1977 Maserati Gran Turismo Khamsin on 2040-cars

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Marchionne wants Maserati to be FCA's new Ferrari

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles is gearing up to spin Ferrari, its most profitable brand, off into another company, and float its stock on the open market. That means it's going to need another profit-driver to generate income for the rest of the group. And according to its chief executive Sergio Marchionne, that mantle will soon be picked up by Maserati. FCA is betting big on Maserati, which has long stood as a niche marque with a limited array of models and low sales numbers. In addition to the recently introduced Ghibli and Quattroporte sedans – now crucially offered with diesels and all-wheel drive – Maserati is preparing to roll out the Levante crossover that promises to do for the Modenese marque what the Cayenne did for Porsche. Due in part to the success of its first crossover, Porsche turned itself from a niche sports car manufacturer into an immensely profitable automaker that was (nearly) capable of buying out the entire Volkswagen Group. Maserati's resurgence is part of a two-pronged assault FCA is plotting against its German rivals. Maserati will be charged with taking on the higher end of the Mercedes, BMW, and Audi ranges (from the E-Class, 5 Series and A6 upwards). Meanwhile, Alfa Romeo will go after the lower end of the luxury spectrum with the new Giulia (aimed at the C-Class, 3 Series and A4) and other models to follow. FCA aims to turn Maserati and Alfa Romeo (along with Jeep) into global brands, broadening the narrow geographical appeal they have held until now. In order to generate enough profit to support the rest of the group as Ferrari has, Maserati will need to find a way to increase its profit margins. Bloomberg reports that Ferraris command a 13-percent profit margin, and while the ten percent that Maseratis list for is still triple that of the FCA average, slow sales are forcing some dealers to offer deep incentives that cut significantly into that margin. Related Video:

2018 Maserati Ghibli gets new lights and grille

It's been nearly four years since Maserati introduced the 2014 Ghibli, and it's soldiered on largely unchanged. Finally, Maserati is prepping a respectable facelift front and rear. The changes seem to be concentrated on headlights and grilles. The lights now appear to have a chrome or aluminum highlight that curves upward, dividing the LED running lights from the rest of the lighting. This is a distinct difference from the current highlight that curves downward. Also, the grille now looks to have a more rounded shape, closer to the oval grilles of early- and mid-2000s Maseratis. The lower grille also seems to have smaller inlets at each corner. At the back, the rear bumper has clearly been reworked. Unfortunately, the giant black diaper covering it reveals absolutely nothing. Aside from these changes, the rest of the new Ghibli looks the same. Because this is clearly a mid-cycle refresh, we expect to see the car fully revealed by the end of the year, with vehicles hitting the lots early next year. Related Video:

This is our clearest look yet at the next Maserati Quattroporte

The best look we've had at the next Maserati Quattroporte so far was found in patent drawings that could have substituted for a whole lot of other cars. But seen here is a more useful glimpse, courtesy of someone on the lookout in Italy who caught a prototype in a skin-hugging wrap.
Maserati has apparently gone with the Charles Eames philosophy on the redesign: "The details are not details. They make the design." The overall line is familiar - not such a bad thing even on this 10-year-old sedan - but the detailing appears to have been refined and made sleeker. The taillights themselves should make for an especially interesting feature if the camo'ed car can be trusted.
The next Quattroporte is predicted to be roughly 450 pounds lighter than the current car, and underhood grunt is expected to come from a 520-horsepower, 5.2-liter turbocharged V8 at launch, followed by a 420-hp, supercharged V6 supplied by Ferrari, both working through an eight-speed ZF transmission.