It is no surprise that the Maserati Alfieri is in the list of top cars we are all waiting for – just by looking at the image you can see why. The supercar, which is due to be released in 2017 after being officially unveiled as a concept car at the Geneva Auto Show in 2014, has a stunning design powered by the twin-turbocharged 3.0-litre six-cylinder engine currently available in the Ghibli.…Jaguar F-type, Porsche 911 and Mercedes-AMG GT, you better watch out!
Maserati Alfieri is the latest offering from the elite Italian car manufacturer. A statement 2+ 2 coupe; it’s smaller, being 4.5 metres long, more efficient and less expensive than the brand’s existing GranTurismo. Maserati CEO, Harald Wester has claimed he will maintain the brands exclusivity by capping the company’s annual volume at just 75,000 sales, a promise that may prove hard to keep as the Levante also comes online this year. It is hard to say if this promise will burnish or reinforce Italian car stereotypes but if achieved then the Alfieri will restore the Maserati to its rightful place in auto stardom as a still-workingman’s Ferrari, the car just echoes with tension and drama. If it’s the convertible you’re after, you’ll have to wait a little longer as it’s unlikely to be on the market much before 2019 or perhaps even 2020. Looking at the beauty of the coupe however, there’s no reason to wait!
You’d be forgiven for recognising elements of the Alfieri as it has borrowed design features from the Maserati A6 GCS/54 which was designed by Pininfarina in 1954. It is based on the lighter Maserati GranTurismo MC Stradale with a shorter wheelbase of 24 cm with locking transaxle and Ferrari-derived V8 engine. Not forgetting the turbocharged 3.0-litre V6 at its disposal, the production car is to be built from a mix of steel and aluminium with key parts of its structure taken from the next GranTurismo. The base tune will start around 410 horsepower with an option to upgrade to 450, while the top performer requires a displacement bump to accommodate its impressively rumoured 520 horsepower. The 410-hp engine is expected to drive the rear wheels, while more powerful models will come with four-wheel drive as standard. All Alfieri’s will use ZF’s eight-speed automatic.
Although the Alfieri will contribute to sales figures which are relative to the Maserati’s forthcoming Levante SUV, the coupe is placing the brands direction in a niche right between Alfa Romeo and Ferrari in the $70,000-to-$150,000 range. Maserati will separate its Alfieri and GranTurismo coupes with $30,000 between their base prices and a 9.4 inch difference in wheelbases.
The Chief executive has confirmed that the Alfieri will be ‘100% Maserati’ with not a single component shared with sister brand, Jeep. The Alfieri is so much more than just a concept – it’s a statement proving once more that Maserati is a sports-car company to it’s very core and paves the way for the continuation of Maserati’s racing legacy.
