Maserati is so proud of its fastback Alfieri concept, it named it for one of the founders

By Stephen Edelstein Published March 1, 2016

Maserati is celebrating its centennial this year. What better way to do that than with a concept car named after one of the company’s founders?

Unveiled at the 2014 Geneva Motor Show, the Maserati Alfieri concept is a voluptuous GT car that honors Alfieri Maserati, one of the most prominent of the brothers who founded Maserati a century ago.

All Maseratis are easy on the eyes, but this one more so. Its styling was meant to be sportier and more aggressive than the current GranTurismo, and the concept rides on a wheelbase that is 9.5 inches shorter.

Maserati identifies the classic 1954 A6 GCS-53 as inspiration for the Alfieri but – with its LED headlights and massive grille – it looks like it could have also been inspired by a prehistoric sea creature.

At the back, the Alfieir features three-dimensional “candy cane” taillights, with alternating red-and-white strips. The car also has a unique set of alloy wheels (20-inch front, 21-inch rear) intended to evoke 1950s designs.

Under the skin is a modified version of the GranTurismo’s platform and its 4.7-liter V8. The naturally-aspirated engine produces 460 horsepower, slightly more than the base GranTurismo’s output of 454 hp.

It’s linked to a six-speed MC Shift automatic transmission, and also has a special exhaust system design to produce a signature sound.

Maserati says the Alfieri is a fully-operational prototype, but did not confirm any plans to put it into production. It wouldn’t be surprising to see some of its styling elements end up on future models, though, or for an incredibly wealthy (and well-connected) customer to custom order one.

Stephen Edelstein

Contributing Editor

Stephen is a freelance automotive journalist covering all things cars. He likes anything with four wheels, from classic cars…

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This week in EV tech: Audi exemplifies auto industry’s EV holding pattern

Close-up of 2025 Audi SQ5 grille, headlight, and badge.

The road to the future runs through the present, and it’s not a straight line. This week, we’re focusing on how Audi is negotiating the twists and turns on the way to an electrified future. EVs are here to stay at Audi, but a gasoline crossover SUV is still the automaker’s bestselling model, and it’s not ready to risk those sales just yet. That’s why the 2025 Audi Q5 received a top-to-bottom overhaul for this model year, bringing its tech features and styling up to date without altering the what has proven to be a very popular package. By maintaining parallel lineups of electric and internal-combustion cars, Audi hopes to give customers more choices. But that doesn’t completely level the playing field. The new Q5 may have yesterday’s powertrain, but Audi isn’t holding back on tech. It features the same electrical architecture, operating system, and three-screen dashboard display as the latest Audi EVs, like the Q6 e-tron. So aside from a little engine noise, there’s little difference in what you can see and interact with from the driver’s seat. It’s not just the infotainment systems. The Q5 and Q6 e-tron are close in size, with similar space for passengers across their two rows of seats. The Q6 e-tron has a bit more cargo space, but not as much as you’d think given the lack of a bulky engine, transmission, and driveshafts. The two SUVs also have similar styling but, having now driven both, we can say that the Q5 is the more pleasant of the two.

More than a difference of powertrain tech

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Take a peek inside the factory making tomorrow’s ride

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byd 900 miles 12 minutes seal

Welcome to Digital Trends’ weekly recap of the revolutionary technology powering, connecting, and now driving next-gen electric vehicles.
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BYD’s bold battery bet
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