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Maserati highlights its racing heritage with MC Edition models

Maserati is slowly renewing ties with its illustrious racing heritage. After returning to the supercar segment with the MC20, which should hit the track sooner or later, it released a competition-inspired version of the Ghibli, the Quattroporte, and the Levante called MC Edition. Fittingly, every MC Edition model starts life with a V8 engine under the hood. Buyers can select two colors called Giallo Corse and Blu Vittoria, respectively, names that mean Racing Yellow and Victory Blue in Italian. Maserati explained that yellow and blue are the colors of Modena, its home town. MC Edition cars also get specific exterior emblems, Piano Black trim, and 21- or 22-inch gloss black wheels depending on the model; the Levante rides on 22s while the sedans ship with 21s. Blue brake calipers add a finishing touch to the look. Inside, every MC Edition receives a sunroof, a Bowers & Wilkins sound system, and the very un-racing-like Driver Assistance package. The interior is just as striking as the exterior: Maserati added black leather upholstery with denim inserts, yellow and blue stitching, plus a number of blue carbon fiber accents on the dashboard, the center console, and the door panels. "MC Edition" is embroidered into the headrests. Nothing suggests that the racing inspiration permeates the powertrain; don't expect to pop the hood and be greeted by Weber carburetors with trumpets. Maserati hasn't published technical specifications, but the only V8 available in the Ghibli is a 3.8-liter twin-turbocharged unit fitted to the Trofeo model and tuned to develop 580 horsepower and 538 pound-feet of torque. The Levante and the Quattroporte are offered with this engine as well. It develops 590 horsepower in the American-spec Levante, though European models settle for the Ghibli's output. Maserati will begin shipping MC Edition cars to customers in Europe, in Asia, and in China in February 2022. Pricing information hasn't been announced yet. And, there's no word yet on whether the special-edition models will be sold in the United States as well. Related Video This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Featured Gallery 2022 Maserati Ghibli, Quattroporte, and Levante MC Edition View 14 Photos Design/Style Maserati SUV Luxury Special and Limited Editions Performance Sedan

Zagato to reveal new Maserati-powered Mostro at Villa d'Este

Zagato has a record of collaborating with some of Europe's finest automakers, but it's the storied past it shares with Maserati that the coachbuilder will be celebrating at the Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este this summer. And that's where Zagato will reveal the Mostro, previewed here. The coachbuilt custom pays tribute to the 1957 Maserati 450 S – known as "il Mostro" for its monstrous power. The Zagato-bodied coupe (one of its last designs not to use the Kamm tail) was commissioned and raced by Stirling Moss at Le Mans, and supposedly remained the most powerful front-engined racecar in the world into the 1990s. This modern tribute is built around a carbon monocoque, with a dry-sump Maserati V8 mounted up front but between the axles for optimal weight distribution, driving a six-speed semi-automatic rear transaxle. The design comes from the same studio that gave us such recent creations as the Alfa Romeo TZ3 and Perana Z-One, and shares some similar design traits, but with quasi-pontoon front fenders capping the long nose and swept-back greenhouse. In correspondence with Autoblog, Zagato confirms that the Mostro is designed for the track, but will be "ready for street homologation." The carrozzeria will build five examples before Maserati's current centenary year is over. Each has already been spoken for, though none are headed to customers in the US. Coachbuilders seldom reveal pricing for this type of project (particularly when they've all been pre-sold), but we're told that "none of Zagato's atelier cars exceed 1 million. As collectible cars, the value of a Zagato typically overcomes the purchasing price within a few years." We'll look forward to seeing the finished product in full once it's ready. In the meantime you can view it – along with a brief pictorial history of the relationship between Maserati and Zagato – in the slideshow above and the details in the trio of texts below. Related Video: Mostro powered by Maserati at the 2015 Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este Cernobbio, May 2015. The Mostro powered by Maserati is the latest creation of Zagato's current Iconic decade, a new tradition for the atelier that began at the end of coachbuilder's Neoclassical period (2000-2010) to celebrate the most iconic models of automotive history. Marking the delivery of the first customer car, Zagato will present the new Mostro as a world premiere at the Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este.

Consumer Reports no longer recommends Honda Civic

Consumer Reports annual Car Reliability Survey is out, and yes, there are some big surprises. First and foremost? The venerable publication no longer recommends the Honda Civic. In fact, aside from the walking-dead CR-Z and limited-release Clarity fuel-cell car, the Civic is the only Honda to miss out on CR's prestigious nod. At the opposite end there's a surprise as well – Toyota and Lexus remain the most reliable brands on the market, but Buick cracked the top three. That's up from seventh last year, and the first time for an American brand to stand on the Consumer Reports podium. Mazda's entire lineup earned Recommended checks as well. Consumer Reports dinged the Civic for its "infuriating" touch-screen radio, lack of driver lumbar adjustability, the limited selection of cars on dealer lots fitted with Honda's popular Sensing system, and the company's decision to offer LaneWatch instead of a full-tilt blind-spot monitoring system. Its score? A lowly 58. The Civic isn't the only surprise drop from CR's Recommended ranks. The Audi A3, Ford F-150, Subaru WRX/STI, and Volkswagen Jetta, GTI, and Passat all lost the Consumer Reports' checkmark. On the flipside, a number of popular vehicles graduated to the Recommended ranks, including the BMW X5, Chevrolet Camaro, Corvette, and Cruze, Hyundai Santa Fe, Porsche Macan, and Tesla Model S. Perhaps the biggest surprise is the hilariously recall-prone Ford Escape getting a Recommended check – considering the popularity of Ford's small crossover, this is likely a coup for the brand, as it puts the Escape on a level playing field with the Recommended Toyota RAV4, Honda CR-V, and Nissan Rogue. While Ford is probably happy to see CR promote the Escape, the list wasn't as kind for every brand. For example, of the entire Fiat Chrysler Automobiles catalog, the ancient Chrysler 300 was the only car to score a check – there wasn't a single Dodge, Fiat, Jeep, Maserati, or Ram on the list. That hurts. FCA isn't alone at the low end, either. GMC, Jaguar Land Rover, Mini, and Mitsubishi don't have a vehicle on CR's list between them, while brands like Mercedes-Benz, Volvo, Nissan, Lincoln, Infiniti, and Cadillac only have a few models each. You can check out Consumer Reports entire reliability roundup, even without a subscription, here.