2009 Maserati Gran Turismo on 2040-cars

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One-off Maserati GranTurismo models celebrate the brand's past and future

The new Maserati GranTurismo is headed to the 2023 Milan Design Week to show off some of the different outfits it can wear. The Italian company's Fuoriserie department, which handles one- and few-off requests from customers, prepared a pair of one-of-a-kind coupes. Maserati calls the Design Week-bound models GranTurismo One Off Prisma and GranTurismo One Off Luce, respectively. "Prisma" means "Prism" in Italian (coincidentally, the name also appeared on a three-box version of the original Lancia Delta) while "luce" translates to "light" (as in, what the sun emits, not how you'd describe a Mazda MX-5 Miata). Both will be difficult to miss if you're walking around the show floor. Designed as a celebration of Maserati's past, present, and future, the Prisma is painted in no less than 14 different colors. Two of those colors look to the future, according to the carmaker, while the remaining 12 are colors that were offered on the GranTurismo's predecessors. Amaranto — a purple-ish color — was available on the 1947 A6 1500, and Oro Longchamps was offered on the 1973 Khamsin. Once the colors were applied to the body, over 8,500 letters that spell the name of historic Maserati models were applied by hand to create a second layer. At the other end of the spectrum, the Luce (shown above) represents Maserati's future. It's not as colorful as the Prisma but it's equally eye-catching: it features a mirror-like finish, a laser-etched pattern, and a color that the company describes as being "almost absent." We're told that this treatment makes the contours of the car blend into their surroundings, though so far we've only seen a sketch of the car — it likely looks quite a bit different when you're standing in front of it. Maserati used a recycled type of nylon called EcoNyl throughout the interior. Maserati hasn't announced what the future holds for the two design studies. They might join the company's collection, or they could end up in a lucky collector's garage. As for the regular-production model, it's scheduled to reach showrooms across the nation this month with a twin-turbocharged, 3.0-liter V6 and a base price set at about $174,000. The next-generation GranCabrio convertible isn't far behind. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

The best Super Bowl car commercials from the last 5 years

If you've been dipping into the Autoblog feed over the past days and weeks, you wouldn't even have to be a sports fan to know the Super Bowl is coming up. Automakers have been teasing their spots for the big game, dropping them days early, fully-formed onto the Internet and otherwise trying to amp up the multi-million-dollar outlays that they've made for air time on the biggest advertising day of the year. And, we're into it. The lead up to the Super Bowl is almost akin to a mini auto show around these parts; with automakers being amongst the most prolific advertisers on these special Sundays. The crop of ads from 2015 looks as strong as ever, but we thought we'd take a quick look back at some of our favorite spots from the last five years. Take a look at our picks – created from a very informal polling of Autoblog editors and presented in no particular order – and then tell us about your recent faves, in Comments. Chrysler, Imported From Detroit Chrysler, Eminem and a lingering pan shot of "The Fist" – it doesn't get much more Motown than 2011's Imported From Detroit. With the weight of our staffers hailing from in and around The D, it's no wonder that our memories still favor this epic Super Bowl commercial (even though the car it was shilling was crap). Imported really set the tone for later Chrysler ads, too, repeated the formula: celebrity endorsement + dramatic copy + dash of jingoism = pulled car-guy heartstrings. Mercedes-Benz, Soul teaser with Kate Upton One of our favorite Super Bowl commercials (and yours, based on the insane number of views you logged) didn't even technically air during the game. Mercedes-Benz teased its eventual spot Soul with 90-seconds worth of Kate Upton threatening to do her best Joy Harmon impression. (Teaser indeed.) It doesn't win points for cleverness, use of music, acting, or any compelling carness, but it proved that Mercedes' advertisers knew how to make a splash in the Internet Age. And, hey, it's still classier than every GoDaddy commercial. Kia, A Dream Car. For Real Life Like the Mercedes video above, the initial draw here is a pretty lady; in this case the always stunning Adriana Lima. But this Kia commercial really delivers the extra effort we expect while scarfing crabby snacks and homemades, too. First of all, Motley Crue. Second, a cowboy on a bucking rhino. Enjoy yet again.

Audi gets Q2 and Q4 badges in trademark swap with FCA

Audi has swapped trademarks with Fiat Chrysler Automobiles to snare the rights to the Q2 and Q4 badges for upcoming crossover SUVs. Audi CEO Rupert Stadler confirmed at the Detroit Motor Show that the automaker had finally persuaded FCA to release the two names that would let Audi lock up the Q1 to Q9 badges for its growing SUV family. Audi already plans to drop the Q2 name onto its MQB-based city crossover five-door this year, while the Q4 badge will slot onto the rump of a coupe-like version of the next Q3. It will also reserve the Q1 badge for a 2018 baby crossover, based around the architecture of the next A1 hatch. The A1 will share a lot of its engineering with Volkswagen's Polo-based soft-roader, dubbed T-Cross in concept form. The German company has also pounced on the naming rights for SQ versions of all of its Q-cars, along with F-Tron to cover the day when it pushes hydrogen fuel cell cars into production. Stadler insisted that no money had changed hands in order to pry the two badges off FCA, admitting that they had "each found something we needed." "We promised each other we wouldn't disclose what it cost, but it was not something they were willing to sell," Stadler said. "We tried to get it years ago and they said 'No, never,' but there is never 'never' in business. ... This year I went back to them with a proposal and we talked and there were some negotiations and then we agreed to it." Those negotiations are believed to have centered on a trademark swap with a Volkswagen Group name that FCA desperately (evidently) wants to use on a Fiat, Alfa Romeo, Chrysler, Dodge or Maserati. Asked if Audi had given FCA a trademark in return for Q2 and Q4, Stadler replied, "Something very much like that, yes." Audi has used Italian names on past concept cars that FCA could be interested in, such as the 2001 Avantissimo concept and the 2003 Nuvolari coupe. The latter was named after legendary pre-war racer Tazio, who won grands prix for both Alfa Romeo and Audi's forerunner, Auto Union. Both are unlikely trade chips, with laws in Europe preventing the trademarking of the names of actual people. There is always "quattro" (Italian for "four"), but after investing nearly four decades locking it in as an Audi all-wheel-drive name, it's just not anything like trade bait.