2007 Maserati Quattroporte M139 on 2040-cars

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Next-generation Maserati Gran Turismo, Gran Cabrio confirmed

The Maserati Gran Turismo will return for a second generation after all. The Italian automaker confirmed the on-again, off-again grand tourer as it presented its financial results to investors.  The Gran Turismo coupe and its convertible offshoot, the Gran Cabrio, were both included in the five-year plan parent company Fiat-Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) presented in 2014. Their future began looking grim when they disappeared from the company's road map, according to Motor Authority. We know Maserati is busily working on another, more hardcore sports car inspired by the Alfieri concept, and odds are insiders worried releasing two similar models in the same price bracket would confuse buyers and torpedo both nameplates. The latest from Maserati's Modena, Italy, headquarters is that development of the next Gran Turismo is back on track. Additional details about the car remain under wraps, but Maserati's presentation noted every car it releases beginning in 2020 will be offered with a battery-electric powertrain. The current, 12-year old Gran Turismo (pictured) has been V8-only for its entire career, and we wouldn't be surprised to see the eight-cylinder return as an alternative powertrain for buyers who don't want an EV. Maserati has previously made it clear that it won't commit to an all-electric future. Maserati's product master plan pegs the next Gran Turismo's debut date at some point in 2021. Keep in mind the company isn't exactly known for timeliness. Even if we see the model during 2021, it's unlikely to appear in American showrooms until 2022 at the earliest. The Gran Cabrio will arrive the following year, so it will likely launch as a 2023 model. That means the current Gran Turismo and Gran Cabrio will likely remain in the firm's lineup for two or three additional years. The presentation reaffirms Maserati's commitment to finally becoming a full-line automaker. In 2020, it will give the Levante, the Ghibli, and the Quattroporte a mid-cycle refresh, and it will release the aforementioned production version of the Alfieri concept introduced way back in 2014. Then 2021 will bring a smaller SUV, and a convertible variant of the yet-unnamed Alfieri-inspired model. Finally, the Quattroporte and the Levante will be replaced in 2022 and 2023, respectively. Maserati will need to keep the Gran Turismo and the Alfieri in two distinctly separate segments.

2021 and 2022 Maserati models recalled over fuel leak risk

Maserati is recalling a handful of 2021 and 2022 models to fix a problem that can cause a fuel leak. While the number of cars included in the campaign is relatively small, it covers every member of the company's lineup ranging from the entry-level Ghibli to the MC20 supercar. Documents published by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) explain that about 409 cars sold in the United States are fitted with a fuel line sensor housing that can crack and leak. It adds that this problem can reduce the engine's performance by not delivering enough fuel to the cylinders; alternatively, the leak can cause a fire, though the notice says that's only in "rare circumstances." There are 274 units of the 2021 and 2022 Levante, 88 examples of the 2021 Ghibli, 43 2021 Quattroporte sedans, and four 2022 MC20s affected. Maserati estimates that the Levante models included in the campaign were built between September 18, 2020, and October 4, 2021. For the Ghibli, the date range provided by the Italian firm is November 3, 2020, to June 7, 2021. Quattroporte models were built from October 28, 2020, to June 7, 2021, while the four MC20s were manufactured between July 12 and September 29, 2021. Maserati notes that it acted quickly: it found out about the problem on October 8, it opened an internal investigation into the part's supplier the following day, and it issued the voluntary recall on November 4, 2021. As of writing, there have been no accidents, injuries, or fatalities linked to the problem.  Maserati will replace the fuel line sensor housing in all affected cars free of charge. It will begin notifying owners on December 27, 2021. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Featured Gallery Maserati Ghibli & Levante F Tributo View 14 Photos Recalls Maserati

Marchionne: FCA, but not Ferrari, interested in Formula E

It seems like automakers have been clamoring to get on board with Formula E lately. In just the last few weeks a number of manufacturers have either become more directly involved, or otherwise announced entry into the series in coming years. That includes Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Porsche, with the latter two abandoning other series to join the electric one. Now, FCA CEO Sergio Marchionne says his company might join Formula E as well, according to Motorsport. Previously, Marchionne had toyed with the idea of bringing Ferrari into the Formula E field, but now says that would be unlikely. Instead, he thinks an FCA brand would be a better fit, perhaps Alfa Romeo or Maserati. At the moment, Maserati seems like the best fit, as Marchionne just announced that the brand would electrify its entire lineup after 2019, with each car it sells having either a hybrid or electric powertrain. Fans would probably be excited to see Maserati return to racing, and Formula E would be a good test laboratory for the development of electric propulsion technology. Still, another brand could represent FCA in Formula E, and apply the knowledge learned there to its vehicles, as Marchionne says half of the FCA fleet will be electrified by the end of the company's five-year plan ending in 2022. Marchionne said that while Ferrari won't be directly involved, he doesn't know which FCA brand – Alfa Romeo, Dodge, Chrysler, Fiat, or Maserati – would enter. As interesting as an electric Dodge race car would be, it seems unlikely, especially because of, well, Maserati. We're hoping it's Jeep, though. Related Video: News Source: MotorsportImage Credit: ALBERTO PIZZOLI/AFP/Getty Images Green Alfa Romeo Ferrari Maserati Green Culture Electric Racing Vehicles Sergio Marchionne FCA Formula E