2006 Maserati Quattroporte on 2040-cars

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Maserati Levante Hybrid gets four-cylinder and 48-volt technology

Maserati is keeping its promise of adding more electrified options to its lineup. Shortly after electrifying the Ghibli, it stuffed the turbo-electric powertrain in the Levante to create its second series-produced hybrid model. Presented at the 2021 Shanghai auto show, the Levante Hybrid is powered by a turbocharged, 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that works with a 48-volt mild-hybrid system. The system's total output checks in at 330 horsepower and 332 pound-feet of torque, figures on par with the Ghibli Hybrid's, and it spins the four wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission and a limited-slip rear differential. Maserati quotes a six-second sprint from zero to 60 mph, a number that puts the Hybrid about on par with the base model, and a top speed of over 150 mph. While the Levante's hybrid technology does not unlock electric-only driving range, it's much lighter than a comparable plug-in hybrid system, which would require a bigger and heavier battery pack. In turn, this solution gives the Hybrid better weight distribution than the V6-powered model. It's more agile to drive, according to Maserati. It takes a well-trained eye to tell the Levante Hybrid apart from the non-electrified model. Car-spotters should look for light blue accents on the fender-mounted air vents, on the brake calipers, and on the C-pillar emblems. Inside, the same shade of blue is found in the stitching that's on the seats, on the door panels, and on the dashboard. Maserati told Autoblog that, like the Ghibli Hybrid, the Levante Hybrid will not be sold in the United States. Sales in several overseas markets will start before the end of 2021, though pricing and availability haven't been announced yet. While we're not getting Maserati's first electrified SUV, it gives us a valuable look at how the Italian company plans to spread electrification across its range without completely neutering the DNA that characterizes it. That's significant insight, because one of the next electrified Maserati models will be a version of the MC12 supercar. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Maserati MC20 supercar plays in the snow

Macron and Le Pen decry 'shocking' Stellantis CEO pay

PARIS — French President Emmanuel Macron and his far-right challenger in the French presidential vote, Marine Le Pen, on Friday both decried as “shocking” the multimillion euro payout to the CEO of carmaker Stellantis. Stellantis CEO Carlos TavaresÂ’ remuneration package of 19.15 million euros just a year after the company was formed became an issue as Macron and Le Pen campaigned ahead of the April 24 runoff vote. Polls show purchasing power and inflation are a top voter concern. Stellantis was formed last year through the merger of PSA Peugeot and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles. Centrist President Emmanuel Macron, perceived by many voters as being too pro-business, called the pay package “astronomical” and pushed for a Europe-wide effort to set ceilings on “abusive” executive pay. “ItÂ’s shocking, itÂ’s excessive,” he said Friday on broadcaster France-Info. “People canÂ’t have problems with purchasing power, difficulties, the anguish theyÂ’re living with, and see these sums. Otherwise, society will explode.” Far-right leader Marine Le Pen, who enjoys support from many working-class voters, called for bringing in more workers as shareholders. “Of course itÂ’s shocking, and itÂ’s even more shocking when it is the CEOs who have pushed their society into difficulty,” she said Friday on BFM television. “One of the ways to diminish this pay, which is often out of proportion with economic life, is perhaps to allow workers in as shareholders.” Stellantis continued to back the package despite a 52.1% to 47.9% vote rejecting it at an annual shareholders' meeting chaired from the Netherlands, where the company is legally based, on Wednesday. The company, citing Dutch civil code, noted that the vote is advisory and not binding. The company later said in a statement that it took note of the vote, and will explain in an upcoming 2022 remuneration report “how this vote has been taken into account.” In the 2021 report, the company identified peer group companies that it used as a salary benchmark, including U.S. companies like Boeing, Exxon Mobile, General Electric as well as carmakers Ford and General Motors. Stellantis, whose brands include Peugeot, Fiat, Jeep, Opel and Maserati, reported net profits last year had tripled to 13.4 billion euros ($15.2 billion). The French government is the third-largest shareholder in Stellantis, with a 6.15% stake through the Bpifrance Participations S.A. French public investment bank.

The Aston Martin Rapide leads this month's list of discounts

Aston Martin was an early entrant into the coupe-shaped sedan battlefield with its rakish Rapide. It was first shown in concept form in 2006 at the Detroit Auto Show before finally going into production in 2010. Ten years have passed since then, and this could well be your last chance to drive a new Rapide off your neighborhood Aston Martin dealership's lot as the four-door is replaced by the DBX crossover. If you've got your eye on a new Rapide — and congratulations if so — you'll be pleased to know that you can snag a 2019 model for the low price of just $217,484. Sure, that's still a lot of money, but it's $24,341 off the car's average $241,825 sticker price. That's the largest monetary savings of August, 2020, and it represents a discount of a little over 10%. And even if the Rapide is getting a little long in the tooth, it's still a strikingly beautiful machine, particularly in its most recent AMR guise. Looking for something different but still extremely rapid? The 2019 Acura NSX is selling for an average transaction price of $142,141. That's an 11% savings off its sticker of $159,703. Or you could opt for a Maserati Quattroporte if you'd like the convenience of a luxury sedan but not the price of the Aston Martin – the four-door Trident-badged machine's average transaction price this month of $107,372 is a 12.4% discount. And if none of that is up your alley, you could go full baller with a Rolls-Royce Cullinan SUV for $320,085. That's a savings of $12,665 off the car's average retail price of $332,750. Just think of how much Grey Poupon you could afford with all that leftover cash. For a look at the best new car deals in America based on the percentage discount off their suggested asking prices, check out our monthly recap here. And when you're ready to buy, click here for the Autoblog Smart Buy program, which brings you a hassle-free buying experience with over 9,000 Certified Dealers nationwide. Related Video: Featured Gallery Aston Martin Rapide AMR View 10 Photos Acura Aston Martin Maserati Rolls-Royce Car Buying Convertible Coupe SUV Luxury Performance Sedan consumer best deals