Maserati to have 5 vehicles in its lineup, two sedans and SUV on the way

2012 Maserati GranTurismo MC Stradale

It almost seems like every manufacturer is trying to get a piece of every little action involving niche markets, making their own versions of every single different type of car out there. For example. Maserati, what used to be a small Italian sports car manufacturer, will have a five-vehicle line-up by 2014. That includes two different versions of the GranTurismo, two sedans, and an SUV.

Starting with the sedans, which will affect the brand the most, will feature a new successor to the current and epic Quattroporte. Also included in the mix is a new BMW 5-Series alternative, which may cause a ruckus at the office for being the poor man’s Maserati Quattroporte. Designed and planned by both Pininfarina and FIAT Auto Centro Stile, the new sedans will feature a reworked version of Chrysler’s new Pentastar V6 that’s equipped with a turbocharger and is good for about 400hp. A 300hp V6 turbodiesel, equipped with FIAT Powertrain Technology’s latest iteration of the JTD II high-pressure diesel injection and management system. Unknown however is whether the diesel V6 will find its way stateside.

The sedans will also include the new all-wheel-drive system first observed in the new Ferrari FF as options and will be hooked up to ZF’s new 8-speed auto cog swapper.

To keep the sporting nature of Maserati relevant, FIAT said that the new cars will feature lightweight components shared with Ferrari to keep weight down. To make them more practical, Maserati will also be keeping in mind some of the complaints involving cargo volume, rear passenger space, and ride quality.

The new sedans are planned to hit the factories in 2012 starting with the new Quattroporte with the smaller version following about a year later.

Also planned for the near future is a new SUV by 2014, which will most likely sharing its components with Jeep Grand Cherokee a la Mercedes-Benz W164. No exact details on the new SUV have been released, but from the circumstances involving FIAT’s new plant in Turin, FIAT’s investments all point to SUV production.

– By: Chris Chin

Source: CARandDRIVER