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Maserati has something cooking in the kitchen and we’re now getting “spy shots” of its new test mule, though the images were released by the manufacturer’s PR department. While we don’t mind automakers showing a little leg, framing corporate marketing materials as covert information is a trend we wouldn’t mind seeing scaled back. It’s not that we don’t want to see vehicles ahead of their official release — it’s just not a terribly effective ruse.
It did, however, whet our appetite. The camouflaged mule represents a major departure from the brand, looking like a cross between Alfa Romeo’s 4C and the Noble M400. In fact, we’re already presuming the model shares plenty of its DNA with Alfa, as that’s been Fiat Chrysler’s modus operandi for a while. Maserati claims the engine (at least) will be totally new and entirely unique to the brand.
Keep whatever feelings you might have about the bodystyle in your back pocket. Maserati only said that the vehicle is a mule to help test the new engine, but the official debut has already been scheduled for May 2020, suggesting this could be the shell they’ll be running with (if they use one). It certainly looks like a heavily modified 4C — which is something the brand has considered developing in the past.
Our guess is that it’s just a placeholder vehicle with some basis in reality. Maserati still needs to “fine-tune and develop the prototypes with final bodywork and mechanics,” but it seems unlikely they’d tease the exterior so heavily if it wasn’t indicative of something more.
While the company has expressed an interest in adding EVs to its lineup by 2022, it’s also been pretty clear that it wants to remain committed to ICEs. Maserati also noted the powertrain will serve as the “forefather of a new family of engines” developed in-house. Engine means fuel go boom, so it’d probably have to be a hybrid or gasoline motor, unless we’re giving the term the nonsensical four-door-coupe treatment.
We’ll know more in six months.
[Images: Maserati]
Introducing the 2021 Alfa 8C, with it’s new, higher priced, higher margin, badge.
Steve
Maserati needs to go racing.
The people that will buy a Maserati appreciate heritage, but that heritage needs to be relevant.
Frankly, it’d be cool if they reached back into history and named it the Bira, in honor of Prince Bira who actually raced Maseratis at one point in his career.
>>Maserati needs to go racing. <<
FCA seems to be winding down Alfa in favor of Maser. Watch for the Alfa F1 team to be renamed for next season.
Not going to happen for 2020. 2021 is a worry.
But Alfa Romeo is a name that absolutely belongs in racing and in F1. They were the genesis of Ferrari and they won the first F1 race at Silverstone.
How stupid to develop new family of ICEs when everybody else is focused on and invests in BEVs.
Holy crap, so adult human beings are now convinced that we live in a binary world where EVs are ‘good’ and ICEs are ‘bad’. God help us all.
God is on the BEV side. He(or She?) wants us to get rid of ICE ASAP.
Why?
Because future is on BEV’s side. It is cleaner, simpler, more effective and more flexible solution for mankind’s mobility needs.
Pretty sure that isn’t in the Bible. I’ll ask the pastors on Sunday to be sure.
God does not encourage taking free will away from others, so I doubt he is a fan of command economy fascism. Why do you think Marxists always deny God’s existence?
most “Christians” haven’t a clue what’s in the Bible anyway.
LOL
People that can afford a Maser can afford to pay the gas guzzling penalty.
Maser is a device that produces coherent electromagnetic waves through amplification by stimulated emission. The first maser was built by Charles H. Townes, James P. Gordon, and Herbert J. Zeiger at Columbia University in 1953.
Does FCA have any intentions of being profitable?
Does Tesla?
Elon is using the Konami code, he’s not bound by the laws of time and space.
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Can we stop pretending FCA is drowning in red ink? While their gross revenues are nowhere near as high as their crosstown rivals, their margins and profit have actually been very good for a few years now and they’ve paid off their debt, which makes them the only CASH POSITIVE automaker in Detroit. That’s huge in and of itself.
GM and Ford are in the middle of massive cuts and restructuring, as are many other manufacturers. Meanwhile FCA just invested $4.5 billion in US manufacturing and are not laying people off (though I wouldn’t be surprised to see some early/forced retirements offered if the PSA merger goes through and/or they sign up for increased labor costs with the new UAW contract).
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I believe his point is that FCA is letting their golden geese die off through neglect while showering revenue on vanity projects like Alfa-Romeo and Maserati.
Now PSA is in control so I expect some changes. French are more pragmatic than Italians.
The mythical 4c with wishbone suspension and the TTv6. A really appealing package if you like actualy driving and even tracking.
As long as we’re wasting money on a mid-engine sports car, can we waste it on a Viper instead?
You sir win the internet for today!
Every company wants crown jewels just ask Ford. Crown jewels are brands that do not bring home the bacon but consume lot of resources. So there always is an expiration date with crown jewels. Japanese brands somehow do without them and I yet to see one getting bankrupt.