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Maserati gives us our best look yet at its Grecale small crossover

Maserati's second SUV, the Grecale, is nearly ready to make its debut. The company took advantage of a visit by Stellantis boss Carlos Tavares to release some of the most revealing photos of the model we've seen to date. While the Porsche Macan-fighting soft-roader remains fully draped in camouflage, we see enough of its front end to tell there's a wide, low-mounted grille with vertical slats and almond-shaped headlights located higher on the fascia. We'll hold our judgment until the Grecale is unveiled, but we're starting to see what Klaus Busse, the head of Maserati's design department, meant when he told Autoblog the MC20 would have big influence on future models. Viewed from the side, even with Tavares standing in the frame, it's clear that the Grecale's proportions were drawn with more of an emphasis on sport than on utility. Its front end is relatively long, its dash-to-axle ratio hints at the rear-wheel-drive platform underneath, and its roofline has more slope than the average kid-and-dog-hauling Ikea warrior. Earlier spy shots taken near Maserati's headquarters suggest the rear end wears horizontal LED lights. Unverified rumors claim the Grecale rides on an evolution of the Giorgio platform that Alfa Romeo's Stelvio (one of the better-handling crossovers on the market) and Giulia models are built on. Some reports warned the architecture would be phased out, but Alfa Romeo CEO Jean-Philippe Imparato suggested they're not accurate. If the Grecale is indeed Giorgio-based, it will likely come standard with rear-wheel-drive, and it will be offered with all-wheel-drive at an extra cost. Engine options remain unconfirmed; four- and six-cylinders can easily fit in Giorgio-based cars. Maserati will finish fine-tuning the Grecale in the summer of 2021, and it will present the model before the end of the year. When it lands, the Grecale will slot beneath the Levante as a taller alternative to the Ghibli. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Maserati Levante will borrow Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid's PHEV powertrain

The plug-in hybrid tech from the 2017 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid minivan will move seriously upmarket into a future version of the Maserati Levante crossover. The PHEV model should arrive around early 2018 or possibly the end of 2017, division boss Harald Wester told Motor Trend. Wester was blunt about the reason for using the minivan's powertrain. "A standalone program would be suicidal so we have to look at FCA," he said to Motor Trend. However, he expects the PHEV to comprise a tiny portion of the luxury CUV's sales volume – possibly as low as six percent. The Pacifica Hybrid will be the first PHEV minivan in the US when it arrives in the second half of 2016. The powertrain combines a 3.6-liter V6 that runs on the more efficient Atkinson cycle, and two electric motors, which are in the gearbox. A 16-kWh lithium-ion battery under the floor stores the energy for the system. Chrysler estimates the setup can carry the minivan 30 miles purely on electric power and achieve 80 MPGe. The first examples of the Levante should arrive in the US in August, according to Motor Trend. Maserati plans initially to offer its luxury crossover here with two twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V6s. Base models use a version with 350 horsepower and 368 pound-feet of torque. The S trim gets some extra grunt thanks to a tune that makes 430 hp and 427 lb-ft. Both models come with an eight-speed automatic transmission, all-wheel drive, and a limited-slip differential. The Maserati will have a fleet of posh, European crossovers to fight against, and the PHEV will possibly offer an edge to entice a few green-minded, wealthy customers. Related Video:

Maserati teases all-electric 2022 GranTurismo prototype

Maserati trotted out an early prototype of the 2022 GranTurismo this week, teasing the all-electric replacement for its long-running luxury coupe. The spy-style photographs were shot around the streets of Modena, near the automaker's Innovation Lab, Maserati said in the announcement accompanying the shots. The previous-generation GranTurismo was in production for 12 years before finally retiring in 2019.  The new GranTurismo and its drop-top counterpart, the GranCabrio, have been in development since 2019, but it wasn't until more recently that Maserati confirmed that the next-gen two-doors would spearhead (trident-head?) the company's electrification push. We expect it to borrow from Maserati's upcoming Folgore powertrain which can be configured with up to three electric motors for both all-wheel drive and torque vectoring.  "Going electric is the next logical step. We are trying to avoid unnecessary air openings and air outlets, in contrast to some of our competitors that seem to depend on them to convey a message," explained Maserati head of design Klaus Busse in a previous interview with Autoblog. "In our case, it's about the purity of the body. We can further purify the car by reducing the amount of air intakes and air outlets, which will help us tell the design story even better." We expect to learn details of the all-electric GranTurismo later this year.  Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.