1955 Beck Porsche 550 Spyder on 2040-cars

Auto blog

2024 Maserati GranCabrio previewed in official photos

The new 2024 Maserati GranTurismo made its official debut in September 2022, so it stands to reason that the GranCabrio is right around the corner. It's not ready for its big debut yet, but "official spy shots" released by the company give us a decent idea of what to expect. While the prototype is covered in camouflage, we can tell it looks a lot like the GranTurismo from the rocker panels to the belt line. That's not a bad thing: The second-generation coupe is characterized by an elegant, swoopy design that perfectly embodies the definition of a grand tourer. Above the belt line, the GranCabrio receives a power-operated cloth soft top. Photos of the interior haven't been released yet, though it's reasonable to assume the coupe and the convertible will look a lot alike from the driver's point of view. Maserati told Autoblog that the GranCabrio range will mirror the GranTurismo's, so buyers will have three variants called Modena, Trofeo, and Folgore to choose from. Power for the Modena will come from Maserati's excellent Nettuno engine, a 3.0-liter V6 that's twin-turbocharged to 490 horsepower and 443 pound-feet of torque. This engine was developed in-house, and it's also found in the MC20 and the Grecale. Next up is the Trofeo, which will receive an evolution of the six rated at 550 horsepower and 479 pound-feet of torque. The engine will spin the four wheels — that's a significant change, as the original GranCabrio was rear-wheel-drive — via an eight-speed automatic transmission. Alternatively, the electric Folgore model will use three motors rated at a combined 751 horsepower and 996 pound-feet of torque. That system is built around an 800-volt electrical system and linked to a 92.5-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack. "We're going to let buyers decide [whether they prefer the V6 or the EV]; we can scale production up or down depending on demand. We don't want to influence our customers' choice," William Peffer, the head of Maserati's North American division, told Autoblog. Additional details about the 2024 Maserati GranCabrio will emerge in the weeks leading up to its launch, which is scheduled for early 2023.

Maserati Boomerang concept could fetch millions at auction

It's not every day that a truly head-turning, show-stopping, one-of-a-kind concept car goes up for auction, but that day is coming soon. Bonhams consigned the one and only Maserati Boomerang concept for its upcoming auction in Chantilly, France. The concept, designed by the inimitable Giorgetto Giugiaro at his Italdesign studio, debuted at the Turin Motor Show in 1971, and resurfaced at the Geneva Motor Show the following year in fully functional form. It was based on the Maserati Bora (by the same designer), packing a V8 engine good for 300 horsepower and 300 kilometers per hour (186 mph). What really set it apart, however, was its dramatic wedge shape that could only have been penned by Giugiaro. Of course it was never put into production, but its design was said to have influenced the original Golf that Giugiaro designed for Volkswagen shortly thereafter – to say nothing of the BMW M1, DeLorean DMC-12, Lotus Esprit, and so many others. In correspondence with Autoblog, Bonhams specialist Philip Kantor quoted its pre-sale estimate range at ˆ3-4 million (about $4 million, give or take half a million, at current exchange rates). That might seem like a big chunk of change, but as Kantor points out, "It's a unique, road registered concept car by the best car designer of the 20th century, so in comparative terms it's very realistic." We'll look forward to seeing bidding reach that range when the gavel drops on Sept. 5. For now, you can check out its sharp lines in the high-resolution image gallery above. THE ONE-OF-A-KIND MASERATI BOOMERANG OFFERED AT BONHAMS 5 Sep 2015, The Chantilly Sale A signature concept car of the 1970s, the Maserati Boomerang was a one-off prototype unlike anything seen before. Using geometric shapes and ruler straight lines, its angular style made a strong statement at the 1971 Turin Motor Show. Now the Boomerang is set to cause a stir once again as a highlight lot of Bonhams 5 September Chantilly Sale. Philip Kantor, Bonhams European Head of Motoring, said: "The Boomerang was the first car of its time to create such a strong, angular style statement. It's considered by many to be one of the most remarkable designs of the 20th century and the 'grandfather' to the Volkswagen Golf Mk 1.

Maserati returns to Indianapolis to commemorate historic win

This past weekend was Memorial Day weekend, folks, and you know what that means: racing. There was the Monaco Grand Prix for Formula One fans, and back Stateside there was the Indianapolis 500. You might expect to see a name like Maserati pop up at the former more than the latter, but that wasn't always the case.
These days its all about Dallara chassis powered by Chevy or Honda, but over the course of a century there have been plenty of foreign automakers that have won the Greatest Spectacle in Racing. McLaren won it twice in the 1970s, Mercedes and Peugoet won during the race's pre-WWI infancy, and in between them Boyle Racing won it two years in a row with a Maserati chassis and engine.
The car was the Maserati 8CTF "Boyle Special," and its first win came 75 years ago. So to mark the occasion (as well as Maserati's 100th anniversary), the car was brought back to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for a revival lap. Unfortunately Wilbur Shaw, who won the Indy 500 three times (twice in the Maserati) and went on to be president of the speedway, died in a plane crash the day before his 52nd birthday in 1954. So in his place fellow three-time winner Johnny Rutherford took the wheel of the 8CTF in front of the gathered crowds.