2012 Maserati Granturismo Sport Conv Msrp $156,725 4k Miles Only $109,888!!! on 2040-cars

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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 MC20 Icona and Leggenda special editions channel the MC12

Maserati is celebrating 20 years since the introduction of its legendary MC12 launched and took to the circuit with a couple of special edition MC20 supercars. Named the MC20 Icona and MC20 Leggenda, each takes after a specific look originally applied to MC12s. The MC20 Icona uses the MC12 Stradale’s best-known look with the white and blue two-tone on the exterior. Maserati says it consists of Bianco Audace Matte and Blu Stradale on this MC20. YouÂ’ll also notice the Maserati Fuoriserie logo in Bianco Audace on the side of the car and the Italian flag just behind the front wheels, reminiscent of where it sits on the MC12. Maserati matched the wheel finish of the MC12 with a silver look on the MC20, and the blue-painted calipers really pop behind said wheels. As for the interior, Maserati equips both cars with the optional lightweight four-way racing seats. The Icona specifically enjoys a black and blue two-tone interior colorway with “Icona” embroidered onto the headrests. As for the Leggenda (directly above), this MC20 takes after the Vitaphone Racing teamÂ’s livery for its MC12 GT1 race car. ItÂ’s finished in Nero Essenza and Digital Mint Matte. Interestingly, Maserati throws a splash of yellow at the Leggenda with yellow trident logos on the doors, grille and C-pillars. The trident wheels are then done in Nero Lucido with Digital Mint accents, and the calipers are painted in black to complete the package. Inside, you get a black and silver two-tone interior with “Leggenda” embroidered on the headrests. Maserati is only making 20 of each special edition model, called out by “UNA DI 20” on a badge in the engine bay. All of them are specÂ’d with a number of options such as the carbon fiber interior package, electronic limited-slip differential, nose lift, carbon fiber engine cover, Sonus Faber sound system, blind-spot monitoring and premium carpets. Related video:

40+ cars that barely avoid the gas guzzler tax

The Gas Guzzler schedule, with mpg ratings and charges that haven't changed since 1991, lays out which fuel-swillers owe what to Uncle Sam.
I started thinking about the "Gas Guzzler Tax" - considerably less well known as The Energy Tax Act of 1978 - when I was driving Dodge's new Challenger SRT Hellcat last week. Unsurprisingly for a car that can burn 1.5 gallons of gas per minute at max tilt, theoretically able to empty a full tank of premium in about 13 minutes, the Hellcat will be subject to the Gas Guzzler Tax schedule when it goes on sale.