2024 Maserati Gran Turismo Trofeo 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 GranTurismo Folgore design and key specifications revealed

The next-generation Maserati GranTurismo will spawn an electric, Folgore-badged variant with over 1,200 horsepower. While the coupe hasn't been fully unveiled yet, the Italian company published a video that shows it without camouflage and reveals key specifications. Shot on California's picturesque roads, the five-minute film provides a better look at the second-generation GranTurismo's shapely design. It's characterized by a long hood, a fastback-like roof line, and a relatively short trunk, while its front end borrows a handful of styling cues inaugurated by the MC20 and also seen on the Grecale. The model is instantly recognizable as a member of the Maserati portfolio. We already know that the first series-produced electric Maserati will ship with a three-motor drivetrain rated at about 1,200 horsepower. Design boss Klaus Busse (who is behind the wheel in the video) announced that the GranTurismo Folgore takes 2.6 seconds to reach 60 mph from a stop and reaches a top speed of over 200 mph. He added that the battery pack is housed in the transmission tunnel, a solution which allowed his team to give the car a relatively low profile, but details such as the unit's size and the driving range remain under wraps. Not interested in EVs? Maserati has you covered: it will position the Folgore at the top of the GranTurismo range but it will also offer at least one V6-powered version of the car. We're guessing that the engine will be related to the excellent 3.0-liter Nettuno V6 that powers the MC20. Maserati will release more details about the GranTurismo Folgore in the coming months, and the coupe's unveiling is scheduled for 2023. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Green Maserati Coupe Electric Luxury Performance

Maserati planning second smaller SUV?

Maserati's product plans have taken a few wild turns, but as we get closer to production dates for the long-awaited offerings things are getting a wee bit clearer. The the sixth-generation Maserati Quattroporte is here, and a quick recap according to a report in Car and Driver has the smaller Ghibli sedan on Chrysler's LX/LY platform next, then the next-generation GranTurismo coupe and cabrio on a Maserati platform, then the Kubang SUV concept (pictured) that, for production, will become the larger Jeep-Cherokee-based Levante SUV.
All of which gets us to 2015. That same year, according to the report, the Levante will get a brother: a smaller SUV or crossover, perhaps sized like the Kubang concept, to challenge the Audi Q5 and the Porsche Macan. It is predicted to use the Compact US Wide platform, built for front-wheel and all-wheel-drive vehicles, that supports the Dodge Dart and 2014 Alfa Romeo Giulia. In addition to giving the premium brand a competitor in what is a very popular segment, a Maserati move slightly downmarket can help fill a gap while Fiat brass figures out what to do with Lancia.