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Maserati readies Modena plant for Alfieri, shelves GranTurismo soon

It is highly likely that the Maserati GranTurismo will soon go the way of the Biturbo. An Australian Maserati executive was quoted as saying that GranTurismo production will end by the end of this year, and Maserati itself has announced that the Modena plant making the GranTurismo will face production line upgrades to prepare for a new model. Glen Sealey, general manager of Maserati's Australia and New Zealand operations, told Carsales that GranTurismo production will cease by the end of 2019, and that dealer stock Down Under will last until mid-2020. The GranTurismo will reportedly be succeeded by the all-new Alfieri coupe, based on a space-frame chassis that will also see a convertible variant added to the lineup. Earlier reports have included the mention of a full-electric Alfieri version produced with Ferrari know-how. Maserati's own statement says that upgrading and renewal of the Modena production lines will begin in the autumn of 2019, meaning that the GranTurismo should remain in production for less than nine months. Maserati also mentioned "a totally new model, a characteristically Maserati sports car" entering pre-series production during the first half of 2020, but according to other reports, it could take until 2022 for the Alfieri to reach customers. If that's true, there'd be quite a gap in the Maserati portfolio. The GranTurismo was launched at the 2007 Geneva Motor Show, though updates have strived to prolong its shelf life. Recent GranTurismo sales in the United States have been modest: after a little more than 2,000 units sold in 2016, sales halved for 2017. Maserati has stated earlier that it wants to reach 100,000 global sales by 2022, with a 15-percent profit margin. Image Credit: Maserati Plants/Manufacturing Rumormill Maserati maserati alfieri

330-horsepower Ghibli Hybrid is Maserati's first electrified model

Maserati kicked off its electrification campaign by releasing a hybrid version of the Ghibli, its entry-level model. The sedan gains a mild hybrid system, subtle visual tweaks, and many technology upgrades inside. Unveiled online, the brand's first production-bound electrified car features a gasoline-electric powertrain built around a turbocharged, 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine. It works jointly with a 48-volt belt-driven starter-generator and what the company calls an e-booster that's essentially an electric supercharger. The system's total output checks in at 330 horsepower at 5,750 rpm and 332 pound-feet of torque at 4,000 rpm, and it channels its power to the rear wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission and a limited-slip differential. Maserati quotes a 5.7-second sprint from zero to 62 mph, and a 159-mph top speed. While fuel economy figures are still being finalized, preliminary estimates peg the Hybrid's fuel consumption at about 27.6 mpg in a combined cycle, a figure which — if accurate — makes it less efficient than the 31.3-mpg diesel model it will replace. Adopting 48-volt technology was the best way to electrify the Ghibli, according to the brand. "We thought about a plug-in option for the Ghibli, but when you put a lot of batteries — and a lot of other stuff — into the car, it adds weight and it's going to jeopardize the performance and the fun-to-drive quotient that is key for Maserati. I'm not saying this to diminish the good points of the plug-in hybrid technology, but it's not the best solution here," Francesco Tonon, Maserati's head of global product planning and marketing, told Autoblog. Tonon pointed out making the Ghibli a hybrid wasn't an excuse to make it dull; it still needed to drive and sound like a Maserati. It's 176 pounds lighter than the diesel-burning model, and it offers better weight distribution because there is a lighter engine under the hood and some of the hybrid components are installed in the back. As for the sound, Tonon proudly explained his team gave the Ghibli a unique exhaust note worthy of the storied trident emblem without resorting to an amplifier, by tweaking the system and adopting resonators. Subtle design changes set the Hybrid model apart from the non-electrified Ghibli.

2023 Maserati Grecale Trofeo First Drive Review | Entry-level done right

RENO, Italy — Maserati is blowing with the SUV gales. Sedans remain an important part of its heritage, but they're no longer an important part of the new car market — especially not in the United States. Investing time and resources into filling sedan-sized gaps in the lineup would be like moving the deck chairs on a sinking cruise ship, so the Italian company is taking a different path to growth by expanding its SUV range. Named after a Mediterranean wind, the Grecale is positioned below the Levante and aimed directly at the Porsche Macan. It's not a supercar, but the Grecale is arguably the most important car that Maserati has ever released, one that could ultimately represent nearly half of its sales. I traveled to a town called Reno (not the place that Johnny Cash shot a man in) to get a feel for the smallest trident. First, let's dispel a myth: The Grecale is not merely a re-bodied Alfa Romeo Stelvio. Sure, both Italian people-movers are built on the Giorgio platform (which also underpins the Giulia and the latest Jeep Grand Cherokee), but several key changes were made in-house by Maserati. "We started with the Giorgio architecture, and we added the features that are typically found in upper segments: an air suspension system, for example," Federico De Medio, the company's head of vehicle validation, told me. "We were given the possibility to further improve this platform, and we were able to increase the wheelbase by (about 3 inches),"  He added that electronic tweaks were made as well. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. The base Grecale GT consequently stretches 190.8 inches long, 76.7 inches wide, and 65.6 inches tall; the Modena and the Trofeo trim levels are 77.9 inches wide, while the latter measures 191.3 inches from bumper to bumper due to its specific body kit. Either way, the Grecale is relatively big for its segment: Porsche's Macan, its intended closest competitor, checks in at 184.3 inches long and is one of the smaller in the segment. The Grecale's weight ranges from 4,431 to 4,629 pounds. One look at the Grecale's front end shows what Maserati meant when it announced the MC20's exterior design would influence the rest of the range: the swept-back headlights are positioned above a wide grille with the trident emblem proudly positioned front and center. It's not a clone of the MC20, but the family resemblance is perceptible.