Tag Archives: Maserati

Entertainment

Maserati MC20 Cielo and Chevrolet C8 Corvette Z06 in U-Drag race

Leave a comment

Italian car manufacturers like to say that their cars are the best, especially if they are supercars, and one way to solve the dilemma is U-Drag races. This time the Maserati MC20 Cielo took to the line with the Chevrolet C8 Corvette Z06.

In U-Drags, cars race on a quarter-mile drag, before they hit the brakes, do a 180, and power back to start/finish. The video was released on the Edmunds Cars YouTube channel, and the drivers were Alistair Weaver and Jonathan Elfalan.

The Maserati MC20 Cielo is powered by a 3.0-L V6 twin-turbo engine with 621 hp (457 kW) and 538 lb-ft (728 Nm) of torque, mated to an 8-speed dual-clutch transmission. That’s enough power to push a 1,814 kg car to 62 mph (100 km/h) in about 3 seconds with a top speed of 199 mph (320 km/h).

Chevrolet C8 Corvette Z06 is powered by a 5.5-liter naturally aspirated V8 engine with 670 hp (499 kW) at 8,400 rpm and 459 lb-ft (623 Nm) of torque, mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission that sends power to the rear axle. The mass of the car is 1,685 kg.

In the first race, the Corvette Z06 had a better start, crossing the 1/4 mile first, and even increased the distance to the start/finish. After that, the drivers switched cars. In the second race, we again saw a better start of the Corvette Z06, better braking and a faster return to the finish line.

More horsepower and faster acceleration proved crucial in this showdown.

Source: Edmunds Cars via Youtube

News

Stellantis is stopping production of the Fiat 500e at the Mirafiori plant

At the end of 2023, Fiat announced the temporary halt of production of the all-electric 500e at the Mirafiori plant due to low demand, and the same problems continued in 2024. According to the latest information, Stellantis announced that it would suspend operations from December 2, 2024 to January 5, 2025.

Stellantis confirmed that production at the Turin plant will be temporarily halted due to the decline in sales of electric cars in several European markets. This means that this decision affects not only the Fiat 500e but also Maserati cars, which are also experiencing poor demand in the US and China.

The company’s management is trying to find a way out of this situation, and Stellantis boss Carlos Tavares blames bad marketing for the poor sales results. The company is turning to selling the new Fiat 500 powered by a consumption engine, and the plan is to offer a hybrid version of the Fiat 500 from 2026.

The first generation Fiat 500 Hybrid will be produced in Poland, with an annual production plan of up to 100,000 units.

Source: Stellantis

Restomod

Maserati Biturbo-Shamal Restomod Limited Edition

Recently, the popularity of restomod cars has been growing, and the Italian company Modela Automobili presented the Maserati Biturbo-Shamal. With this car, the Italian company pays tribute to the iconic dynasty of the Trident car models.

The Maserati Shamal was produced between 1990 and 1996, and only 369 units left the assembly line. It was the last model announced under the De Tomaso ownership: in January 1990, half of debt-plagued Maserati was acquired by Fiat S.p.A.

Compared to the original Shamal Restomod, it has slightly sharper hood and side lines. It is equipped with a new exposed carbon front end with integrated LED headlights, larger air intakes and a new splitter that enhances the car’s sporty performance. At the back, a new aerodynamic spoiler and a large extractor with incorporated exhausts increase the car’s sporty appearance.

Under the hood is a 3.0-L V6 biturbo engine borrowed from the Ghibli model with at least 500 hp (367 kW), instead of the original 3.2-liter V8 biturbo engine (326 hp). Power is sent to the rear axle via an 8-speed ZF automatic transmission. The car is mounted on lighter 18-inch rims and for safe braking and stopping there are 343 mm front and 330 mm rear Brembo brakes.

Modena Automobili will produce only 33 units and the first deliveries are planned for the spring of next year, with a starting price of over 590,000 euros.

Source: Modena Automobili

Gallery:

Maserati Biturbo-Shamal Restomod Limited Edition