No Reserve! Spyder!! Convertiable!!! Loaded! Low Miles! Gem! Super! on 2040-cars

Auto blog

High school design students sketch out FCA's 'ultimate status vehicle'

Each year since 2013, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) hosts a design contest for high school students called Drive for Design intended to educate and encourage automotive career hopefuls. For 2019, FCA prompted 10th, 11th, and 12th graders to imagine the "ultimate status vehicle." The top three choices include two Alfa Romeos and a Maserati. FCA named first, second, and third places in the contest. Maximillian Cooper (lead image) from Design and Architecture Senior High in Miami won first place. Mason Ross (first inline image) from Kennedy Catholic High School in Burien, Wash., took second. Vincent Piaskowski (Maserati image) from Ernest W. Seaholm High School in Birmingham, Mich., placed third. The three winners of the contest will be awarded with numerous valuable prizes. They will get behind-the-scenes tours at the FCA U.S. Product Design studios, as well as mentoring time with some of FCA's designers. They will also get scholarships to attend the Precollege Summer Experience Transportation Design program at the College for Creative Studies. Lastly, they'll have the honor of serving as junior judges at the EyesOn Design Car Show. Although each sketch has a unique look, all three take the same approach: cab-forward, bubble-top supercar coupes with dramatic lines and curves. Piaskowski's shows direct inspiration from a shark, but we wouldn't be surprised if all three students have special places in their hearts for the Pininfarina Maserati Birdcage Concept.

Limited woven-leather Maserati Quattroporte and Levante headed to Monterey

At the New York Auto Show, Maserati unveiled two luxury novelties. One was the carmaker's new One of One customization program with the tagline, "Anything is possible." The other was the new Pelletessuta woven leather interior developed in conjunction with Italian fashion house Ermenegildo Zegna. Calling it a first for the automotive industry, Maserati will offer the lightweight Napa fabric in 100 special-edition vehicles coming to North America next year. During Monterey Car Week, customers will get the opportunity to order one of the 50 custom editions of the 2020 model year Quattroporte S Q4 GranLusso, and 50 custom editions of the Levante S GranSport. It should be known that the standard GranLusso trim of the Quattroporte comes with a silk and leather interior by Zegna, so the Pelletessuta version is a cut above. The sedan wears custom Blu Sofisticato metallic paint over a dark brown Pelletessuta interior. The brake calipers are also dressed in blue, and a Zegna Edition badge adorns the cabin. Maserati hasn't mentioned pricing, but the regular sedan starts at $122,775, so that's there to start adding a premium. The Levante gets an exclusive Bronzo tri-coat outside over a Black Pelletessuta leather interior with custom Radica wood trim. Instead of the usual 20-inch wheels on, the limited edition gets 21-inch Helios rims hiding black brake calipers. The standard SUV starts at $94,475, we wouldn't be surprised if one of these 50 examples surpassed six figures before options. The Italian camaker says these configurations will not go on sale again.

Maserati Levante crossover not Jeep based after all?

Maserati has been teasing its crossover project since 2011, which is when it first showed off the Kubang concept (pictured above). Still, the production version, rumored to be called the Levante, remains a complete mystery. The CUV was first rumored to borrow the platform from the Jeep Grand Cherokee, but new rumors indicate that the Italian, luxury crossover might actually take the underpinnings from the Quattroporte and Ghibli.
In a brief interview, Maserati CEO Harald Wester told CNN Money that the Levante wouldn't use Jeep's platform. Motor Trend spoke with an unnamed Maserati engineer who confirmed the rumor. Officially, the company says that no decision has been made.
We can add this to another long list of rumors about the Italian CUV. It was originally supposed to be built at Chrysler's Jefferson North assembly plant in Detroit. Then, plans were changed to build it in Italy.