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V8-powered Maserati Levante spied nearly naked

I love fast SUVs. A big engine can do wonders to make a boring crossover exciting, even if they still handle like an overstuffed goldfish on wheels. That's why I'm really excited to see spy shots that show a V8-powered Maserati Levante in the flesh. Even before the Levante hit showrooms, Maserati admitted to us that a V8-powered prototype was already in existence. It seems that a full reveal is imminent. Visually, the prototype we see here only does with revised front and rear fascias. It's slightly more aggressive, but not that far removed from what's currently available. Still, we're more interested in what's under the hood. Maserati said the Quattroporte's Ferrari-assembled 3.8-liter twin-turbo V8 fits in the Levante with no issues. That should be no surprise, as the two models share a basic platform. In the Quattroporte, the engine makes 523 horsepower and 479 pound feet of torque. Don't be surprised if things are cranked up in the Levante to compete with the 567 horsepower BMW X5 M and the all-new 550 horsepower Porsche Cayenne Turbo. Look for bigger brakes, stiffer suspension and more aggressive rubber. Typical performance modifications. While we don't know for sure, the V8 Levante is likely to wear the GTS badge, just like the top-dog Quattroporte. Unfortunately, the model ditches hydraulic steering for an electrically assisted unit. Still, it's sure to be a riot, at least in a straight line. Related Video: Featured Gallery Maserati Levante GTS spy shots View 12 Photos Image Credit: CarPix Spy Photos Maserati Crossover SUV Luxury Performance maserati levante gts

Maserati Quattroporte suits up with Ermenegildo Zegna [w/video]

You know what no one has ever said? The Maserati Quattroporte needs more Italian style. Just the same, Maserati has teamed up with Ermenegildo Zegna to give the QP just that.
Revealed here at the Frankfurt Motor Show is the (deep breath now) Maserati Quattroporte Ermenegildo Zegna Limited Edition Concept. And by "concept", Maserati means it intends to put it into production, likely with very few tweaks over what you see here.
So what do you see here? A QP in a business suit, to sum it up. It's got a beautifully deep bronze paintjob and an interior with the finest wool textile and soft leather upholstery. The lustrous paint repeats on the wheel spokes, and of course some discreet Zegna badges inside and out. The fashion house also worked up some special fitted luggage, as you can see from our gallery of high-resolution photos from the show floor, along with the stock shots, a video and a press release below.

Maserati will field a Formula E team in 2023

Some Italian flair is coming to the Formula E grid. Maserati plans to field a team in the electric motor racing series in 2023, becoming the first brand from the country to do so. The automaker is returning to single-seater competition for the first time in more than six decades. Maserati ran a successful Formula 1 team in the 1950s and its two-seater MC12 took 14 titles in the FIA GT sports car series between 2004 and 2010. Maserati plans to take what it learns on Formula E tracks and feed that back into its Folgore EV lineup. “Beyond this piece of history, Maserati Formula E will be our technological laboratory to accelerate the development of high-efficiency electrified powertrains and intelligent software for our road sports cars," Stellantis Motorsport senior VP Jean-Marc Finot said. The automaker will enter Formula E as the series shifts to the Gen3 car, its lightest and fastest vehicle to date. Formula E and the Federation Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) said the Gen3 will be the planet's most efficient race car. They claim the EV will produce at least 40 percent of energy used in a race via regenerative braking.