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Maserati Unveils “Luxury, Every Day” Campaign for GranTurismo, GranCabrio and Grecale

Maserati is putting a fresh spin on the meaning of luxury with its new “Luxury, every day” communications campaign, placing the latest GranTurismo, GranCabrio and Grecale at the center of a distinctly Italian interpretation of performance, elegance and everyday usability.

Rather than portraying luxury as something reserved for rare occasions, Maserati’s latest campaign argues that extraordinary experiences should be part of everyday life. The concept reflects the brand’s long-standing philosophy of “Italian Gran Turismo: Effortless Luxury Performance,” bringing together Italian design, craftsmanship, comfort and serious performance in cars designed to be driven rather than simply admired.

The campaign arrives as Maserati continues to evolve its modern lineup, with the GranTurismo, GranCabrio and Grecale representing three different interpretations of the Trident brand’s luxury performance philosophy.

Maserati Turns Luxury Into an Everyday Experience

The central idea behind “Luxury, every day” is built around a simple paradox. The campaign’s film follows four characters surrounded by valuable objects: a prestigious watch, jewelry, a bottle of Tignanello wine and an elegant suit.

Each item is admired but left unused. The characters hesitate, apparently waiting for an occasion important enough to justify enjoying something special.

Maserati then reverses that idea.

The arrival of the new Grecale, GranTurismo and GranCabrio transforms the definition of luxury. Instead of being objects saved for special occasions, the three Maserati models become everyday expressions of luxury themselves.

The message is unmistakably Italian: there does not need to be a special occasion to enjoy something extraordinary.

The characters eventually wear the clothing and jewelry, open the wine and stop postponing the experiences they have been saving for later. Maserati’s cars become the catalyst for that change, representing luxury that is designed to be experienced every day.

It is a particularly appropriate message for the GranTurismo, a name historically associated with long-distance travel, effortless speed and the ability to combine sporting performance with comfort.

The New Maserati GranTurismo Trofeo Packs 590 CV

At the heart of Maserati’s performance story remains the Nettuno V6, a powertrain developed around technology derived from motorsport.

For the new GranTurismo Trofeo and GranCabrio Trofeo, the twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 Nettuno produces 590 CV and 650 Nm of torque. That combination gives the Italian grand tourer the performance expected from a Maserati bearing the Trofeo badge while maintaining the comfort and long-distance capability central to the GranTurismo concept.

The GranTurismo Trofeo can exceed 320 km/h, putting it firmly among the fastest luxury grand tourers on the market.

What makes the Nettuno particularly significant is its pre-chamber combustion technology, derived from Formula 1 development. The system is designed to improve combustion efficiency and performance while contributing to the engine’s distinctive character.

Maserati has therefore managed to preserve an important part of the traditional grand-touring formula: a powerful internal-combustion engine, effortless high-speed capability and a soundtrack that remains an integral part of the driving experience.

GranCabrio Trofeo Brings the Same Formula With an Open Roof

The GranCabrio Trofeo takes the same performance philosophy and removes the roof.

As the convertible counterpart to the GranTurismo, the GranCabrio combines open-air driving with the performance of the 590-CV Nettuno V6. It is an approach that places the car somewhere between a high-performance sports car and a luxurious long-distance cruiser.

That dual personality is central to Maserati’s identity.

The GranCabrio is not designed simply to chase lap times. Instead, it aims to deliver speed and emotion without sacrificing the refinement required for long journeys.

That balance is exactly what Maserati means by effortless performance.

New Grecale Introduces a 390-CV Nettuno V6

The Grecale brings the Nettuno engine philosophy into a more practical and versatile SUV package.

The new Grecale introduces a 390-CV V6 Nettuno, giving the luxury SUV a significant performance advantage while retaining the everyday usability expected from the segment.

Maserati says the engine delivers a benchmark power-to-weight ratio in its category, while its technology and character connect the Grecale to the company’s motorsport heritage.

The engine’s responsive power delivery is intended to make the Grecale engaging in a wide range of driving conditions, reinforcing the idea behind the “Luxury, every day” campaign.

For customers who want Maserati performance without committing to an exclusively combustion-powered vehicle, the Grecale Folgore offers a different interpretation of the same philosophy.

The electric Grecale Folgore can deliver a range of up to 580 km, demonstrating Maserati’s intention to interpret performance through multiple powertrain technologies.

Shark-Nose Front End Gives Maserati’s New Models a Stronger Identity

The latest Maserati models also introduce a more assertive visual identity.

One of the most noticeable changes is the redesigned front end, characterized by what Maserati describes as a shark-nose effect. The new design gives the cars a more horizontal and aggressive appearance while maintaining the restrained elegance expected from an Italian luxury brand.

The design language represents another stage in Maserati Centro Stile’s ongoing evolution.

According to Maserati, the development of this sharper front-end treatment began with the MCXtrema track car. The more horizontal and assertive design was subsequently adapted for road-going models, appearing on the GT2 Stradale and later being refined through the MCPURA.

The philosophy has now reached the new GranTurismo, GranCabrio and Grecale.

Rather than relying on excessive visual drama, Maserati is using proportions, surfacing and carefully controlled details to create a stronger identity.

That approach is consistent with the brand’s broader definition of Italian luxury: distinctive without being unnecessarily extravagant.

Maserati Updates the Interior With More Focus on the Driver

The exterior changes are accompanied by a series of updates inside the cabin.

One of the most distinctive details is the redesigned Maserati digital clock. The unit now features a genuine metal crown and an octagonal design, giving what could otherwise be a conventional digital display a more tactile and luxurious character.

The clock also reinforces the relationship between the driver and the vehicle, functioning as part of Maserati’s broader driver-car interface.

Another important update is the new PRND selector. Its three-dimensional controls are finished in metal and feature integrated backlighting, with Maserati aiming to make gear selection more intuitive and pleasant to operate.

The steering wheel has also been redesigned with inspiration from Maserati’s racing cars.

The result is an interior that places greater emphasis on the driver while retaining the sophisticated atmosphere expected of a modern Italian luxury vehicle.

Maserati’s Formula 1 Technology Meets Everyday Driving

The Nettuno V6 is one of the clearest examples of Maserati’s attempt to connect road cars with motorsport technology.

Pre-chamber combustion technology, developed from racing experience, gives the engine a technical identity that goes beyond simply producing high output.

But the broader significance of the latest Maserati lineup is that performance is no longer presented as something that exists separately from comfort and luxury.

The GranTurismo can travel at more than 320 km/h while remaining a long-distance grand tourer. The GranCabrio combines open-air luxury with supercar-like performance. The Grecale delivers V6 power in an SUV format, while the Grecale Folgore demonstrates that Maserati’s performance philosophy can also be applied to electric propulsion.

That versatility is at the heart of the new campaign.

Trieste Provides the Backdrop for Maserati’s New Chapter

The “Luxury, every day” film concludes in Piazza Unità d’Italia in Trieste, providing an appropriately dramatic setting for Maserati’s latest campaign.

The city combines historic architecture with views toward the Mediterranean and the distinctive landscape of the Karst Plateau. It also recently hosted Maserati’s international Media Drive, where more than 100 journalists from around the world had the opportunity to drive the new GranTurismo, GranCabrio and Grecale.

The location reinforces Maserati’s connection with Italy while providing a natural environment in which the cars’ combination of elegance, performance and long-distance capability can be demonstrated.

Maserati’s Interpretation of Modern Italian Luxury

Cristiano Fiorio, Maserati Chief Marketing Officer and BOTTEGAFUORISERIE General Manager, says the campaign is intended to reaffirm the characteristics that have historically defined the Trident brand.

Italian design, elegance, craftsmanship and performance remain at the center of Maserati’s identity, but the company is presenting them through a more contemporary interpretation of luxury.

The philosophy is deliberately different from the idea that luxury must always be extravagant or inaccessible.

For Maserati, luxury can instead be subtle, authentic and integrated into everyday life.

That philosophy is particularly relevant to the GranTurismo. The car’s very name refers to a tradition of traveling quickly and comfortably across long distances, making it fundamentally different from a machine designed exclusively for occasional performance driving.

The GranCabrio extends that concept into open-air motoring, while the Grecale brings the same combination of performance and sophistication into the SUV segment.

A New Maserati Campaign Built Around Emotion

Produced by creative agency Migrante, the “Luxury, every day” campaign uses a combination of cinematic imagery, human reactions and automotive performance to communicate its central idea.

The soundtrack was created by composer Flavio Ibba, adding another layer to a film that gradually increases in rhythm and intensity as the Maserati vehicles take over the narrative.

The cars are not presented simply as luxury products. Instead, they are positioned as objects that encourage people to enjoy the present rather than constantly waiting for the perfect moment.

That idea ultimately connects the campaign with Maserati’s heritage.

For more than a century, the Trident brand has attempted to combine Italian craftsmanship with performance, creating cars that are capable of transforming an ordinary journey into something memorable.

The latest GranTurismo, GranCabrio and Grecale continue that philosophy with modern technology, sharper styling and a broader range of performance options.

The result is Maserati’s latest definition of “Luxury, every day”: luxury that does not need to wait for a special occasion.

And with a 590-CV Nettuno V6, a 390-CV Grecale, a 580-km-range Grecale Folgore and a new generation of more assertive Maserati design, there is little reason for the driving experience itself to be postponed.

Source: Stellantis

Tuning

Lotus Elise VHPK Is Pure Driving Madness

The Lotus Elise S1 has long been regarded as one of the purest expressions of lightweight sports-car engineering. With a mass of roughly 700 kilograms, the original Elise achieved the kind of agility that modern performance cars can only dream about. Now, British specialist Analogue Automotive has taken that philosophy to an extraordinary extreme with the VHPK, a radically re-engineered, single-seat version of the Series 1 Elise.

Limited to just 35 examples worldwide, the Analogue Automotive VHPK combines a stripped-back carbon-fiber body, a centrally mounted driver’s seat and a naturally aspirated 1.9-liter Rover K-Series engine producing a claimed 253 horsepower. The result is a machine designed around one fundamental principle: remove everything that does not make the driving experience better.

The first customer-built VHPK has now been revealed, finished in the company’s distinctive PK Purple paintwork and complemented by an Alcantara-trimmed cabin and gold exhaust tips.

The Lotus Elise S1, Taken to Another Level

When the original Lotus Elise arrived, its lightweight construction immediately separated it from virtually every other sports car on the market. Rather than relying on enormous power, Lotus focused on minimizing mass, creating a car that could change direction with remarkable immediacy.

Analogue Automotive has taken that philosophy much further.

The VHPK starts with an original Series 1 Lotus Elise, which serves as the donor vehicle, before being extensively re-engineered. The car receives a full carbon-fiber body structure, a central carbon-fiber driver’s seat, lightweight forged wheels and a series of carefully engineered components intended to reduce weight without compromising the car’s essential character.

This isn’t simply a restored Elise with a more powerful engine. It is effectively a bespoke reinterpretation of the lightweight British sports car.

Why Is the Analogue Automotive VHPK Called VHPK?

The unusual VHPK name has its roots in the engine powering the car.

The original Rover K-Series engine used in the Elise was available in a particularly high-performance specification known as the Very High Performance Derivative, or VHPD. Analogue Automotive has adopted the same idea for its heavily modified K-Series powerplant.

Because the engine is now a K-Series unit, the company transformed VHPD into VHPK.

It is a suitably nerdy name for a car aimed squarely at enthusiasts who appreciate the mechanical details as much as the driving experience.

A 1.9-Liter Naturally Aspirated K-Series With 253 HP

At the heart of the VHPK is a heavily reworked Rover K-Series four-cylinder engine.

While the original engine displaced 1.8 liters, Analogue Automotive has increased capacity to 1.9 liters. The twin-cam naturally aspirated engine has been extensively redesigned using lightweight billet components and forged internal parts.

The claimed output is 253 horsepower.

That number might not sound spectacular in an era when even ordinary performance cars can produce more than 400 horsepower, but the VHPK isn’t chasing headline horsepower figures. Its entire philosophy revolves around minimizing weight.

The naturally aspirated engine is paired with a five-speed manual transmission, a limited-slip differential and a complete stainless-steel exhaust system. In other words, there is no attempt to dilute the mechanical experience with unnecessary complexity.

The driver gets a high-revving four-cylinder, a manual gearbox and a lightweight chassis.

One Seat, Right in the Middle

Perhaps the most striking feature of the VHPK is not its engine or carbon bodywork, but what is missing from the cabin: a passenger seat.

Instead, the driver sits alone in the center of the car.

The inspiration comes from Lotus Elise racing cars used in the brand’s championship during the early 2000s. The series ran as a support event alongside the British Touring Car Championship, and the race cars featured a centrally positioned single seat.

Analogue Automotive has brought that concept to the road-going VHPK.

The central seating position gives the driver a symmetrical view of the road and creates an unmistakably race-car-like atmosphere. More importantly, it reinforces the idea that this is a machine designed around the driver rather than passenger practicality.

Carbon Fiber Everywhere

Weight reduction is at the core of the VHPK project, and carbon fiber plays a major role.

The central carbon-fiber bucket seat is surrounded by carbon-fiber components, while the bodywork itself is constructed from carbon fiber. Beneath the lightweight exterior, Analogue Automotive also uses a lightweight fuel tank and a simplified wiring harness.

The result is an Elise that has been subjected to the kind of obsessive weight-saving program normally associated with competition cars.

Buyers can go even further. Analogue Automotive offers carbon-fiber wheels as an alternative to the standard lightweight forged wheels, while visible carbon body panels are also available.

Other options include electric air conditioning and a carbon-fiber hardtop, allowing customers to tailor the car depending on whether they want the ultimate lightweight road car or something with slightly more everyday usability.

Lightweight Suspension and Optional Active Dampers

The VHPK’s chassis can also be upgraded with a wide-track suspension configuration.

This package includes aluminum hubs and steering links, helping reduce unsprung mass while widening the car’s stance. Passive dampers are available for those seeking a more traditional setup, while an active damper system is also offered.

That range of choices means the VHPK can be configured for different priorities, although the basic philosophy remains unchanged: make the car as light, responsive and communicative as possible.

PK Purple Gives the First Customer Car Some Serious Personality

The first customer example provides a good indication of just how bespoke the VHPK program can become.

Finished in the luxurious PK Purple color, the car combines its distinctive exterior with an Alcantara-covered interior. Gold exhaust tips provide an additional visual contrast and give the tiny sports car an appropriately exotic appearance.

Despite its extreme engineering, the VHPK doesn’t look like a conventional track-day special. The familiar silhouette of the Lotus Elise S1 remains, but the carbon bodywork and minimalist details give it a much more serious presence.

Just 35 Analogue Automotive VHPKs Will Be Built

Analogue Automotive plans to produce only 35 examples of the VHPK.

The exclusivity comes with an equally extraordinary price. The car costs £350,000 plus tax, although that figure includes the original Series 1 Lotus Elise donor vehicle.

That makes the VHPK vastly more expensive than even the best original Elise S1 examples. Good used Series 1 Elises can be found from around £20,000, depending on specification, condition and history.

Of course, comparing the two purely on price misses the point.

The VHPK isn’t intended to be a more affordable way of buying an Elise. It is a highly limited, extensively engineered reinterpretation created for collectors and driving enthusiasts who want something that goes considerably further than the original car.

The Ultimate Lightweight Lotus Elise?

There is something wonderfully old-school about the Analogue Automotive VHPK.

At a time when performance cars are becoming increasingly powerful, electronically sophisticated and heavy, the VHPK goes in precisely the opposite direction. It takes an already lightweight Lotus Elise S1 and pushes the concept toward its logical extreme.

A naturally aspirated 1.9-liter four-cylinder produces 253 horsepower. A five-speed manual transmission sends that power through a limited-slip differential. The driver sits alone in the center of the car, surrounded by carbon fiber. There are no rear seats, no unnecessary weight and no attempt to disguise the car’s mechanical nature.

It is an unapologetically focused interpretation of the Elise.

And perhaps that is exactly why the VHPK is so interesting. The original Lotus Elise was built around the famous philosophy of achieving performance by reducing weight rather than simply adding power. Analogue Automotive has taken that principle and applied it with the obsessive attention to detail expected of a modern specialist.

With only 35 examples planned and a £350,000-plus-tax starting price, the VHPK will be far beyond the reach of most enthusiasts.

But for those fortunate enough to secure one, this may be one of the closest things available to a road-legal, centrally seated, carbon-bodied lightweight race car — while retaining the essential DNA of one of Britain’s most celebrated sports cars.

Analogue Automotive VHPK: Key Specifications

  • Engine: 1.9-liter naturally aspirated Rover K-Series four-cylinder
  • Configuration: Twin-cam four-cylinder
  • Power: 253 hp claimed
  • Transmission: Five-speed manual
  • Differential: Limited-slip differential
  • Exhaust: Full stainless-steel system
  • Body: Carbon fiber
  • Driver’s seat: Central carbon-fiber bucket seat
  • Suspension: Wide-track setup available, with passive or active dampers
  • Wheels: Lightweight forged wheels; carbon-fiber wheels optional
  • Production: 35 examples
  • Price: £350,000 plus tax, including Series 1 Lotus Elise donor car

Source: Analogue Automotive

NEW CARS

Yugo Cabrio Returns as an AI-Designed Crossover Convertible With a Nostalgic Twist

The Yugo name is preparing for another unexpected comeback, and this time it is taking the shape of a five-door crossover convertible. The company behind the modern revival of the legendary Serbian brand has released AI-generated images and video of the Yugo Cabrio, describing the vehicle as a “design study for the future.”

The latest digital concept adds another chapter to an ambitious project aimed at bringing Yugo back to the automotive market with affordable subcompact cars. While the company has already shown designs for a compact two-door hatchback and a sportier convertible, the latest Yugo Cabrio takes a very different approach, combining increased ground clearance with a folding canvas roof and four-seat interior.

For fans of the original Yugo, however, the most interesting part may be the styling.

The Yugo Cabrio Is a Very Different Kind of Convertible

At first glance, the Yugo Cabrio looks considerably more modern than the original cars that made the Yugo name famous around the world. Its proportions are closer to those of a small crossover than a traditional hatchback, while the raised ride height and black plastic body cladding give it the rugged appearance expected from today’s small SUVs.

The overall silhouette also brings to mind the now-discontinued Volkswagen T-Roc Cabriolet, although the Yugo design incorporates several details intended to connect it with the brand’s history.

Among them is the distinctive stepped character line and the black trim positioned underneath the headlights. The front end also features an illuminated radiator grille carrying a prominent “Y” logo, giving the concept a recognizable identity.

The headlights, meanwhile, have a shape that could easily remind observers of recent Dacia models.

Compared with the two-door Yugo Cabrio shown in earlier renderings, the new five-door concept is considerably more practical. It has four seats and uses a folding canvas roof, while the crossover-inspired body should provide greater everyday usability than the low-slung convertible design previously shown.

Yugo’s Modern Revival Is Still in Development

The new Yugo project is being led by German marketing professor Dr. Aleksandar Bjelić and Serbian designer Darko Marčeta, who acquired the rights to the Yugo trademark with the goal of developing a new generation of affordable subcompact vehicles.

The project first attracted significant attention in 2025 when the company presented sketches and a mock-up of a two-door hatchback designed to revive the Yugo name.

At the time, Yugo Automobile announced plans to present its first road-going prototype in May 2027.

The Cabrio crossover is therefore not necessarily an indication that production of this particular body style has been confirmed. Instead, the company appears to be exploring what a modern Yugo could look like across different vehicle segments and body configurations.

The use of AI-generated imagery makes that distinction particularly important. The latest Yugo Cabrio should be viewed as a design study rather than a confirmed production vehicle.

Petrol and Electrified Powertrains Could Be Offered

Technical details of the Yugo Cabrio remain limited, but previous reports have suggested that the eventual production model could be offered with both petrol and electrified powertrains.

Manual and automatic transmissions have also reportedly been considered.

That would represent a dramatic technological leap from the original Yugo, whose simple mechanical construction and low purchase price were central to its appeal.

The modern Yugo project is being developed with a very different automotive landscape in mind. Affordable cars remain highly desirable, but modern safety requirements, emissions regulations, electrification and increasingly sophisticated consumer expectations make developing a genuinely inexpensive new vehicle considerably more complicated than it was several decades ago.

That is why the choice of platform, powertrain and manufacturing strategy will ultimately be just as important as the styling.

Is the New Yugo Really an Independent Car?

One of the biggest questions surrounding the Yugo revival concerns where the underlying technology will come from.

Some observers have speculated that the reborn Yugo could simply use an existing Chinese hatchback or crossover as its foundation, with the Yugo badge and styling applied afterward. Chinese manufacturers such as Dongfeng have been mentioned in discussions surrounding the project.

Yugo Automobile has rejected that idea, insisting that the new vehicle is an independent project.

The company has also acknowledged that components will be sourced internationally, arguing that a global supply chain does not mean the resulting car will lose its Yugo identity.

That distinction could become crucial if the project eventually reaches production. Developing a completely new vehicle from the ground up requires enormous investment, particularly when the target selling price is supposed to remain affordable.

Yugo Keeps Its Sense of Humor

Perhaps surprisingly, the Yugo revival is not trying to distance itself completely from the jokes and stereotypes associated with the original car.

In a LinkedIn discussion, one commenter joked about the famous heated rear window, suggesting that its traditional purpose was to “warm the hands” of people pushing a broken Yugo.

The company responded in good humor, saying that the feature would definitely return in the new generation.

Another commenter joked that the smell of barbecue in the rear seats would be the only thing separating a new Yugo from a Chinese hatchback.

Yugo Automobile took that joke even further, responding that it would install an integrated grill so passengers could cook kebabs while driving.

The exchanges may be humorous, but they reveal something important about the Yugo brand. Rather than attempting to erase its complicated history, the new company appears willing to embrace the nostalgia and self-deprecating humor surrounding the original.

A Yugo for a New Generation

The company describes the new Yugo as a vehicle “designed for a new generation” and developed using modern technology with the ambition of making exciting mobility accessible again.

That positioning could prove significant.

The original Yugo became synonymous with inexpensive transportation. A modern interpretation would need to preserve that affordability while delivering the safety, efficiency, connectivity and quality expected from a contemporary European-market vehicle.

The Yugo Cabrio design study could therefore be interpreted as more than an exercise in nostalgia. It suggests that the brand is exploring how its identity could translate into a modern range of affordable cars.

A five-door crossover convertible is certainly an unusual starting point.

It combines several trends that have dominated the automotive industry in recent years: compact crossovers, lifestyle vehicles, affordable mobility and open-top driving. At the same time, the format remains sufficiently unusual to give the revived Yugo a distinct personality.

Where Will the New Yugo Be Built?

For now, perhaps the biggest unanswered question is manufacturing.

Serbia is identified as the home country of the Yugo revival project, but the company has not yet provided definitive details about where production would take place.

The supply chain will be another major challenge.

Modern vehicles contain thousands of components sourced from numerous suppliers, and creating an affordable car requires careful control over manufacturing and logistics costs. If Yugo intends to source parts from around the world, the company will need to balance international sourcing with its goal of maintaining a recognizable Serbian identity.

The platform itself also remains undisclosed.

Until those fundamental questions are answered, it is impossible to determine how close the current Yugo concepts are to becoming real production vehicles.

The 2027 Yugo Prototype Will Be the Real Test

The most important date for the project remains May 2027, when Yugo has promised to unveil its first road-going prototype.

That vehicle should provide the first meaningful indication of whether the revived Yugo can move beyond digital renderings and nostalgia and become a genuine automotive product.

The five-door Yugo Cabrio crossover is intriguing, but it remains a design study created with the assistance of AI. It does not yet establish that this particular vehicle will enter production.

What it does demonstrate is that the Yugo name is being developed into something broader than a simple retro recreation of the original hatchback.

Whether the final product becomes a small hatchback, crossover, convertible, or some combination of these ideas remains to be seen.

For now, the Yugo Cabrio is an entertaining glimpse into what the future of one of the automotive industry’s most recognizable Balkan names could look like.

And if the jokes from the company’s social-media conversations are anything to go by, the new Yugo may be determined to bring at least a little of the old character along for the ride.

Yugo Cabrio: What We Know So Far

Vehicle: Yugo Cabrio
Body style: Five-door crossover convertible design study
Seats: Four
Roof: Folding canvas roof
Powertrains: Petrol and electrified options reportedly under consideration
Transmissions: Manual and automatic options reportedly considered
Design technology: AI-generated concept imagery
Project leaders: Dr. Aleksandar Bjelić and Darko Marčeta
First road-going prototype: Planned for May 2027
Project home: Serbia
Production: Not yet confirmed
Platform: Not yet announced

Source: YUGO® Automobile via Linkedin