Maserati is at the 2012 Beijing Motor Show with four models: the luxury SUV Kubang, the GranTurismo Sport, the GranTurismo S Automatica and the GranCabrio Sport. The Kubang is the model that marks the entry of the prestigious Italian manufacturer in the SUV market and has been developed alongside American ally Chrysler: the design of the car was created at the Maserati Style Center and all its key mechanical features (meaning brakes, steering, suspension and electronics) have been developed by Italian engineers.

The Maserati GranTurismo Sport was premiered at the recent 2012 Geneva Motor Show and is pushed by a powerful 4.7-litre V8 engine delivering 460 hp and 520 Nm of maximum torque. This unit can be mated to a 6-speed “MC Shift” sequential or a 6-speed automatic gearbox: with the former the GranTurismo Sport would hit the 100 km/h (62 mph) mark from standstill in just 4.7 seconds, with the latter it will need 4.8 seconds to do that, reaching 300 km/h (186 mph) of top speed with both gearboxes.

The Maserati GranTurismo S Automatica instead is powered by a 4.7-litre unit delivering 440 hp and 490 Nm of peak torque and uses a 6-speed automatic gearbox that uses four driving modes: Auto Normal, Auto Sport, Auto ICE and even manual. Top speed for this car is 295 km/h (183 mph), while the 0-100 km/h sprint time is rated at 5 secs. The already known GranCabrio Sport comes with a 4.7-litre unit credited with an output of 450 hp and 510 Nm of torque which pushes the car from 0 to 100 km/h in 5.2 seconds with 285 km/h (177 mph) of top speed.

View the full Maserati stand live @ the 2012 Beijing Motor Show photo gallery

We just saw it about a week ago crossing some snowy landscape in Northern Sweden, and now there it is again going for some quick lap on the Nürburgring, in Germany. We are talking about the new Maserati Quattroporte, whose next generation is scheduled for launch in September at the 2012 Paris Motor Show.

The model should be equipped with an upgraded version of the already known 4.7-litre V8, delivering something in the 475 hp area. The power generated by this unit will get to the rear wheels through an 8-speed ZF automatic gearbox, although an all-wheel drive option will also be made available.

The new Quattroporte is also expected to be quite bigger than the current version as it is supposed to make room for the upcoming “baby Quattroporte”, and still it will be lighter then the outgoing generation because of the large use of more lightweight materials.

Here are a few spy shots picturing a mule of the next, all-new Maserati Quattroporte, which has been caught during some cold weather testing in cold Sweden. The car is still wearing heavy camouflage which basically makes it impossible to tell anything about its design, but from what we know the new car should be an evolution (rather than a revolution) of the current model.

Power should come from an upgraded 4.7-litre V8 unit that should be able to deliver about 475 hp, combined with a 8-speed automatic transmission (courtesy of German specialists ZF) that will deliver the power to the rear axle or (optionally) to all four wheels.

The new Maserati Quattroporte model year 2013 is expected to make its debut in its definitive form by the end of the current year, probably at the Paris Motor Show.

The undisputed star at the Maserati’s stand in Geneva is the new GranTurismo Sport: the model is an evolution of the ‘GranTurismo S‘ variant and comes with an optional and exclusive “Blu Sofisticato” (Sophisticated Blue) livery and a powerful 4.7-litre V8 engine under its bonnet, capable of delivering 460 hp (+20 over the ‘S’) as well as 520 Nm of maximum torque. In combination with either a 6-speed “MC Shift” sequential or a 6-speed automatic gearbox, this unit can push the GranTurismo Sport to hit the 100 km/h (62 mph) mark from standstill in just 4.7 seconds with the manual transmission and 4.8 seconds with the auto, reaching 300 km/h (186 mph) of top speed.

Aesthetically, the new luxury coupe from the Italian carmaker boasts a newly designed front bumper with re-designed air-inlets, different head and tail lights (the latter with LED technology) and a few burnished details, in the same fashion as the last MC Stradale. Also worth mentioning are its “Astro Design” 20″ alloys, fitted with Brembo monoblock brakes both at the front (6-piston calipers, with cast iron discs) and rear (4 pistons, aluminum discs), which allow for a significant improvement of the vehicle’s handling.

In the comparison with the ‘S’ version, the suspension got upgraded as well with the introduction of the Sport Skyhook system, which continuously controls the absorption parameters to make the car more responsive and comfortable. As for the interior, the Maserati Granturismo Sport comes with premium Frau leather upholstery, aluminum pedals, gray EcoChrome moulding and the kind of top-notch finishing that you would expect in a car of this leverage. Same goes for electronic aids, info-tainment system and connectivity options. Also on display at the Maserati stand in Switzerland there are a Pearl White GranCabrio Sport and a red GranTurismo MC Stradale.

View the full Maserati live at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show photo gallery

Last week our mates from parent-site Autoblog.it received an invitation to attend this year’s Maserati Master Ice & Snow in St. Moritz, Switzerland, and quite obviously they didn’t need to be asked twice. The event is basically an advanced snow driving course that the Italian carmaker organizes every year on the Swiss Alps, but it is also a unique opportunity to drive almost all of the models from the current Maserati’s line-up. Here is an overview of what happened.

With the meeting point set at 6 pm in the so called Maserati Igloo, our friends from Autoblog.it had all the time they needed to enjoy their trip from Milan to the suggestive Engadine Valley - including a fun-filled stint on the twisty roads of the Maloya Pass - before checking in at the Kempinski Grand Hotel des Bains and being greeted by the impeccable staff of the event, who led them to the Maserati Igloo for the welcome cocktail.

Drinks aside, the attendees also received the first briefing of the event hosted by former WRC driver Alex Fiorio, who also provided a few tips on how to be fast and safe when driving on the snow. Fiorio explained that the grip rate of the rubber might vary from 0.9 (dry tarmac) to 0.1 (ice), a condition that requires some adjustment to everyone’s usual driving style, especially as far as acceleration and braking distance are concerned. Read on after the jump.

View the full Maserati Master Ice & Snow in St.Moritz photo gallery

Once done with the briefing, the whole gang moved to a nearby mountain shelter to have dinner with some of Maserati’s representatives. While at the table, a few hints about the next moves of the luxury carmaker just slipped out, and it seems that the upcoming sedan model from Maserati will really give the Mercedes E-Class and the BMW 5-Series a run for their money, just wait and see.

The following morning our buddies are welcomed by a blizzard and a temperature of about zero degrees, which provided for a heavy frost in the whole area. As a result, all the driving sessions of the day took place in the worst possible conditions, with almost no grip whatsoever. The snowmobile did all it could to keep the track clean and tidy, trying to grind down the black ice at every pause, but the weather was just too harsh.

The demo fleet brought by Maserati to the event included a few Granturismo S, Quattroporte, Quattroporte Sport GTS and - last but not least - Granturismo MC Stradale. It is a pity that the adverse weather conditions did not allow the drivers to fully exploit the potential of these magnificent cars, but the day turned out to be very instructive anyway.

All the professional drivers that Maserati employed as stand-in teachers for the day proved to be very kind and patient, providing valuable pieces of advise to all those participants who were not too familiar with driving on ice. While in the morning everyone had all the electronic aids of the vehicle activated, as the day unfolded a few people gained enough confidence to switch ASR and ESP off, which allowed for more spinning, more drifting and more slews too. It goes without saying that having the electronic aids disabled adds up to the overall fun of the thing, but sooner or later a sheet of ice would come across to put an end to it.

One of the most illuminating moments of the day was the three-lap stint with Alex Fiorio behind the steering wheel: after a few hours wondering on how to better approach a certain corner - and coming to the realization that doing it dead slow is the obvious answer - you find out that pros are just from another planet. Alex Fiorio was able to point the car in the right direction before entering the corner itself, and then he smoothly gets out of it by carefully balancing acceleration and counter-steering. Obviously that’s not the kind of experience that can come in handy on dry tarmac, but it has been a pretty teaching one anyway.

The last part of the day is dedicated to a few hot laps on the challenge circuit, a rectangular track with rounded corners that had to be completed in the fastest possible time and - not surprisingly - the first three spots got clinched by three Scandinavian drivers.

Here is a quick review of the cars from our friends from Autoblog.com:

• Granturismo S - Possibly the one car with the most captivating design, the model boasts an excellent engine sound too. The paddle-shifters at the wheel allow for a quick and enjoyable gear shifting, but the lack of grip makes it harder for the traction control to deliver the desired amount of power to the wheels. No doubt it would work way better on a dry surface, it would be interesting to give it a go on a normal track.
• Quattroporte - A true classic whose lines still look fresh and modern, the Quattroporte proved to be pretty reactive on the snow in spite of its considerable weight. Its ‘traditional’ manual gearbox as well as the electronic aids made it the easiest car to drive of the lot in the prohibitive circumstances of this test. However, even though the car couldn’t be exploited in full, it surely made everyone aware of the sort of performance it is capable of.
• Quattroporte Sport GTS - unfortunately, the tough conditions in which this test was held did not allow our testers to appreciate the differences in terms of setting and sheer power that this version boasts over its ‘regular’ counterpart. On ice and snow, this car was just as responsive as the other.
• Granturismo MC Stradale - This is a whole different story as this car is considerably different from the regular Granturismo it basically derives from. To start with it is 110 kg lighter, which is something that definitely makes a difference on this kind of surface, especially in terms of handling. In comparison to other Maseratis that were made available for this test, the MC Stradale makes it easier for the drivers to control the unexpected reactions of the car, and it surely makes the most of the little power that can be used on a snowy road. Then again, considering the beauty of its the design, the might of its roar and the luxury of its passenger compartment, you just cannot help but love this awesome car.

Our colleagues from Autoblog.it would like to thank Mr. Alessandro Sacco from Maserati as well as the whole staff of the Maserati Master Ice & Snow for their outstanding work.

Maserati introduces the Kubang SUV concept to the North American public at the 2012 NAIAS. The model was designed at the Maserati Style Center by Lorenzo Ramaciotti, and is bound to become the first Maserati car to be assembled on the other side of the Atlantic. However, the whole project will be developed by Maserati in Italy, meaning that the Italian engineers will take care of suspension, brakes, steering and electronics. Besides, a team led by Paolo Martinelli -Head of the Maserati Powertrain Department and for nearly 30 years at Ferrari, where he also served as engine chief of the Formula 1 racing team during the Schumacher era - is currently developing a new range of high-tech engines for the Kubang, which will eventually be produced at the Ferrari plant in Maranello and mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission. .

In the meanwhile, the house of the trident can enjoy the brilliant commercial results for the year 2011: Maserati registered a +10% in worldwide sales with a +21% in North America, that still is Maserati’s main market thanks to its 2,465 sold units. The second most important market for Maserati is China, which recorded almost a +50% in comparison to the previous year, and then Italy, United Kingdom, Germany, Japan, Australia, UAE, Switzerland and Honk Kong.

Maserati will show up at the imminent Bologna Motor Show (3-11 December) with a tribute-car dedicated to the 150th anniversary of Italy’s unification: the GranTurismo S Limited Edition. Maserati will produce only 12 models of the series, which will be put up for sale in Italy only. All units will come with exclusive matt Blue Sebring paint job and 20″ alloy wheels, while other highlights include some carbon fibre bit such as lip and rear spoiler, wing mirror shells and door handles as well as polished aluminum calipers, matt black finished side sills and head lamps. As for the interior, the model will use carbon fibre finishing for instrumentation panel, dashboard and console, just like the MC Stradale.

Right in the middle of the console will be placed the usual commemorative plate with official logo and serial number of the model. Technically speaking, the powertrain of the standard model hasn’t been modified, still boasting the already impressive 4.7-litre V8 engine producing 440 hp coupled with signature MC-Shift electro-actuated transmission. As a quick reminder, Maserati GranTurismo S goes from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 4.9 seconds, reaching 295 km/h (183 mph) of top speed.

The latest Novitec tuning project takes the lovely Maserati MC Stradale and makes it meaner. The sporty GranTurismo-based model is equipped with the 4.7-litre V8 engine but has 450 hp and 510 Nm of torque, together with the MC Race Shift transmission. All that combined gets a sprint time to 100 km/hr of 4.6 seconds and a top speed of 301 km/hr.

But thanks to our German tuners, the Maserati MC Stradale gets a further boost in power with a new aspiration and engine mapping system, and a larger compressor which adds another 200 hp and 114 Nm. That gives the MC Stradale 646 hp and 624 Nm. Did we say wow?

The new-fast car with 3.9 seconds to 100 km/hr and a top speed of 306 km/hr gets a go-fast look, too with 21-inch Novitec NM3 wheels up front (22 inches at the rear) a new suspension setting which lowers the car by 25 mm. The Novitec Maserati adds an extra 23,900 euros to the price of the MC Stradale.

The new Maserati SUV presented at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show gets the Kubang name which was first introduced back in Detroit in 2003. In this first video of the Maserati Kubang, we get a better look at its style. Despite using the Jeep Grand Cherokee platform, there probably won’t be much else in common between the American and Italian cousins by the time the Kubang makes it to production.

While a diesel engine will be borrowed from the Grand Cherokee, the flagship SUV will likely fall into Maserati tradition with a V8 Ferrari engine. After the long introduction of Maserati history (and a terrible song!), the video gives us an inkling into just how well the Maserati Kubang creation might compete with other luxury SUVs on the market. Check it out above and see our live Frankfurt pics below.

Get your Italian car fashion fix today with the video of the Maserati GranCabrio Fendi. The model was presented at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show and is basically an excuse to unite two Italian brands - Maserati and Fendi - in a fashion car mix. The GranCabrio keeps its 4.7-litre V8 engine with 440 hp but gets a new Fendi trim.

The GranCabrio Fendi edition gets a special three-layer paint in iridescent gold, 19-inch Trident Design wheels and Fendi logos on the door sills and upholstery, with the Maserati logo at times featured in yellow. Standing out in particular are the Fendi yellow brake callipers. See how it evolved in the Fendi Maserati making of video.

The brand new Maserati SUV got its debut at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show and the company has now released official pics and a video of its first foray into the SUV segment. The Maserati Kubang will become Italy’s competitor to the Porsche Cayenne, Audi Q7, BMW X5 and Mercedes M-Class.

The jury is very much out at the moment as to whether the Kubang will be successfully able to do that but it seems the car market could be ready for a new luxury SUV like the Cayenne, that doesn’t traditionally form part of the line-up. Still Maserati will have to do the Kubang well if it’s to compete in this class.

The Kubang is the result of a long SUV development project for Maserati but which perhaps only really became possible with the Fiat-Chrysler deal. No real future details on its production are available at the moment, but we can check out new Kubang official pics and this video presentation live from Frankfurt.

The first ever Maserati SUV has been presented at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show. You can see the Maserati Kubang in these live Frankfurt pics and make up your mind whether it’s the sexiest SUV around or an abominable use of the Maserati brand. The Kubang has been designed by Lorenzo Ramaciotti and is intended to maintain all the best aspects of Maserati design from its sedana and coupé models.

The Maserati Kubang is an imposing but sinuous model which should make its mark in the world of SUVs. If Porsche did it, then Maserati can, too. New technical solutions for the brand will be introduced on this model including brand new suspension and an eight-speed transmission. Continued collaboration with Ferrari will happen, especially on the engine front as Maserati powertrains are currently managed by Paolo Martinelli who has experience in Ferrari competition competition models.

Currently the engines of the new Maserati Kubang SUV haven’t been announced, but we’ll probably get a new series of V8 units assembled by Ferrari. The new SUV could also debut Maserati’s first diesel with a three-litre V6 based on that of the Jeep Grand Cherokee. And again we see how the Fiat-Chrysler deal has paid off for the Italians. See what you think in the live Kubang pics below.