Maserati SUV Concept to debut in Frankfurt, two sedans on the way

Maserati SUV Rendering

Because Maserati is owned by Fiat, Sergio Marchionne has just announced some big plans for the Italian make in hopes to boost sales to 50,000, from 5,675 last year. That’s quite a goal, but in order to reach it, Maserati announced that three new models will be coming out and are crucial to reaching the midterm goal.

The first is the aging Quattroporte. Criticized for its confused identity with size, in other words some say that it’s too big to be a good driver’s car—which I think is retarded because the BMW 7-Series was a compelling enough driver’s car—but too small to be a proper luxury saloon, the new Quattroporte will share the same platform as the Chrysler 300. It’s pegged to be slightly longer than the current Quattroporte and will feature a revised version of the Ferrari-built 4.7L V8. Thanks to direct injection, the engine will produce 475hp and will be paired with ZF’s 8-Speed cog swapper. All-wheel drive will be an option as well as a standard stop-start system to reduce fuel consumption.

The next model is a “baby” Quattroporte, which will share the same platform as the Dodge Avenger. Its purpose is to directly compete against the standard-setting BMW 5-Series, Mercedes-Benz E-Class and the Audi A6. The engine will also be carried over from Chrysler, featuring the Pentastar V6. The displacement has been reduced to 3.0L and fuel-saving Fiat’s MultiAir air management system has been equipped. There will be also two turbochargers, direct injection, and the results will be over 400hp.

Lastly, a Maserati SUV is also in the works and will debut at this year’s Frankfurt Motor Show in September. Rumors and hints suggest tht the large SUV will be based off of the new Jeep Grand Cherokee. The engine in the unit will be the same Ferrari-sourced V8 as found in the new Quattroporte and will get the same 8-Speed ZF transmission. Prices and other details have yet to be released, but we can expect to see more information pop up as we get closer to the Frankfurt Motor Show.

Note: The picture above is just an artist rendering.

– By: Chris Chin

Source: Automotive News