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Alfa Romeo 8C, Maserati Quattroporte and Granturismo models recalled over rust fears

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has announced Maserati and Alfa Romeo are recalling certain Quattroporte, Granturismo and 8C models over potentially faulty tie rod ends. According to NHTSA, 2005-2008 Quattroporte, 2008 Granturismo and 2008 8C units may have been assembled with tie rod ends that have insufficient corrosion protection. As such, the components may rust, weaken and potentially fail. If that happens, the driver could lose control of the vehicle and cause an accident.
Maserati and Alfa Romeo will contact owners and replace the tie rod end assemblies once the recall gets underway in June. All told, 7,438 vehicles are impacted by the recall. You can read the full NHTSA notice below for more information.

2014 Maserati Ghibli snarls in Shanghai

Big things are happening at Maserati, where the automaker is looking to increase its sales to 50,000 units annually. In addition to the revised Quattroporte that we saw at the Detroit Auto Show earlier this year, Maserati has launched the all-new Ghibli here in Shanghai - a smaller, more driver-focused model that will take on the likes of the Audi A6, BMW 5 Series and Mercedes-Benz E-Class.
At launch, the Ghibli will be offered with three six-cylinder engines, two gas and one diesel. The base engine is a turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 with 330 horsepower and 368 pound-feet of torque, good for a 0-62 time of 5.6 seconds. The more powerful Ghibli S, however, comes with a twin-turbocharged version of this engine, good for 410 hp and 406 lb-ft, reducing that 0-62 time to just five seconds flat. On the diesel end, the Ghibli will offer a 3.0-liter diesel V6 with 275 hp and 443 lb-ft of twist, able to do that same 62-mile-per-hour run in a still impressive 6.3 seconds. The more powerful Ghibli S will also be available with Maserati's new Q4 all-wheel-drive system, though we're told that this feature cannot be had on right-hand-drive versions.
As for what we can see here in Shanghai, the Ghibli looks pretty darn good, though that front fascia reminds us an awful lot of the BMW 3 Series. (Seriously, just picture the Bimmer with a more gaping grille opening.) Maserati will offer the Ghibli with standard 18-inch wheels, though 19s, 20s, and even 21s will be available as optional extras.

Singapore car salesman jailed for gambling away $280k Maserati deposit

Kenny Rogers' country classic The Gambler is right about two things: you gotta know when to hold'em and know when to fold'em. A former Maserati salesman in Singapore is learning that lesson about when to step away from the table, after being sentenced to 33 months in prison for allegedly gambling away a customer's deposit of 350,000 Singapore dollars ($280,800).
According to Asia One, Allan Tan Buan Yuen was selling a Maserati in 2011. He told the customer that the car would take six months to arrive and cost 650,000 Singapore dollars ($522,000). While that may sound high, cars in the Asian country are notoriously expensive.
Yuen asked for a deposit of 150,000 Singapore dollars ($120,400), but instead of handing the money to the dealer, he placed the funds in his own account. Apparently, the customer didn't notice, and over the next few months Yuen received an additional 200,000 Singapore dollars ($160,400) towards the car from him. Clearly, this ruse couldn't last forever, though. When the buyer eventually inquired about his Maserati months later, Yuen admitted that he had already gambled away the entire fortune.