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Maserati confirms Ghibli hybrid, second SUV

Maserati is sitting out the 2020 Geneva auto show, but that doesn't mean it has nothing to announce. It's working on overhauling its range with new models, including a second SUV, and electrified technology. The Italian company confirmed earlier rumors claiming it will introduce a hybrid version of the Ghibli, its entry-level sedan, in 2020. There's no word yet on when the car will make its debut, though previous reports tentatively point to an unveiling at the biennial Beijing auto show. Work on what Maserati refers to as its super-sports car continues, and the model (pictured as a test mule) will spawn a battery-electric variant that will sound as awesome as it will look. It's scheduled to make its public debut at a standalone event penciled in for May of 2020. An ˆ800-million (about $870-million) investment will allow Maserati to build a second SUV, which hasn't been unveiled yet, in its Cassino, Italy, factory. The last product plan published by the brand positioned the yet-unnamed model below the Levante. The first pre-production cars will roll off a new production line by 2021, meaning we're likely to see it in the metal in the coming year. It might not arrive in American showrooms until the 2022 model year, however. When it does, Maserati predicts the model will play a leading role in its turnaround. Finally, an additional ˆ800 million investment will help prepare the historic Mirafiori, Italy, factory to build the next-generation GranCabrio and GranTurismo. They'll take Maserati into the electric car segment for the first time.  These sizeable investment will ensure every upcoming addition to the Maserati range will be developed and built in Italy. The announcement still leaves plenty of questions, but it points to a line-up that will look completely different in 2024 than it does in 2020, and that's good news for fans of horsepower with an Italian flair.

Maserati's first electric car won't be a Tesla rival

Italian supercar makers haven't exactly embraced electric vehicles with gusto (the LaFerrari hybrid is about as close as you get), but that should change in the next few years. Ferrari's sibling brand Maserati tells Car and Driver that it's working on an electric vehicle that would be shown before 2020. And unlike other luxury car brands, Maserati doesn't plan on eating Tesla's lunch. It has to produce something "very different" to stand out, the company's Roberto Fedeli says. Think of something more like the GranTurismo coupe (see above) than yet another upscale sedan. Part of the challenge, Fedeli claims, is making a green machine that's exciting to drive. Breakneck acceleration is the only really thrilling aspect of EVs right now, he says – the sheer weight of those lithium-ion batteries dampens the enjoyment on twisty roads. A Maserati would have to be lighter on its feet. Also, the automaker will have to find a way to give its car character without a roaring gas engine under the hood. In that sense, Maserati's 2020 goal is realistic. It may not have much choice but to wait for battery technology to catch up to its ambitions. Related Video: This article by Jon Fingas originally ran on Engadget, the definitive guide to this connected life. News Source: Car and Driver Green Maserati Tesla Coupe Electric Luxury Performance

Maserati MC12 GT1 looks, sounds great storming VIR

Maserati has been celebrating its 100th anniversary all year, but recent visitors to Virginia International Raceway might have gotten to see one of the coolest highlights of the whole centenary. The brand took its already amazing MC12 GT1 racer and painted it up to commemorate its 100th birthday, dubbing the model Maserati MC12 GT1 Centenario. That would be neat enough, but the spectators at VIR actually got to watch and listen to this special edition racecar lap the track with its spectacular exhaust note singing a fantastic tune.
It's rather rare to see these beastly V12 racers on track in the US these days, but they were quite successful in FIA GT1 competition in Europe several years ago. The sound that they make perfectly matches those purposeful, low-slung looks. Switch this video into HD and turn up the speakers to experience a look at this fantastic racecar.