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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 plans to launch Alfieri and GranTurismo by 2018

Maserati reportedly aims to have the next GranTurismo and the Alfieri (concept above) on the market by the end of 2018. According to Drive, we should see the GT sometime in 2017, and the production Alfieri doesn't arrive until 2018. The company's five-year plan in 2014 originally slated the Alfieri to arrive first in 2016 and the GranTurismo in 2018. The Alfieri will have a modified version of Maserati's current chassis, but the tweaks will incorporate more aluminum, which will make the new sports coupe lighter. "Today the architecture is shared between Ghibli, Quattroporte, and Levante," Maserati engineer Davide Danesin told Drive. "With the Alfieri we think we need to make another step on the architecture so we're going to arrive at another more sporty architecture, with some common basis but with development from there." The Alfieri and GranTurismo will also likely use Maserati's latest turbocharged V6 and V8 engines. However, the power will only go to the rear wheels because the company doesn't think all-wheel drive is right for them. "So let's say for the next sports car we don't foresee all-wheel drive to be the best option for the style. We also have some solution for some sports cars with all-wheel drive for the future but that is not what we're working on now," Danesin told Drive. After the stunning concept in 2014, the longer wait for the production Alfieri is disappointing, but at least the model appears to be still on the way. Recent rumors suggested the 2+2 sports coupe was on hold because of the weakening market in China. Company boss Harald Wester also refused to speculate about the model's future at the Geneva Motor Show, but he said the GranTurismo would arrive first. Related Video:

Maserati Ghibli reportedly dies in 2023

When Maserati debuted the Ghibli sedan at the 2013 Shanghai Motor Show, the executive tourer was meant to establish itself as a sporty alternative to the BMW 5 Series set and help Maserati increase its global sales eightfold. Neither of those happened. The product push didn't materialize, and the Ghibli failed at its task because it never managed to be the smooth, dynamically masterful Italian it could have been, its rough edges inexcusable in a sedan that once started at about $76,000 and is now nearly $80,000 after destination. Even so, we never wished the Ghibli ill, we wished Maserati would sort it out. That's not going to happen, according to Automotive News. The outlet's product page for the Ghibli says, "Production is expected to continue through 2022 on the sedan, which will not be replaced." Assuming this happens and the Ghibli takes a final ride into the sunset in 2023, it will have had ten years on the market. The model launched Maserati's electrification push, the Ghibli Hybrid and its 48-volt mild-hybrid system coming online last year but not for sale in the U.S. market. At the same time, the model finally acquired the raucous V8 one would have expected at launch or shortly after, in the guise of the Trofeo trim we do get.   Like all other automakers, though, Maserati has a huge to-do list over the next five years, and it can't coddle laggards. Last year, the automaker's product roadmap called for a pile of new and new-generation models. The MC20 flagship is out, the Grecale crossover is due early next year in ICE and battery-electric forms, followed by the new GranTurismo and GranCabrio with ICE and EV powertrains, plus the MC20 Spider and pure-electric MC20. In 2023, the new Quattroporte will return that nameplate's former glory as the only sedan in the lineup, followed by a new Levante, both with internal combustion and electric powertrains. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Maserati MC20 supercar plays in the snow