2012 Maserati Quattroporte S on 2040-cars

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Alfa Romeo Giulia to get Ferrari-related engine

Alfa Romeo has a long, proud history of using V6 engines in its coupes, sedans, and sports cars over the years, but as the new Giulia sedan approaches, the Italian marque is allegedly turning to Ferrari for its next six-cylinder. This is obviously not the first time a Ferrari-sourced or derived engine has been found under an Alfa's long hood. While 8C Competizione famously used a version of Ferrari's F136 V8 during its short run, the Giulia's new V6 will be offered on a much larger scale, slotting in above an entry level, four-cylinder turbo (likely the next-gen version of the 4C sports car's 1.75-liter engine). According to Autocar, the new V6 will be "specially developed for Alfa Romeo," and will be built at the Termoli engine factory alongside the new turbo four-cylinder. As for the rest of the Giulia, Autocar has been able to shine a light on a number of other details about the new midsizer. It will, thankfully, be rear-wheel drive, and designed to counter the "mostly cold and clinical" and soulless cars of the German competition, Maserati chief Harald Wester told AC. Some of the new sedan's structural elements will even be shared with Maserati's entry level model, the Ghibli. Most notable of all, though, is what the Giulia means for American consumers. After the limited-run 8C and the niche 4C, the new sedan will lead Alfa Romeo's long-awaited, large-scale return, where it will combat the popular BMW 3 Series, Mercedes-Benz C-Class, Audi A4, not to mention rivals like the Cadillac ATS and Lexus IS. Look for more on the Giulia next week when it's officially revealed in Milan.

Maserati Levante SUV previewed in patent drawings

Maserati is set to become the next high-end automaker to get into the crossover game with the impending launch of the Levante, and this could be our best look at it yet. Revealed in drawings reportedly filed with the patent and trademark office in Australia, these line drawings give us an idea of what to expect from the design of the Trident marque's upcoming crossover. The styling looks fairly consistent with what we've come to expect from the Ghibli and Quattroporte sedans, only in a higher-roofed, liftback form. Evident in the design are the Modenese automaker's grille and lighting forms, its signature portal vents along the front fender, powerful rear haunches and a steeply raked tailgate. Previewed by the Kubang concepts of 2003 and 2011, the Levante will be a vital product for Maserati's expansion – just as the Bentayga will be for Bentley, the F-Pace for Jaguar, the DBX for Aston Martin and the Urus (if ever approved) for Lamborghini. Expect it to pack the same V6, V8 and diesel engines as the aforementioned existing sedans when it debuts sometime soon into the new year ahead. Related Video:

Maserati Levante Launch Edition debuts with pretty matte blue paint

Maserati has some small fish news today for the Geneva Motor Show: It plans to introduce a Levante Trofeo Launch Edition and ultimately sell 100 across the globe to kick off sales of the high-performance crossover. We're mostly taken by the Blu Emozione matte paint on the one shown here. Carbon fiber inserts on the bumpers, side skirts and hood make up the exterior changes for the Launch Edition. If you don't opt for the purplish blue (but why wouldn't you?), then Giallo Modenese and Rosso Magma are also on the table. For the less Italian inclined, that means yellow and red. Only 22-inch wheels will be fitted to the Launch Edition, with the choice being either a glossy or matte finish. Brake calipers are then painted in blue, yellow, red or silver. We'd have to recommend the blue calipers to go with the blue paint. Unique interior elements include a special, full-grain black leather. The Trofeo logo is embroidered on the headrests, and there's color-contrasting stitching throughout. The stitching's color corresponds to the exterior paint color you chose. The Trofeo is the hottest version in the Levante lineup, fitted with the 3.8-liter twin-turbo V8 assembled by Ferrari in Maranello — note, the V8 is Ferrari-derived but not identical to the V8 out of the 488. We drove it awhile back and found it to be more than enticing as a performance SUV. Pricing for the Launch Edition is not currently available, but a normal Trofeo starts at $171,475. Related video: