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2023 Maserati MC20 Road Test: Distinctly Maserati, and better for it

It’s not the quickest to 60 or the flashiest of the bunch, but the Maserati MC20 is a brilliant mid-engine supercar. It also seemingly appeared overnight. One day, Maserati was making subpar luxury sedans, and the next itÂ’s producing a carbon-tubbed supercar with a bespoke engine and looks thatÂ’ll have you going, what the hell is that? But in a good way. Seriously, if an award existed for “most improved” in the automotive industry, Maserati deserves to take home the prize this year. From the MC20 to the hot-selling Grecale, this isnÂ’t the Maserati weÂ’ve known and chided for the better part of this century. ItÂ’s all the more impressive that Maserati is finally catching its stride at the same time Ferrari engines are falling away from its lineup, particularly because the presence of those Maranello-designed engines was the biggest draw to driving home a car with the trident in its grille. Forget about Ferrari, though, because the Maserati MC20 is a great supercar because itÂ’s a Maserati. Let your butt fall into the reasonably-bolstered (but not too crazy) all-Alcantara seat, swivel your legs in over top of the exposed carbon sill, and breathe a deep breath of relaxation. Sure, it takes a tiny bit of contorting to get in, but the cabin is downright plush for being an honest-to-goodness supercar. Give the butterfly door a firm yank downward into place, but make sure to admire the perforated and patterned Alcantara as you do, because itÂ’s just one of many hints at the MC20Â’s quiet luxury. ItÂ’s refreshing to take in the interiorÂ’s surroundings, because while storage may be at a premium, most of the controls and trimmings are easily describable as normal or even ergonomic. The steering wheel buttons look lifted straight off an Alfa and are instantly natural to operate. Your phone will find a perfect resting place in the very secure and well-integrated wireless phone charger in the carÂ’s central tunnel. The wheel-mounted drive mode selector is a chip off AlfaÂ’s “DNA” mode selector, but itÂ’s in the perfect spot to effortlessly change the carÂ’s character in an instant. Even the armrests on both the center console and doors are well-judged to keep you relaxed and well-supported no matter how long the drive. Add to all this the Uconnect 5 infotainment system that is dirt-easy to operate, including with wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, and youÂ’re left with a supercar that doesnÂ’t make being in it or driving it a chore.

2015 Maserati GranTurismo to show new styling language for brand

Despite the fact that Maserati has yet to officially mention the next generation of its grand touring lineup, it seems like we know plenty of details about the upcoming range of Maserati coupes and convertibles. First we heard that the GranTurismo line would be growing to include three models, then we heard that new, smaller two-seater (possibly named Gran Sport) could be here by 2016 and, most recently, reports indicated that the GranTurismo's successor will feature more compact dimensions to better take on the Porsche 911.
Now Edmunds is reporting that the 2015 GranTurismo will mark a major evolution in the design language for the Italian automaker, while the Levante SUV will get the current styling cues found on the 2014 Quattroporte and 2014 Ghibli. The article also says that Maserati is planning to offer its models with a wider range of available colors and that it will introduce new limited-edition models as well all in hopes of selling 50,000 units globally by 2015.

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: