2004 Maserati Spyder Cambiocorsa Convertible 2-door 4.2l on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Maserati Levante crossover not Jeep based after all?

Maserati has been teasing its crossover project since 2011, which is when it first showed off the Kubang concept (pictured above). Still, the production version, rumored to be called the Levante, remains a complete mystery. The CUV was first rumored to borrow the platform from the Jeep Grand Cherokee, but new rumors indicate that the Italian, luxury crossover might actually take the underpinnings from the Quattroporte and Ghibli.
In a brief interview, Maserati CEO Harald Wester told CNN Money that the Levante wouldn't use Jeep's platform. Motor Trend spoke with an unnamed Maserati engineer who confirmed the rumor. Officially, the company says that no decision has been made.
We can add this to another long list of rumors about the Italian CUV. It was originally supposed to be built at Chrysler's Jefferson North assembly plant in Detroit. Then, plans were changed to build it in Italy.

Maserati ends GranTurismo production with one-off Zeda model

MODENA, Italy — Maserati celebrated the end of the GranTurismo's 12-year production run by building a one-off example called Zeda, which is the name of the letter Z in the Modenese dialect. The Italian firm unveiled the milestone car in the historic Modena, Italy, factory it's preparing to re-tool for a new addition to its range due out in early 2020. The Zeda is not the last GranTurismo off the production line; Autoblog visited the Modena factory minutes before the car's unveiling and spotted the last dozen or so cars behind it, but a company spokesperson explained all of the unfinished models have already been spoken for. The commemorative coupe is the last GranTurismo that hasn't been sold yet. It stands out from the roughly 40,000 examples made since the model broke cover during the 2007 Geneva Motor Show with an eye-catching paint job that starts with a deep blue applied to the front part of the car and ends with a light satin finish. The rear almost looks like bare metal in person. Edition-specific emblems on the front fenders add a finishing touch to the look.  rg-maserati-granturismo-zeda-2 View 12 Photos There are no changes under the hood. The Zeda is powered by a 4.7-liter V8 engine developed with input from former sister company Ferrari and tuned to deliver 460 horsepower at 7,000 rpm and 383 pound-feet of torque at 4,740 rpm. The eight-cylinder spins the rear wheels via a six-speed automatic transmission that can be left in drive or shifted manually using paddles. Maserati hasn't decided what it will do with the GranTurismo Zeda yet. It might keep the car in its private collection, or it could sell it to a collector. Either way, the coupe will remain a one-of-a-kind example, one that marks the start of a new era for the 105-year old Italian automaker. The plant that currently builds the GranTurismo (and the Alfa Romeo 4C, which is also being phased out) will begin manufacturing a sports car that Maserati will unveil during the 2020 Geneva auto show. It's expected to arrive as a two-seater that will draw inspiration from the Alfieri concept introduced during the 2014 edition of the event. It will be a sharper, more driver-focused model than the GranTurismo, which is a grand tourer by definition. Its rivals will include the Porsche 911 and the Jaguar F-Type.

Maserati Levante could get a V8 to battle the Cayenne Turbo

Maserati's new Levante crossover is based on the platform shared by the Ghibli and Quattroporte sedans. The Quattroporte's top engine is a 523-horsepower, twin-turbo 3.8-liter V8. When asked if that engine would fit in the Levante, a Maserati engineer gave the answer we were hoping to hear almost immediately. "Yes, it fits, and we have a prototype already," said Davide Danesin, the head of Maserati vehicle programs. The Levante will launch with two models, both of which use the 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6 that Ferrari builds for Maserati, but in two different tunes. The first generation of the V6 launched in the Ghibli and Quattroporte. While the V8 is only currently used in the rear-drive Quattroporte GTS, Danesin assures us that packaging the V8 and an all-wheel-drive system works. There is that prototype, after all. The fact that Danesin volunteered that a V8 prototype exists leads us to believe it's being very seriously considered, since manufacturers reluctantly acknowledge that there will even be a future, let alone one that will bring new, as-yet-unannounced products. Maserati officials caution that it may be tough to make a case for such a vehicle, however, as the over-500-hp SUV segment is pretty small, at about 12,000 units per year by their estimates. It's also relatively crowded, with the logical bogeys being the Porsche Cayenne Turbo (520 hp) and Turbo S (570 hp) and the Range Rover Sport SVR (550 hp). None of them will touch the Levante's upcoming American cousin, the Hellcat-powered Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk, but that's cool. View 21 Photos We'd guess that the yay/nay on a V8 Levante will hinge on the overall popularity of the new model as well as the mix of 345-hp Levante versus 424-hp Levante S models once customers start ordering. Which is to say, if you think you'll want a V8 Levante eventually, get out there and buy a few Levante S models when they hit dealers this October. In other Maserati powertrain news, we're told the second-generation V6, which makes 20 more horsepower in its angriest tune and debuts in the Levante, will show up in the Ghibli and Quattroporte "soon." We'd peg that at mid-cycle refresh time, which should be in a year or so. The second-gen V6 gets its extra power from re-profiled camshafts, some redesign work on the heads, and other tweaks, likely in software. Oh, and for more on the first Maserati crossover and that updated engine, watch for our first drive of the twin-turbo V6 Levante very soon.