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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:

Watch the Maserati MC20 unveiling

UPDATE: You can now read all the details and see photos of the MC20 here. Maserati has been teasing its upcoming MC20 mid-engined coupe since spring, and today we finally get to see it in the flesh. Maserati will begin the livestream at 2:35 PM Eastern, and you can watch along with us in the video above. If you need a reminder of what we're looking forward to, we're expecting a two-door performance car with a twin-turbo 3.0-liter V6 mounted amidships providing about 630 horsepower and 538 pound-feet of torque. Notably, that motor comes from Maserati itself, rather than sourcing it from Ferrari. In addition to the original teasers from March and a more recent studio teaser from September 1, we've also seen some spy photos of the MC20 out in the wild. There was also a MC20 tribute to Stirling Moss, as well as a 1940 Targa Florio tribute. Check those out to get up to speed, and watch the live event with us here shortly. Maserati MC20 Teasers View 5 Photos

Maserati Pelletessuta models bring their Italian fashion to the U.S.

Maserati's partnered with Italian fashion house Emenegildo Zegna for seven years, going back to the Maserati Quattroporte Ermenegildo Zegna Limited Edition Concept worked up as part of Maserati's centennary celebrations in 2014. At last year's New York Auto Show, the pair debuted the results of another collaboration, the new Pelletessuta woven leather interior. Working with hide as it would with yarn, Zegna wove thin strips of lightweight Napa fabric for 100 special edition vehicles that the Italian automaker pledged for the U.S. market and said it would never build again. After previews during Monterey Car Week in August, the 100 limited edition models have finally reached U.S. dealerships. Until they're sold out, the two models will stand here as the carmaker's fullest expression of Italian prowess. Meanwhile, in Italy, Maserati made a gesture towards its compatriots and its country by lighting the towers at its Modena headquarters in the three hues of il Tricolore, the Italian flag. There are 50 examples of the 2020 Quattroporte S Q4 GranLusso, which already comes with a Luxury Zegna Package interior compared to the entry-level Quattroporte. Each special model wears a custom Blu Sofisticato metallic paint with blue brake calipers. Inside, dark brown Pelletessuta interior includes sport seats for the front passengers and a Zegna badge to highlight the work. It's joined by 50 examples of the 2020 Levante S GranSport dressed in Bronzo Tri-Coat and 21-inch polished Helios rims, those wheels an inch larger than the standard units. The Levante interior gets tailored in black Pelletessuta fabric, accented with custom Radica wood trim — radica being a kind of veneer or parquet with a history in Italian luxury. The news about U.S. arrival didn't come with prices, though, so the interested will need to make the call to a dealer for information. Since the Quattroporte S Q4 GranLusso starts at $114,485 after destination and the Levante S GranSport at $91,985, those are good baselines to add to the required premiums for exclusive upgrades and low volume. Related Video: