2001 Toyota Mr2 Spyder Base Convertible 2-door 1.8l on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Ram/Jeep Ecodiesel engine has Maserati roots

The 3.0L turbodiesel V6 in the 2014 Ram 1500 EcoDiesel earned a slot on Ward's Automotive 2014 10 Best Engines for its power, fuel economy and refinement. In a piece looking at how Fiat subsidiary VM Motor developed the engine, Ward's also makes note of the fact that the same lump goes in diesel versions of the Maserati Quattroporte and Ghibli. They're tuned a bit differently, naturally, with the QP putting out 275 horsepower and 442 pound-feet of torque, the smaller, lighter Ghibli making do with the same number of horses but a lower torque output of 420 lb-ft.
The 240 horsepower and 420 pound-feet put out by the oil-burning six-cylinder in the Ram was tamed with a host of advances, but it appears that Ram hasn't tamed demand: the initial allocation of 8,000 engines was spoken for within three days of the truck going on sale. Head over to Ward's to read the story of how Ram worked out the equation light-duty-pickup + diesel = success.

Check out the Maserati Levante's not-finished interior

Maserati continues to develop the Levante luxury crossover years after previewing it as the Kubang concept, but new spy shots give us the best look yet at the interior of this long-awaited CUV. Our spies think we could finally see the production version as soon as the Geneva Motor Show in March. Look past the giant computer screen, keyboard, and rat's nest of wires to get an idea of what Maserati has in store for the Levante's wealthy occupants. The company fits the luxury crossover with thickly bolstered leather seats to hold front passengers tight, and the driver grips a three-spoke steering wheel. A piece of cloth partially covers the infotainment system, but its position echoes the one on the Ghibli. A wood-trimmed center console features several buttons, including a large control dial. This Levante's exterior camouflage and cladding hide a lot, but it's clear that the design sticks fairly close to last year's patent drawings. The big hump on the roof also can't hide the coupe-like arch that leads to the rear hatch. Maserati's crossover uses a tweaked version of the platform from the Ghibli and Quattroporte and likely shares their turbocharged V6 and V8 engines, too. The Italian company has high hopes that the Levante's mix of luxury and performance appeals to customers in the booming CUV segment because a success could turn around the brand's flagging sales. However, the vehicle needs to compete in a rapidly crowding market of high-priced entries that would soon include models like the Bentley Benayga, Lamborghini Urus, and Aston Martin DBX. Related Video:

2023 Maserati Grecale Trofeo First Drive Review | Entry-level done right

RENO, Italy — Maserati is blowing with the SUV gales. Sedans remain an important part of its heritage, but they're no longer an important part of the new car market — especially not in the United States. Investing time and resources into filling sedan-sized gaps in the lineup would be like moving the deck chairs on a sinking cruise ship, so the Italian company is taking a different path to growth by expanding its SUV range. Named after a Mediterranean wind, the Grecale is positioned below the Levante and aimed directly at the Porsche Macan. It's not a supercar, but the Grecale is arguably the most important car that Maserati has ever released, one that could ultimately represent nearly half of its sales. I traveled to a town called Reno (not the place that Johnny Cash shot a man in) to get a feel for the smallest trident. First, let's dispel a myth: The Grecale is not merely a re-bodied Alfa Romeo Stelvio. Sure, both Italian people-movers are built on the Giorgio platform (which also underpins the Giulia and the latest Jeep Grand Cherokee), but several key changes were made in-house by Maserati. "We started with the Giorgio architecture, and we added the features that are typically found in upper segments: an air suspension system, for example," Federico De Medio, the company's head of vehicle validation, told me. "We were given the possibility to further improve this platform, and we were able to increase the wheelbase by (about 3 inches),"  He added that electronic tweaks were made as well. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. The base Grecale GT consequently stretches 190.8 inches long, 76.7 inches wide, and 65.6 inches tall; the Modena and the Trofeo trim levels are 77.9 inches wide, while the latter measures 191.3 inches from bumper to bumper due to its specific body kit. Either way, the Grecale is relatively big for its segment: Porsche's Macan, its intended closest competitor, checks in at 184.3 inches long and is one of the smaller in the segment. The Grecale's weight ranges from 4,431 to 4,629 pounds. One look at the Grecale's front end shows what Maserati meant when it announced the MC20's exterior design would influence the rest of the range: the swept-back headlights are positioned above a wide grille with the trident emblem proudly positioned front and center. It's not a clone of the MC20, but the family resemblance is perceptible.