MC20 in the snow one day.

Maserati's next sports car shown in heavy camo

Maserati has started the process of re-tooling its historic Modena, Italy, factory to build a new sports car scheduled to come out in 2020. Full details about the model remain under wraps — even its name is a mystery — but the very first batch of images provided by Maserati and brought to you exclusively by Autoblog reveal several key points about it, including a few that we didn't see coming. The photos douse cold water on the rumors claiming Maserati's next sports car would be essentially a toned-down version of the Alfieri concept introduced in 2014. The test mule depicted in the images is heavily camouflaged, but its proportions, the size of its cabin, and the huge vents behind the doors suggest it's a mid-engined two-seater, not a front-engined model with a 2+2 interior layout. Autoblog learned the test mule is powered by a completely new drivetrain, but your guess is as good as ours when it comes to what it's made up of. Regardless, it was designed and built entirely in-house, and it will spawn a family of drivetrains that will exclusively power the company's vehicles. Starting from scratch is a huge undertaking. Engineers will closely analyze the data gathered during the testing phase, and use it to fine-tune the drivetrain on its research and development department's simulators. The improved components will in turn be road-tested. Maserati's new approach to vehicle design relies heavily on simulators, but head of product Joe Grace told us real-world testing remains hugely important. The company puts about 3 million miles annually on its prototypes. While the photos beg more questions than they answer, they confirm Maserati's renaissance is around the corner. The company will introduce its next new model during the Geneva Motor Show in March 2020, so we expect to learn much more about it in the coming months. It will be followed by the next-generation GranTurismo and GranCabrio, which will be available with the company's first electric powertrain, and by a new SUV positioned below the Levante. Featured Gallery 2020 Maserati sports car test mule spy shots Auto News Spy Photos Geneva Motor Show Maserati Coupe