Maserati is set to unveil the third model (third prong, if you will) in their line-up at the Frankfurt Motor Show next month. The GranCabrio, as you might expect from the name is a convertible version of their excellent GranTurismo.

The Maserati GranCabrio, just like the GranTurismo S, will be powered by their smooth 4.7-liter V8 producing 433 horsepower. Maserati is sticking with a canvas top, which while generally not as attractive as retractable hardtops, is lighter, cheaper, and keeps with tradition more so than the rigid alternative. You won’t be driving this around with the top up anyway. Continue Reading…

The world of electric cars, or at least electric cars that are more than half-assed jokes, golf carts with pretensions and pipe dreams of the well meaning, just got a lot more interesting. For those of you that don’t follow this stuff, there’s an electric car company out there called Fisker Automotive. To a certain extent, they are to Tesla what Chevy was to Ford 100 years ago. They are serious, well funded, and aim to have the car you see pictured here, up and running as a viable, every day car for sale to the public. And to show you just how serious they are, Fisker just hired away Maserati’s chief sales and marketing “guy”.

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The most recent car out of the garage of German tuner Novitec is a modified Maserati GranTurismo S. Exterior modifications are subtle, but include a front spoiler for downforce at high speed, rocker panels, a rear lip spoiler, and a rear diffuser, all available in clear-coated carbon fiber finish.

Despite the subtle exterior changes, the engine is where the big difference is in this car. Novitec has added a supercharger system to the stock 440hp 4.7-liter Maserati V8 engine, boosting the power to 600hp. This helps the GranTurismo reach 62mph from a stop in only 4.5 seconds (a 0.4 second increase from stock,) and reaches a top speed of 195mph. Along with the supercharger, Novitec has added a water-to-air intercooler, a new intake system, and larger fuel injectors. Continue Reading…

From the ‘We’re not kidding file’ comes news from that hotbed of espionage and Bondian villainy, New York, comes news that car sales in the world of exotics have gotten so cut-throat that dealers have actually started spying on one another. And this, it would seem, is a tale of not only greed, but disgruntled former employees with more than an axe to grind.

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To quote Lando Calrissian, “What have we here!?” What we have is Maserati’s new track special, the GranTurismo MC. It’s a track only car aimed at the well-heeled gentleman racer (or woman, for that matter). Sure, it’s nice, and we’ll dig into the details soon, but what’s really nice is to see Maserati return to the racing game, even if it’s in a limited way after all these years.

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In the midst of automotive hell, it’s good to know that manufacturers around the world know how to put on a good show. The North American International Auto Show (c’mon, it’s the Detroit show and you know it) is one of the most important auto shows in the world, if not THE most important show held annually. I wish we were there, but since we’re not, we’ll just settle with providing you updates on all that is new.

Maserati has introduced another sportier variation on their universally adored sedan, making the car sound even cooler than it actually is. Don’t get me wrong, I think the Q’Porte is great, I’m just not caught up in the crowd who think it’s the most beautiful thing ever.

The engine has been retuned, maximum horsepower has been cranked to 433, a slight improvement over the normal 425. Suspension has been recalibrated, being lower, stiffer, and all-around more tuned for performance. The twin pipes emit a more “throaty, and captivating sound” due to new pneumatic valves.

Visually, not much has changed. We guess Maserati wanted to play it safe, which is fine by us. The trident badge in the grille stands out a bit more due to red accents, and “sportiness” is expressed through concave vertical fins surrounding the new black grille. Headlights have a metallic titanium finish, and the handles are body color. Continue Reading…