2002 Maserati Spyder Cambiocorsa on 2040-cars

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Maserati's first electric car won't be a Tesla rival

Italian supercar makers haven't exactly embraced electric vehicles with gusto (the LaFerrari hybrid is about as close as you get), but that should change in the next few years. Ferrari's sibling brand Maserati tells Car and Driver that it's working on an electric vehicle that would be shown before 2020. And unlike other luxury car brands, Maserati doesn't plan on eating Tesla's lunch. It has to produce something "very different" to stand out, the company's Roberto Fedeli says. Think of something more like the GranTurismo coupe (see above) than yet another upscale sedan. Part of the challenge, Fedeli claims, is making a green machine that's exciting to drive. Breakneck acceleration is the only really thrilling aspect of EVs right now, he says – the sheer weight of those lithium-ion batteries dampens the enjoyment on twisty roads. A Maserati would have to be lighter on its feet. Also, the automaker will have to find a way to give its car character without a roaring gas engine under the hood. In that sense, Maserati's 2020 goal is realistic. It may not have much choice but to wait for battery technology to catch up to its ambitions. Related Video: This article by Jon Fingas originally ran on Engadget, the definitive guide to this connected life. News Source: Car and Driver Green Maserati Tesla Coupe Electric Luxury Performance

2017 Maserati Levante is somewhere under all that cladding

There's an influx of crossovers coming from high-end European marques in the coming years – and we've already seen most of them in one form or another. One of the few exceptions is the forthcoming Maserati Levante, and if you can believe it, this is the best look we've had at it yet. Like the Bentayga for Bentley, the F-Pace for Jaguar, the DBX for Aston Martin, or the Urus for Lamborghini, the Levante will be Maserati's first crossover. It was previewed by the Kubang concepts of 2003 and 2011, but the closest we've gotten to the finished product so far has been some test mules running under modified Ghibli sedan bodywork and a series of purported patent drawings. Mind you, these spy shots don't show us a whole heck of a lot either, as heavily camouflaged and cladded as this prototype is. But under all that padding is what appears to be the bodywork that we'll be seeing on the production version once it makes its debut sometime next year. Look for the Ghibli's twin-turbo V6 engines to propel Maserati head-first into new territory, and likely pave the way for an Alfa Romeo crossover to follow. All we can see for the time being, really, are the exposed wheels. But if those giant brake discs filling their spokes are anything to go by, the Levante ought to represent the Modenese automaker well in what's becoming an ever-pricier, more performance-focused, and more competitive market segment. Porsche and its trendsetting Cayenne ought to take notice. Related Video:

Slow Chinese market delays Maserati and Alfa Romeo models

We already told you that Alfa Romeo was delaying the Giulia sedan and an unnamed CUV, but now things are getting worse. According to Bloomberg, Maserati has delayed the Alfieri sports car. And it's all China's fault. The faltering Chinese domestic market, which is experiencing its slowest period of growth in nearly three decades, is forcing Fiat Chrysler to rethink its plans for its Italian models, Bloomberg reports. Rather than going for models that would likely be popular in China, including the Alfa CUV and a larger sedan, the company will shift its focus and bring out updated MiTo and Giulietta hatchbacks, both of which would play better in Europe, an unnamed source within FCA told Bloomberg. This news is notable because it shows that FCA boss Sergio Marchionne's ambitious product transformation is not progressing as smoothly as planned. In the MiTo's case, the company is willing to go back on its original strategy. The subcompact hatch wasn't supposed to survive beyond 2016, but Bloomberg is reporting an update is due by the middle of next year. As for Maserati, well, there's not much to say. The Alfieri was supposed to go on sale next year, and now it's not. There's no word on how (or even if) Maserati's priorities will shift to another vehicle, or if this is simply a matter of money being distributed away from one of FCA's brands and toward another. Related Video: News Source: BloombergImage Credit: Andy Wong / AP Alfa Romeo Maserati Sergio Marchionne FCA alfa romeo giulia alfa romeo mito alfa romeo giulietta maserati alfieri