Yes...just yes.
This, friends is the GranTurismo S Limited edition and it's not leaving Italy. They're only building 12 to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Italian Unification. What they're doing for the Unification is, instead of wrapping the car in the traditional colors of Italy, is draping this GranTurismo in a slick matte Sebring Blue and adding carbon wing mirrors, front spoiler, door handles and rear spoiler (the side skirts and headlights are simply painted black). The wheels are special hand-polished 20-inch aluminum numbers.
The inside, too, got a special touch with bits taken from the MC Stradale, additional carbon fiber touches and a commemorative Centocinquantenario plate with the official logo and production number of the car.
High res images after the jump.
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Categories: Maserati,Sports Cars
Marketing types know the power of a great logo. The best ones present an evocative invitation, one that perfectly reflects the brand's image.
Logos can be especially compelling in the automotive industry.
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Categories: BMW,Ferrari,Fiat,Lamborghini,MINI,Maserati,Mercedes-Benz,Porsche
Well, it appears that Maserati is going forward with the Kubang...and with the name Kubang.
They're so committed that they've put together a CG movie about the new luxury SUV teasing it beyond what they showed in Frankfurt. The theme here is just because the Kubang is an SUV it's not a departure from what a Maserati is supposed to be. We're reserving judgment on that one.
Enjoy?
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Categories: Maserati,SUVs
We've finally decompressed from the Frankfurt Auto Show and there are a few things still swirling around in our heads. Sure, we're still hung up on the C-X16 (and our rendered roadster), but for some reason the Maserati Kubang keeps coming up, specifically, how it compares with the first Kubang we saw in 2003.
That car was an SUV turned GT, sort of like an early Crosstour or BMW 5 Series GT that was low and long like a Maserati should be. This new one is a warmed-over Hyundai Tucson body on a Jeep platform. That said, it's a real SUV and probably more practical.
What say you? Kubang or Kubang? Or is this moot as the Bentley SUV will be coming shortly and blow this out of the water.
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Categories: Frankfurt Auto Show,Maserati,SUVs
Everybody in Frankfurt congregated at Maserati's stand for the reveal of the Kubang concept, the automaker's preview of a future production SUV. Actually, some people may have been there for the GranCabrio Fendi. Us? We were there just for the 85-degree ambient temperatures and quality time with other journalists.
The Kubang (the name is an homage to a concept that debuted back at the 2003 Detroit Auto Show, and yes, it will keep that name once production starts) bears a passing similarity to the leaked shots that turned up on the Internet a couple weeks ago, suggesting that photochop was the work of "sources close to the automaker."
Why make a Maserati SUV? Well, Maserati CEO Harald Wester told the crowd, "Potential synergies with our sister brand Jeep are the important catalysts for this sport/luxury SUV project." We take that to mean that 4WD systems and likely platform architecture will be shared on the eventual production vehicle. This all lends credence to the earlier report that a Maserati SUV would be built in Detroit come 2013.
Engines are being developed in Modena, and will be built by Ferrari technicians for Maserati in Maranello. The transmission is an eight-speed automatic, undoubtedly traceable to ZF, which is already supplying that transmission to Chrysler.
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Categories: Concept Vehicles,Frankfurt Auto Show,Future Vehicles,Maserati,SUVs
Thanks to Automotive News Europe, we have the first shots of the Jeep-based (which is ML based) Maserati SUV. Or this is a very elaborate hoax by the always hilarious people at Automotive News.
No idea when Maserati turned into Gemebella or Novitec, but this thing is a nightmare, unusually busy and way too similar to a BMW for being something out of Maserati. I think Mark's was better...
Categories: Frankfurt Auto Show,Maserati,SUVs
Let's get this straight: What we'll have in 2013 is a Maserati SUV built on a Jeep platform (that's share with / developed by Mercedes), with a Ferrari engine (either a V8 or a V12) that's built in America. (Aside: Now, not that I don't love Ferrari V12s, but part of what makes the Porsche SUV so good is, in part, due to the big, torquey motor. The Turbo does 516 at 2,250 -- The V12 in the FF makes 504 at 6,000.)
This is all still speculation at this point -- as it has the last time we ran this story -- but various news sources are quoting an unnamed source "close to the project" confirming that the contraption will be produced at Chrysler's Jefferson North Assembly Plant.
A concept of the Jeerperati (Jeep GrandTurismo? Jeep Grand Maserokee? What you got?) will be presented at the Frankfurt Auto show. Fingers crossed it looks better than the Kubang....
(Automotive News)
Categories: Jeep,Maserati
Yes, advertising appeared racecars as early as 1932, as evidenced by this Alfa Romeo Tipo B Don Lee Special. Photo by Mark Takahashi
Yesterday, we brought you the first installment of the 2010 Monterey Historics weekend that mostly centered around the Motorsports Reunion. We continue today and add in shots from the Pebble Beach Concours and Concorso Italiano.
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Categories: Alfa Romeo,Aston Martin,Bugatti,Cadillac,Classic Cars,Ford,Jaguar,Lincoln,Maserati,Motorsports
English coachbuilt excellence at its best -- the 1948 Jaguar 3 1/2 liter Drophead Coupe. Photo by Mark Takahashi
Almost every August since 1950, some of the world's rarest and most expensive cars gather on the Monterey Peninsula in California. This weekend started with the Pebble Beach Road Race and the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance in 1950, which is now one of the most prestigious car shows on the planet. As time wore on, more events were added, including the Monterey Historic Automobile Races, the precursor to last year's inaugural Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion.
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Categories: Alfa Romeo,Bugatti,Chevrolet,Classic Cars,Ferrari,Fiat,Ford,Jaguar,Lotus,Maserati,Motorsports
Just a few days ago, we got word on official U.S. pricing for the Maserati GranCabrio Sport. One of you fine posters (mini23) summed it up pretty well: "Screw the 0-60 numbers. These cars are all about the experience. I would take either one over a Vantage, DB9 etc. These cars are sex on wheels"
Yep. Pretty much. And if you thought that before seeing them in motion, well, be prepared....
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Categories: Convertibles,Maserati,Sports Cars
Maserati of North America today released pricing on the 2012 GranTurismo MC and the GranTurismo Convertible Sport. The MC, which is "a limited production sports car with the hand-produced bodywork, increased power, intuitive handling and aerodynamic gains of the European GranTurismo MC Stradale" will start at $139,000. For that you get a 4.7-liter all-alloy V8 cranking out 444 horsepower at 7,000 rpm and 376 pound-feet of torque at 4,750. The transmission is a ZF 6-speed automatic with redline holding and rev-matched downshifts. It's the fastest Maserati in the U.S. with a top speed of 185 and a 0-60 time of 4.8 seconds.
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Categories: Convertibles,Coupes,Maserati,Spy Photos
Maserati knows how to play the poor cousin/forgotten stepchild role. It has been making do with second-hand Ferrari engines and chassis architecture for years. Lately, it's kind of working. The 4.2-liter and 4.7-liter V8s in the current model line are light on low-end torque, but they have a lot of personality at high rpm and make sweet sounds.
We wouldn't say anything like that about the 3.6-liter version of Chrysler's Pentastar V6, but sources close to Maserati tell Inside Line that the GranTurismo and Quattroporte are going to lose their V8s in favor of a twin-turbocharged, 3.0-liter version of the Pentastar. Our own Mark Takahashi reports that he "died a little" while creating the image for this post.
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Categories: Chrysler,Convertibles,Coupes,Ferrari,Luxury Cars,Maserati
http://blogs.insideline.com/roadtests/2011/02/2010-ford-f-150-svt-raptor-desert-snow.html
Dan Edmunds for Edmunds
Inside Line (and the internet come to think of it) runs thousands of photos a week of cool cars. These are our favorites.
If we missed any, let us know....
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Categories: Acura,Alfa Romeo,Aston Martin,Audi,BMW,Ford,Honda,Jaguar,MINI,Maserati,Mercedes-Benz
Inside Line (and the internet come to think of it) runs thousands of photos a week of cool cars. These are our favorites.
http://www.insideline.com/pagani/2012-pagani-huayra-first-look.html
Stan Papier for Edmunds
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Categories: Ferrari,Maserati,Miscellaneous,Pagani
"My Maserati, it's stuck in the snow."
"Sir, this is CBS, you sound like you need a tow truck."
"It's a Maserati Convertible. It's stuck. Send Katie Couric."
"Sir, that's hardly news worthy of 60-minutes correspondent Katie Couric's time."
"This is Barry Diller. I'm a billionaire. Send Couric. If she's not there, I'll take Rooney."
At least this is how I assumed we got to the above pictured situation with Katie Couric pushing media mogul billionaire Barry Diller's Maserati Grandcabrio out of the snow on New York's Central Park Drive. And if that's not the way it happened, I expect to see Katie Couric pushing cars out of snow banks as her new thing.
(Forbes via Twitter )
Categories: Maserati
That nightmarish future we told you about, the one where Chrysler and Maserati get back in bed together for a Jeep Grand Cherokee-based Alfa / Maserati SUV? Yeah, you've got until 2013 until that one pans out.
According this time to the Wall Street Journal, celebrity-CEO Sergio Marchionne was quoted at the L.A. Auto Show repeating his faith and pride in the JGC platform, "This is just a great architecture, why wouldn't I put a Maserati on it?" That's solid logic right there. (Other examples of the same thinking: "This is just a great McRib, why wouldn't I put truffles on it?" "This is just a great Timex, why wouldn't I put diamonds on it?" ...I could go all day here.)
The WSJ is stating that the vehicle -- which despite all mockery will be built on a darned good platform that's already shared with the Mercedes-Benz M-Class SUV -- is to be produced in 2013...in Michigan.
Fingers crossed Mayan conspiracy theorists...fingers crossed.
( Wall St Journal )
Categories: Chrysler,Maserati,SUVs
#parismotorshow Lighter, faster and meaner? Yes, you bet and hell yeah. The 2011 Maserati GranTurismo MC Stradale carves 243 pounds from the GranTurismo S and ekes out 10 more horsepower. In fact, Maserati's boss says that the MC Stradale is the first road-going Maserati ever to exceed 300 km/h (186 mph). The MC Stradale does 301 km/h.
Hmm. We seem to recall a certain Enzo-based Maserati MC12 that was much faster at something like 330 km/h, but perhaps the Italians never considered it a production car. Or they just plain forgot. Anyway, the MC Stradale's sharp-looking body protrusions are said to increase downforce without any additional drag penalty. The gearbox, too, is quicker, delivering shifts in 60 milliseconds.
Speaking of omissions, here are a few more. The backseat is deleted, making this a pure two-seater. Furthermore, the 450-hp MC Stradale won't be sold in the U.S. Not exactly in this guise anyway. Maserati brass will only say they "might offer a slightly different version" for their U.S. customers.
Categories: Maserati,Paris Auto Show
We know Malibu Canyon Road quite well. It's the road we use to get to Mulholland Highway. It's not a very technical road, but it has high rock walls. Usually, those walls keep to themselves, but over the weekend one of them crashed into Mel Gibson's 2008 Maserati Quattroporte. We're told the rock wall had not been drinking nor using its cell phone at the time of the crash.
TMZ
Categories: Celebrities,Maserati
We're not sure why a beautiful Italian sedan needs all-wheel drive, and that's why we're not product planners. Undoubtedly, the answer is because Maserati could make money by offering an AWD option, just as Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz do.
In an interview with Automotive News, Harald Wester, CEO of the Maserati division, noted that the more critical objective for the next-generation Quattroporte will be to cut fuel consumption by 25 percent.
To that end, the Quattroporte will incorporate stop-start technology, plus downsized V6 and V8 engines. For the V8 version, we'd guess that means something on the order of 4.0 liters with a turbocharger or two. The current V8s aren't exactly huge-displacement -- just 4.2 liters and 4.7 liters, respectively, in the base and S models. As for the V6, it's hard to say where Maserati would source that. The only north-south V6 we can think of under the current Fiat Group umbrella is the new Chrysler Pentastar engine...
Wester also told AN that the Quattroporte would get the excellent ZF eight-speed automatic transmission, which is very good news indeed.
Automotive News (sub.req'd)
Categories: Future Vehicles,Luxury Cars,Maserati,Sedans
You really can't turn down a chance to drive a 2010 Maserati GranCabrio. And so Executive Editor Michael Jordan and I recently made an obligatory lap of Beverly Hills in the GranCabrio, the four-place convertible version of the Maserati GranTurismo coupe. Maserati hopes to sell about 700 GranCabrios annually in the U.S. (though not in 2010 since sales just began in April).
Right away, we noticed, as Richard Bremner did on his first drive in the UK, that the GranCabrio is pretty rigid for a big, luxury convertible from the brand that plays second fiddle to Ferrari.
Maserati made substantial updates to the chassis during the intermission period between working on the coupe and the convertible. There's now a lot more aluminum in the chassis, including a flat aluminum underbelly that's a stressed structural member. This comes thanks to Harald Jacob Wester. He's the CEO of the Maserati division, but before he came to Ferrari in 1999, he worked for Audi where he oversaw the engineering of the all-aluminum Audi A2.
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Categories: Convertibles,Luxury Cars,Maserati
