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Maserati Levante SUV previewed in patent drawings

Maserati is set to become the next high-end automaker to get into the crossover game with the impending launch of the Levante, and this could be our best look at it yet. Revealed in drawings reportedly filed with the patent and trademark office in Australia, these line drawings give us an idea of what to expect from the design of the Trident marque's upcoming crossover. The styling looks fairly consistent with what we've come to expect from the Ghibli and Quattroporte sedans, only in a higher-roofed, liftback form. Evident in the design are the Modenese automaker's grille and lighting forms, its signature portal vents along the front fender, powerful rear haunches and a steeply raked tailgate. Previewed by the Kubang concepts of 2003 and 2011, the Levante will be a vital product for Maserati's expansion – just as the Bentayga will be for Bentley, the F-Pace for Jaguar, the DBX for Aston Martin and the Urus (if ever approved) for Lamborghini. Expect it to pack the same V6, V8 and diesel engines as the aforementioned existing sedans when it debuts sometime soon into the new year ahead. Related Video:

2020 Maserati Quattroporte S Q4 Driveway Test | Are you louder than a Dodge Challenger?

The 2020 Maserati Quattroporte is an Italian luxury sedan that comes in several flavors. Recently, we've had a couple pass through the Autoblog short-term loaner fleet, and I decided to take the opportunity to record an exhaust clip and see whether it's louder than my 2013 Dodge Challenger SRT8 392.  You thought we were done with this, didn't you? Hah.  The Maserati is a bit of an odd duck. Like the Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio, which kicked off this series, it's an Italian sedan powered by a turbocharged V6 producing a respectable 430 horsepower. Unlike the four-cheese, the Quattroporte in our garage was not its high-performance variant. In fact, if it were, it would have a V8, as all things should. I'm kidding. Or am I? Sadly, the V6 probably holds the S Q4 back in this particular "test," which resulted in a reading of 78.2 decibels. That's far short of my Challenger, which checked in at 85.7 dB and remains our reining champion ... for now.  The Quattroporte is in reasonably decent company, though, thanks to the Porsche Cayenne S Coupe, which produced a similar result. Yeah, that's an SUV, but this is a luxury car, right? So the missions are similar. Heck, they even make about the same power.  These tests are only vaguely scientific, and I conduct them using a free Android OS sound-measuring app and the mostly enclosed space of my personal garage. For those who are unfamiliar with my methodology (and again, I use that term somewhat loosely), you can refer back to my previous tests with the Alfa or the Cayenne S Coupe for more details.  Or, just click the pretty links to hear engines go burble-burble; it's entirely up to you.  Disclaimer: Autoblog accepts vehicle loans from auto manufacturers with a tank of gas and sometimes insurance for the purpose of evaluation and editorial content. Like most of the auto news industry, we also sometimes accept travel, lodging and event access for vehicle drive and news coverage opportunities. Our opinions and criticism remain our own — we do not accept sponsored editorial.

Maserati Project24 is a custom, limited-edition, track-day special

Maserati joins the parade of limited-run, track-only cars designed to a set of specs instead of a set of established racing regulations. The entry is known by the codename Project24 at the moment, and Maserati says it will build just 62 examples. We don't know the significance of 24 nor of the production run. When the automaker launched the MC20, it said it planned to get return to heritage values founded at Formula 1 and sports car tracks around the world. While we wait on an MC20 developed for FIA GT racing, Project24 will be automaker's second outlet for racing aspirations, the Italians planning on entering Formula E next season. It's possible the Project24 is an offshoot of Maserati's reportedly dead GT3 program for the MC20. In December 2020, Daily Sports Car reported that a GT3 challenger "was said to be under development" when Maserati debuted the MC20, but perhaps due to ramifications of Covid, the circuit version was "shelved for the time being." The automaker hasn't divulged performance targets for the Project24, only a weight target: Below 1,250 kilograms, or 2,756 pounds. If achieved, the racer would be 552 pounds less than Maserati's claimed weight for the MC20. Part of the weight loss comes courtesy of carbon fiber bodywork that's two inches wider than on the MC20, Lexan windows, and making the passenger's seat optional. The gains should be felt everywhere around a track, especially because Project24's 3.0-liter V6 engine sports a larger pair of turbos that boost output by 119 horsepower, to 740 hp. The road car's eight-speed automatic is replaced by a six-speed sequential auto with paddle shifters, from there sending power to the rear wheels through a mechanical limited slip differential instead of the electric LSD in the MC20. Brembo CCMR racing brakes hang off a double wishbone suspension with anti-roll bars front and rear and adjustable dampers, just behind custom, forged 18-spoke center lock wheels on racing slicks. An adjustable front splitter and rear wing fine tune aero performance, on-board air jacks help pit crews put in the best performance.   The cabin offers an adjustable, multifunction carbon fiber steering wheel and pedal box. The wheel contains a digital display working alongside a dash and data acquisition system, but a driving performance optimization display is extra.