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The AutoGuide News Blog is your source for breaking stories from the auto industry. Delivering news immediately, the AutoGuide Blog is constantly updated with the latest information, photos and video from manufacturers, auto shows, the aftermarket and professional racing.

08/02/2012 | By: Luke Vandezande

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There will be a bit more car to look at when the new Maserati Quattroporte takes its bow, possibly at the North American International Auto Show, though that’s little more than a guess.

Maserati’s revamped four door hasn’t been far from the media’s attention recently, though specificity remained sparse. It looks like that’s starting to change, though. The new sedan is reportedly going to be six inches wider and two inches longer than the current model (pictured above), meaning more rear-seat legroom and a larger trunk. Despite the increased size, the new car will actually be about 30 percent more efficient thanks to a little weight loss over its predecessor.

It still seems that there will also be a smaller “baby” Quattroporte available, though that will be released after the model discussed above. It sounds like both cars will be available next year. The smaller variant is supposedly just a hair over 16 feet long, which stacks up neatly next to a BMW 5-Series.

We’ll be bringing you the latest details on Maserati’s new line as they emerge, including information on the Kubang concept.

[Source: AutoBild]

06/02/2012 | By: Luke Vandezande

Maseratis exude power, style and sex appeal. They do not, on the other hand, evoke anything close to the unrefined image of a diesel engine. Or at least they haven’t in the past.

According to a report by AutoBild, Maserati is making a smaller version of its yet-to-be-release Quattroporte luxury sedan and it seems the Italian automaker plans to package it with a V6 diesel, a first for the company.

Wait! Don’t reach for the barf bag just yet. The oil burner is actually supposed to make 300 horsepower and 516 ft-lbs of torque, not too bad for a car that’s supposed to be somewhat smaller than the automakers usual preference.

There’s no official name tag on this one yet, but it’s being called the ““Maseratina” for now and will probably try to stack up next to the likes of the BMW M5, or Audi S6. Those might seem like a couple of tall glasses to fill for engines that notoriously top out ahead of the game, but we’re excited nonetheless.

[Source: AutoBild via GT Spirit]

27/10/2011 | By: Jason Siu

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With Andrea Bertolini behind the wheel of Maserati‘s Quattroporte EVO, the famed Quattroporte model now has its first racing title. Bertolini captured the Superstars Series championship at the very last race of the season after coming back against Luigi Ferrara’s Mercedes AMG C63 and Alberto Cerqui’s BMW M3. On the way to the championship, Bertolini had the perfect race weekend, capturing a double win, recording the fastest lap and even taking pole position in qualifying. To top it all off, Bertolini’s teammate, Alessandro Pier Guidi, finished second place at the race.

There is controversy surrounding the championship however, as Luigi Ferrara’s team is making an appeal against the race officials confirming the Maserati’s win as legal. The National Court of Appeal will be deciding on the matter, which will be investigated in the near future, but as of now Bertolini is the champion pending appeal – but it seems that Maserati has no doubts in its validity.

This championship just adds to Bertolini’s already impressive collection of trophies, including the FIA GT1 championship in the MC12 he helped develop. Maserati’s Quattroporte EVO beat out ten other manufacturers for the top crown and is the first time Maserati has won the Superstars Series title.

GALLERY: Maserati Quattroporte EVO

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17/05/2011 | By: Blake Z. Rong

The movers and shakers of China are buying up luxury cars, and cars in general, at a dizzying pace. And Maserati is nothing if not on fire intuitive, so the skyrocketing sales in China are motivating the Italian company to expand even faster.

There have been past murmurs of a “baby” Quattroporte, but the current ‘porte is getting a refresh as well—and both models may get four-wheel drive with high-performance technology from the Ferrari FF. And in the sort of synergy that makes Chrysler TC by Maserati enthusiasts feel appreciated, a Maserati SUV based on the Jeep Grand Cherokee is also being planned: it would be built in Bertone’s former plant near Turin, and it can start annoying enthusiasts as soon as 2013.

Lastly, thanks to parent company Fiat’s stake in Chrysler, Maserati may use a Multiair-equipped version of the V6 Pentastar engine, good for 400 horsepower, instead of a V8 from Ferrari. Hear that? That’s the sound of a thousand angry Chrysler-hating mobs who cried out in terror and were suddenly silenced by Sergio Marchionne.

[Source: Car & Driver]

23/03/2011 | By: Colum Wood

The successor to Maserati‘s Quattroporte exotic Italian sedan will debut later this year, with this Fall’s Frankfurt Auto Show the likely venue.

Reportedly inspired by the designs of the new GranTurismo Coupe and Convertible, the new QP is slated to get an updated version of the current 4.7-liter V8, with fuel economy a key area of improvement.

The new vehicle will also grow in size and increase in luxury to better compete with the likes of the Aston Martin Rapide.

This will then make room for the brand’s new mid-level luxury sedan that should arrive somewhere around 2014 as a rival to the BMW 5 Series and Mercedes E-Class and priced around $75,000.

But before then, look for the Grand Cherokee-based SUV, powered by a Ferrari engine!

[Source: InsideLine]

22/01/2011 | By: Amy Tokic

They may not have the space needed to deliver meals to the elderly on a regular basis, but Meals on Wheels has never looked as flashy as it did recently when food was dropped off to the elderly in a Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder and a Bentley Continental GT.

In Pascack Valley, N.J., the Meals on Wheels program got a lift from Gotham Dream Cars, an exotic-car rental company and club. The idea behind this pairing was to raise public awareness of older people who can’t leave their homes to buy food on their own. “The support of our community is essential to combating senior hunger in the area,” said Jeanne Martin, the director of the Pascack Valley Meals on Wheels program.

Also giving the volunteers a helping hand (or wheels) were a Dodge Viper SRT-10, a Mercedes-Benz S550, a Range Rover Supercharged and a Maserati Quattroporte, giving a whole new meaning to the term “fast food.” And Gotham Dream Cars did more than just donate cars for the day – they also pledged to donate 10 percent of its December gift certificate sales to the charitable organization.

[Source: New York Times]

22/10/2010 | By: Derek Kreindler

Maserati showed off a new variant of the Quattroporte GTS at the Sydney Motor Show, labeled the Quattroporte MC Sport Line.

While the MC moniker is normally reserved for cars like the MC12 supercar and the MC Stradale, the Quattroporte MC Sport Line is a mostly cosmetic upgrade with new exterior and interior fittings.

Carbon fiber accents on the inside of the cabin, as well as new sill plates feature prominently, and unique alloy wheels round out the rest of the package. As you can imagine, it will cost megabucks.

[Source: Maserati]

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03/09/2010 | By: Derek Kreindler

The Maserati Biturbo, that boxy relic of the 1980s, may be coming back according to reports. The Biturbo was Maserati’s most popular offering in the 1980′s, but also their most unreliable, with the twin-turbo V6 becoming notorious for its fickle operation.

The proposed car will share a platform with the Alfa Romeo 166 replacement, and slot in under the Quattroporte. Power will be from a Chrysler Pentastar V6, which will certainly be equipped with twin-turbochargers, and possibly direct injection. Look for it in 2013, and if we’re lucky, we won’t get another Chrysler TC by Maserati either.

[Source: Top Speed]

13/07/2010 | By: Derek Kreindler

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Maserati is aiming to launch a four door sedan slotting beneath the current Quattroporte (seen above) in 2014, as part of an effort to expand its current two car lineup.

The vehicle would be aimed at competitors like the Cadillac CTS-V, BMW 5-Series and Jaguar XF. The new sedan is likely to be build on the joint Maserati/Alfa Romeo “premium” platform that will underpin new rear drive Maseratis as well as flagship Alfa Romeos and possibly a rear-drive replacement for the Chrysler 300/Dodge Charger.

The new sedan’s design hasn’t been finalized, but expect a V8 and excellent handling dynamics to seperate it from less exotic rivals.

[Source: Motor Trend]

29/06/2010 | By: Derek Kreindler

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Maserati, we hardly knew ye. The one time car of gentlemen, scoundrels and masochists (Maserati is a synonym for “unreliable” in many thesauri) has become positively mainstream, with all kinds of celebrities and nouveau riche types snapping up the GranTurismo and Quattroporte as an alternative to the usual German offerings.

Maserati CEO Harald Wester told Auotmotive News that as part of Maserati’s targets for fuel consumption, V6 and V8 engines will be offered, with the V8 being smaller than the current 4.7L unit. In addition, weight will be reduced by 15 percent and an 8-speed automatic will be the transmission of choice. Combined with a start-stop system, this should help reduce fuel consumption by 25 percent.

The Quattroporte will also move to all-wheel drive as part of a common platform being developed for use across the entire Chrysler/Fiat/Alfa Romeo range. The current Quattroporte and GranTurismo may well be the last “pure” Maserati in the eyes of some aficionados. Better re-mortgage the house before you’re stuck with an eight-cylinder, Sebring based Maser.

[Source: Automotive News]