What lies beneath the vinyl wrap of this Maserati prototype?

The Italian firm surprises us by showing, under nothing more than an evasive livery, the Maserati prototype from which its new sports car will be developed

In the dead of night, like the best thrillers and as if it were a special forces operation from an elite unit, a very special Maserati prototype has made its debut on the streets of its hometown of Modena.

Following the announcement of the end of production of the beautiful and already veteran Maserati GranTurismo, an automotive sculpture that offered everything from an elegant GT with all the luxury and performance suited to sporty driving, to versions close to its single-seaters built for the thrilling promotional cups, which gave rise to variants such as the imposing Maserati GranTurismo MC Stradale, the Italian brand wants to keep the excitement of its followers at a high level by showing the first images of one of the test vehicles that will give rise to a new model.

A spiritual replacement that could come from the Maserati prototype that has already been driven in open traffic, though at elusive hours to avoid prying eyes and, above all, the photos and videos of onlookers who might have come across a mule as eye-catching as this one, wearing a vinyl wrap dotted with tridents, M and X,

As shown in the images provided by the brand, we are talking about a replacement in the hierarchy, niches or functions of the models the brand currently sells, from the Maserati Levante SUV, whose road test of two of its variants you can find on our website, to its two high-end saloons, passing through the gap left by the late GranTurismo, and its convertible version, the GranCabrio.

It is between the popular SUVs and the stylish saloons that the model derived from the Maserati prototype for production is aimed, although the true successor to the GranTurismo will be the brand’s first electric car, the Maserati Alfieri.

What do we expect from the new Maserati?

Without a doubt, the word that best fits the future production car of the Maserati is ‘responsibility’: breaking with the past and improving on what is known.

Due to the breakup or the agreement that, as brands of the FCA group, Fiat, had with Ferrari, the manufacturer of dreamlike rolling machines that built the vast majority of the petrol engines in the cars bearing the trident on all four sides, the new engines must make us forget the past tied to its Modena neighbours.

That is why, given the size and layout of the Maserati prototype, we speak of a spiritual successor: we expect this car to have a new petrol engine, which could be located immediately behind the two sole occupants riding in the test vehicle.

Furthermore, given the architecture of its body, the reinforcements of the crossmembers behind the cabin are typical of cars whose weight increases in the central area of the chassis due to the installation of the engine block in that location.

An engine that hides itself, as do the possible exhaust outlets that would suggest it is a model with, at least, a main petrol-powered engine block, although it would not be the first time a brand has added fake exhaust tailpipes to an electric prototype to throw people off the scent.

Be that as it may, we know the production model will be presented in May 2020 and built from 2021. Until then, we will have to wait for good news or investigate what kind of mechanical layout this Maserati prototype conceals.