Baby Maserati Sports Coupe Scooped?
- Thread starter Bartek S.
- Start date
Spy Shots: Maserati’s new small sports coupe
Maserati’s GranTurismo has been on sale for several months now but still we see prototype versions doing the rounds near the carmaker’s headquarters in Italy. A convertible version of the stunning GT is still on its way but this latest test-mule is something very different. Last year, Maserati CEO Roberto Ronchi revealed his desires to expand the current lineup, with the most likely option being a small sports coupe.
Look closely at the spy photos and you’ll notice that some of the panels, especially around the doors and rear fenders, aren’t the same as on the actual production GranTurismo. That’s because the wheelbase of this test vehicle is smaller than that of the GT, suggesting that Maserati’s next model will in fact be a new small coupe.
To save costs the new model’s underpinnings will be based around the GT. However, it won’t get the new 4.7L V8 unit. Instead, it will rely on the current 4.2L powerplant from the Quattroporte but detuned to around 350hp. Prime targets for the new car is Aston Martin’s V8 Vantage, the Audi R8 and Porsche’s iconic 911.
Maserati’s GranTurismo has been on sale for several months now but still we see prototype versions doing the rounds near the carmaker’s headquarters in Italy. A convertible version of the stunning GT is still on its way but this latest test-mule is something very different. Last year, Maserati CEO Roberto Ronchi revealed his desires to expand the current lineup, with the most likely option being a small sports coupe.
Look closely at the spy photos and you’ll notice that some of the panels, especially around the doors and rear fenders, aren’t the same as on the actual production GranTurismo. That’s because the wheelbase of this test vehicle is smaller than that of the GT, suggesting that Maserati’s next model will in fact be a new small coupe.
To save costs the new model’s underpinnings will be based around the GT. However, it won’t get the new 4.7L V8 unit. Instead, it will rely on the current 4.2L powerplant from the Quattroporte but detuned to around 350hp. Prime targets for the new car is Aston Martin’s V8 Vantage, the Audi R8 and Porsche’s iconic 911.
New twist on Maserati coupé
This new Chicane is sure to have Maserati fans in a spin. The curvaceous concept hints at a replace-ment for the ageing Coupé model.
The two-door 2+2 has been designed in Italy by Turin-based studio IED as an entry-level model for Maserati. It’s due to be unveiled at next month’s Geneva Motor Show, and although it won’t be on Mas-erati’s stand, the maker is known to be closely monitoring reactions.
With the arrival of the Gran-Turismo four-seater, slotting into the range below the Quattroporte, Maserati needs a new small car to take over from the Coupé, which made its debut 10 years ago this autumn. Although the Chicane is slightly larger than the current Coupé at 4.4m long, it will still be smaller than its stablemates. As with the other cars in the Italian firm’s range, the Chicane will be front-engined and rear-wheel drive.
It will be powered by Maserati’s familiar 4.2-litre V8, which should enable a top speed of more than 180mph. And if it reaches production, the supercar maker says it will have a more conventional version of the firm’s grille, rather than the body-coloured example of this concept. The headlights will also need modification to pass safety laws.
The finished car is unlikely to have the glass roof because of structural issues. Since there’s little space behind the front wheels, designers have incorporated the three side vents – a signature of the Quattro-porte’s flanks – into the doors.
This new Chicane is sure to have Maserati fans in a spin. The curvaceous concept hints at a replace-ment for the ageing Coupé model.
The two-door 2+2 has been designed in Italy by Turin-based studio IED as an entry-level model for Maserati. It’s due to be unveiled at next month’s Geneva Motor Show, and although it won’t be on Mas-erati’s stand, the maker is known to be closely monitoring reactions.
With the arrival of the Gran-Turismo four-seater, slotting into the range below the Quattroporte, Maserati needs a new small car to take over from the Coupé, which made its debut 10 years ago this autumn. Although the Chicane is slightly larger than the current Coupé at 4.4m long, it will still be smaller than its stablemates. As with the other cars in the Italian firm’s range, the Chicane will be front-engined and rear-wheel drive.
It will be powered by Maserati’s familiar 4.2-litre V8, which should enable a top speed of more than 180mph. And if it reaches production, the supercar maker says it will have a more conventional version of the firm’s grille, rather than the body-coloured example of this concept. The headlights will also need modification to pass safety laws.
The finished car is unlikely to have the glass roof because of structural issues. Since there’s little space behind the front wheels, designers have incorporated the three side vents – a signature of the Quattro-porte’s flanks – into the doors.
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Maserati
Maserati S.p.A. is an Italian luxury vehicle manufacturer. Established on 1 December 1914
in Bologna, Italy, the company's headquarters are now in Modena, Italy. The company has been
owned by Stellantis since 2021.
Official website: Maserati
Official website: Maserati
