We’ve had a long love-hate relationship with Maserati. We love the automaker’s cars and we hate that we can’t afford them. So, despite this topsy-turvy connection, we’ve been closely following Maserati’s plans expected over the next few years.
The auto manufacturer is planning an assembly line onslaught at the end of which the market will see five new models. Previous press releases indicated Maserati had only three new models in the pipeline. All that changes with Maserati’s recent announcements to (i) replace their Gran Turismo models and (ii) their intentions to add a brand new sports car similar to the Porsche 911 and Jaguar F-Type. All these models are expected to be released by 2015.
Harald Wester, CEO of Maserati, recently reported that the new 2014 Quattroporte will be only the first of the new models we’ll see over the next three years. This model will be almost seven inches longer than any previous generations, but it’s considered bigger in a lot more ways. The 2014 Quattroporte maxes at 523 hp at 6,800 rpm with 524 pound per foot of overboost torque ranging between 2,250 and 3,500 rpm. That’s courtesy of its bi-turbo 3.8-liter direct injected V8 engine, built by Ferrari.
Current plans also reveal an upcoming Ghibli mid-sized Sedan. That should be followed in Spring or Summer 2014 with the Levante SUV. The latter vehicle is inspired by the Jeep Grand Cherokee. Sometime during 2015 Maserati will unveil the auto that will replace both the Gran Turismo and the Gran Turismo Convertible.
In regard to that particular sports car, Maserati’s styling boss, Lorenzo Ramaciotti, revealed the new car would be more compact than the Gran Turismo coupe. The dimensions are expected to be more in line with the Jaguar XK.
The last of the new Maserati vehicles will come off the assembly line after the Gran Turismo replacement. It will be a small two-seater sports car. It is likely to be more of a GranSport mid-engine model. Of course, there have also been reports implying the new sports car would be inspired by the Alfa Romero 4C. That plan entailed engineering a larger version of the classic Italian model.
All the engines for the upcoming models are currently looking to sport brand new twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 and 3.8-liter V8 engines. The engines will be built by Ferrari and ready in time for the 2014 Quattroporte. In the European models, some of these cars will carry a 3.0-liter V6 turbo-diesel engine.
The manufacturer expects these new cars to have a powerful impact on its revenues. By the middle of the decade, they are anticipating at least 50,000 units of sales annually. That’s almost 10x Maserati’s current level of sales. This will offset what has been less than exemplary sales over the last few years.
Headquartered in Modena, Italy, the Maserati line is one of the most respected and sought after luxury sports cars in the world. They are costly but still considered reasonably priced when set alongside comparable models. (Not that anyone here would know.) Maserati has been putting exciting vehicles on the road since dropping its first model at the 1971 Geneva Motor Show. We’ve all got our eye on what the manufacturer plans to do between now and 2015. And beyond.
K. Michael Williams is a freelance writer that lives in New York City with his family. The author has also written for other car sites, such as
the Carzoos website.
