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Maserati GranTurismo MC Stradale is an interesting choice in the world of lux GTs

The Maserati GranTurismo MC Stradale sits in an awkward place in the modern world of European grand tourers. Despite its voluptuous Italian body, with 454 horsepower and a six-speed automatic gearbox, it's a bit behind the times when 500 or 600 hp are the norm with seven- or eight-speed transmissions. The GranTurismo is also being phased out, but it's not nearly old enough to be a classic yet. Why would anyone spend their hard-earned dough for this Maserati? XCar Films aims to find out and eventually presents an interesting argument about why the GranTurismo is still worth at least considering against competitive entries from Aston Martin, Porsche, Ferrari or the rest of the European performance pack. This is likely just a temporary goodbye to the GranTurismo anyway, because Maserati plans to revive the name in 2018 with a production version of the Alfieri concept coming in the mean time. If nothing else, this video is a great way to say goodbye to the curvaceous coupe. Related Gallery 2014 Maserati GranTurismo MC Stradale four-seater News Source: XCarFilmsImage Credit: Related images copyright Maserati Maserati Coupe Performance Videos xcar maserati granturismo mc

Maserati Ghibli GranLusso gets semi-autonomous tech and updated styling

Maserati's littlest sedan is getting a little bit of a makeover in the form a new GranLusso trim for the Ghibli. It will make its official debut at the Chengdu auto show in China, and it mostly consists of aesthetic updates. Up front, the GranLusso gets a grille that has chrome vertical bars in addition to the surround. They also appear thicker and more aggressive. The lower grille has been reshaped, with the outboard openings sweeping up and out, creating more of a smile shape. The headlights are less busy, with a very narrow LED accent strip, and square-shaped projectors. Along the side, the GranLusso gets some badges to tell everyone you got the newest fanciest Ghibli. At the back, the rear bumper has been ever so slightly reshaped at the base. Maserati claims the changes make the car more aerodynamically efficient, but don't give specifics, and frankly we can't imagine the improvement nearly enough to make any real difference to the way the car drives or performs. Styling tweaks aren't the only addition to the GranLusso though. The car will feature some type of semi-autonomous or autonomous driving technology. Again, no specific details were given. We reached out to Maserati for an explanation, and they wouldn't elaborate, saying that there should be more info when it makes its debut at the Chengdu show. No release window or pricing were given either. Related Video:

Bizarre Levante mule proves SUV will ride on Maserati platform

When Chrysler was developing the current Jeep Cherokee, matte black, lifted Alfa Romeo Giuliettas weren't an unusual site around the company's Auburn Hills, MI headquarters. That's because the Jeep rides on a modified version of the Alfa's platform.
Judging by these images, Maserati is following a similar path for the upcoming Levante. The presence of the modified and lifted Ghibli basically confirms that the company will look in-house for the new CUV's platform rather than outsource it to Jeep (otherwise, we'd be seeing modified Grand Cherokees running about).
The mule's Ghibli body has been fitted with a number of tweaks. Most notable are the higher roof and stretched wheel arches, which we're guessing are an attempt at increasing the sedan's center of gravity and width, respectively, in a bid to match the eventual production model.