No Reserve! Monza, 2+2, Spyder, Hatchback, Vega, Nova, Camaro, V8, 350 on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Maserati dubs new SUV Levante, new sedan to resurrect Ghibli moniker

Building on the introduction of the GranCabrio MC that debuted at the Paris Motor Show, Maserati is planning three new models over the next couple of year in an attempt to raise sales to 50,000 units annually by 2015. While we think that that is a pretty lofty goal for a boutique automaker, redesigning its flagship sedan and adding two all-new models in popular segments sounds like a great plan of attack
The first new car we'll see from the Italian automaker is the next generation of the Quattroporte which will be a fitting way to celebrate the car's golden anniversary. We've already seen spy pictures of the new Quattroporte testing as well as a series of patent drawings that reportedly show the car's basic lines. Expect the new Quattroporte out sometime next year with a possible launch at the Detroit Auto Show.
Following the new Quattroporte, we'll finally get to climb behind the wheel of a Maserati SUV... just not the Kubang. Maserati confirmed that its new utility vehicle, based on the Jeep Grand Cherokee, will in fact be named the Levante. We already knew that Maserati would definitely not be using the odd Kubang name after this year, but if the Levante name sounds familiar, it's because we previously reported that this name would be used on a sedan slotting in below the Quattroporte.

Marchionne threatens to move Alfa production out of Italy

Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne was unsurprisingly frank when asked by reporters about potential investments in Italian manufacturing for Alfa Romeo and Maserati, giving the Italian government the ultimatum, "Italy should decide if they want [Alfa Romeo's relaunch] to happen here or not as Fiat and Chrysler have several alternatives." Them's fightin' words.
Fiat's issue with the government stems directly from its courtroom clashes with the Fiom labor union. The two are currently embroiled in proceedings over longer shifts and shorter breaks, as Fiom has so far refused to sign a new contract citing revised labor laws that it says are anti-union.
According to Bloomberg, Fiat will be spending over $2.5 billion on development of eight new Alfas and six new Maseratis, in a bid to wrest some of the luxury pie away from BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Audi. But that's only going to happen if the government is willing to play ball and make life easier on Fiat.

40+ cars that barely avoid the gas guzzler tax

The Gas Guzzler schedule, with mpg ratings and charges that haven't changed since 1991, lays out which fuel-swillers owe what to Uncle Sam.
I started thinking about the "Gas Guzzler Tax" - considerably less well known as The Energy Tax Act of 1978 - when I was driving Dodge's new Challenger SRT Hellcat last week. Unsurprisingly for a car that can burn 1.5 gallons of gas per minute at max tilt, theoretically able to empty a full tank of premium in about 13 minutes, the Hellcat will be subject to the Gas Guzzler Tax schedule when it goes on sale.