Have Maserati looked to its past and future for the concept of the Alfieri?

Maserati have recently pulled away from the sports car image they do so well, to concentrate more on passenger cars — luxurious ones at that, and fast ones as well — but not sports cars as you’d traditionally define the term.

Think of the name Maserati and you’ll likely be picturing glamorous sports cars roaring up the Autostrada and cruising down Mediterranean coastlines. And that’s still largely the case, except for the sports car part of it all, until now. The Alfieri is the long over due comeback for the sports car we all love!

The latest vehicles released by the Modenese automaker are the Quattroporte and Ghibli — both four-door sedans — and its next one will be the Levante crossover. Its only two-door model, the GranTurismo, has been on the market for longer than it should by now. But Maserati aims to correct that wrong with the reveal of their Alfieri concept at the Geneva Motor Show this year.

Named after the company’s founder (and its most notable engineer), the Maserati Alfieri concept is based on the aforementioned GranTurismo, but is more stylish, more compact, and altogether more modern. Its wheelbase has been shortened by nearly 10 inches, while the 4.7-liter V8 engine remains, driving 460 horsepower to the rear wheels through a six-speed sequential transmission. State-of-the-art carbon-ceramic brakes feature at each corner to keep the power in check

The technical details are all well and fine, but what sets the Alfieri apart is its design. It was overseen by Lorenzo Ramaciotti, chief designer for the Fiat Group that owns Maserati and former chief designer at Pininfarina, the design house that’s penned a fair few Maseratis over the years. It draws its inspiration from the 1950s-era Maserati A6 — one of the Trident marque’s earliest creations – and wears a liquid-metal finish, bi-xenon and LED headlamps, and 21-inch wheels. The interior is decidedly modern but no less luxurious with aniline leather furnished by Portrona Frau, copper-tone billet aluminum trim, and high-tech TFT (thin-film-transistor) displays.

The Alfieri is a transition point between 100 glorious years of history and the future that is opening up before us. I sincerely can’t say that we’ll see this car in production in two years-time, but I’m certain we’ll see something very similar,” says Ramaciotti. “We wanted the Alfieri to test future design paths. The car is very aggressive but still sober in style, forceful but understated.”

Source http://www.justluxe.com/lifestyle/luxury-cars/feature-1954193.php

The Bugatti Veyron becomes a work of art

We see more and more luxury cars getting an artistic makeover these days than ever before! The rich and famous want to make their cars stand out and be a one of a kind design that no one else will have.

It’s know surprise then that Bugatti have created a limited edition ‘piece of art’ to satisfy their fans out there.

Without putting too fine a point on it, Bugatti appeals to a pretty select clientele. Nevertheless, its product planners grapple with the same challenge that faces every automaker: When you’re spending multi-millions to achieve exclusivity, you don’t want to see a mirror image of your Veyron motoring around every corner. Right?

Bugatti’s answer to this problem is a series of 18 limited-edition Veyron Grand Sport Vitesse roadsters—Les Légendes de Bugatti. The series consists of six three-car groups, each named for famous figures from Bugatti’s glory years, and this one, fourth in the sequence, is called Rembrandt.

The name suggests artistic inspiration, which is true, but it’s not the Rembrandt you might expect. This Rembrandt was Rembrandt Bugatti, brother of company founder Ettore, and a well-known sculptor. Although Rembrandt won fame for his work with bronze sculptures, he’s celebrated in Bugatti family lore for creating the dancing elephant logo that adorns the grille of the princely Type 41 Bugatti, better known as the Royale.

Commemorating Rembrandt Bugatti’s favored artistic medium, the latest Vitesse Legend sports bronze-hued clearcoat carbon fiber on its upper half contrasting with a light brown lower portion. The wheels are two-toned in colors Bugatti head designer Achim Anscheidt calls “noix” and “firefinch,” and Rembrandt’s signature has been laser etched onto the gas cap and oil-filler cover.

Inside, the special-edition Vitesse is distinguished by cognac-colored leather, a bronze-hued carbon-fiber console emblazoned with a cast bronze version of the Type 41 dancing elephant logo, and the signature and portrait of Rembrandt Bugatti on each door sill.

Naturally, the Rembrandt Vitesse has all the go-fast hardware that makes this the fastest production roadster in the world, according to Bugatti: 1184 horsepower and 1106 lb-ft of torque from a quad-turbo W-16 engine, yielding a 0-to-62-mph sprint in 2.6 seconds and a top speed of 254 mph.



Previous special editions have honored Jean Bugatti, son of the company’s founder; Jean-Pierre Wimille, who drove Bugattis to two victories in the 24 Hours of Le Mans; and Bartelomeo “Meo” Costantini, another factory driver who went on to manage the works racing team from 1927 to 1935.

On display at the Geneva auto show, the Rembrandt Bugatti carries a sticker price of €2.18 million (roughly $3 million at today’s exchange rates)—almost a half-million more than the standard Grand Sport Vitesse. We suspect this is a no-haggle price. If any of the nine previous Legends are any indication, you better hurry—all nine of the previous special editions have been sold.

Source http://blog.caranddriver.com/bugatti-veyron-rembrandt-legends-edition-what-to-buy-when-a-standard-veyron-is-too-ubiquitous-2014-geneva-auto-show/

Rick Ross’ Gets Red Forgiato Wheels For His Ferrari 458 Italia

The Ferrari 458 Italia is a beautiful car, but some people still feel the need to make it stand out in the crowd even more.

Rick Ross certainly isn’t a man to go unnoticed. Thanks to his large frame, heavily tattooed body and most importantly to us, his impressive exotic car collection, you can always be assured that Ross will make a big appearance wherever he goes. And thanks to a new set of bright red wheels on his Ferrari 458 Italia, he’ll stand out from the crowd even more.

These new wheels come courtesy of Forgiato and while they certainly aren’t to everyone’s taste, there is no doubt  they catch your eye!

3 Ways Digital Innovation Is Driving Engagement In The Luxury Car …

If you like to keep up to date on the latest gadgets and technology AND like stylish luxury cars, you need to read The Future of Luxury’s 3 ways  luxury car manufacturers have harnessed digital platforms as part of a strategy to tackle poor performance in the luxury car market.

The luxury car sector has long been a leader in adopting the latest technology for design, manufacture and in-car systems however, luxury car brands are now increasingly turning to digital tech to entice customers before they’ve even taken a test drive in a bid to create powerfully engaging experiences.

1. Porsche – Augmented Reality App

Designed to support the launch of the Panamera in the Middle East, Porsche’s augmented reality iPad app gives potential customers a chance to explore the car’s capabilities through a highly interactive experience. Using augmented reality enables Porsche to bring the vehicle’s features to life in a more meaningful and impactful way than a simple brochure description could ever hope to achieve.

 

Steve Blyth of Engage, creators of the AR app, described it as providing “a unique and immersive experience” created to achieve the objectives set by Porsche of  “a high-level view of the product and brand as well as an introduction to the Panamera’s features.”

In the showroom, car each feature 5 markers that trigger the iPad app to provide detailed content about the car’s features in the form of texts, images, animations and video.

Online and offline are connected through data capture, with additional information revealed to users who supply their email address via the app. This data is then used by Porsche sales teams to follow up leads.

2. Audi – Digital Showrooms

Earlier this year, in addition to locations in London and Beijing, Audi opened another of its digital showrooms in Berlin. Featuring  interactive touchscreens, the showrooms allow customers to explore the range by personalising  Audi cars to their own specifications. A significant advantage of the digital showroom for both customers and brands is the lack of space restrictions. Although only 4 models are on display in the showroom, all 49 models in the Audi range can be viewed and interacted with using the multi-media screens.

 

Creating immersive experiences is central to success in today’s market; Audi’s head of sales in Germany, Wayne Griffiths commented,  “staging the brand is becoming so much more important.”  The success of this venture has been reflected by the footfall generated with Audi Beijing reporting 8,000 visitors per week , 60% of whom were new to the Audi brand.

3.   Volkwagen Group – Mobile Game

Mobile gaming was recently used by the Volkswagen Group to bring consumers closer to their premium sports car brands which includes a roll-call of some of the world’s most sought after cars – Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini and Porsche.

Designed to bring each car to life through immersive gameplay, the ‘Sports Car Challenge 2’ app (available on android and iOS 7), allows  consumers to engage with vehicles through hyper-realistic, 3D product interaction.

 

Game features include the ability to compete for a position on the global leader board and a chance to take part in time trials with the ‘Ghost race’ feature helping to build racing talents. In addition, the immersive experience lets users customise gameplay through a choice of racing environments, driving conditions as well as offering the ability to customise the cars themselves.

Kristien Wendt of Proelios, creators of the ‘Sports Car Challenge 2’ app,  highlighted the growing importance of mobile platforms to increase customer engagement, “Because of the accessibility, brand engagement, reach, measurement through data analytics and the hugely realistic worlds we can now create on mobile, clients are looking at how we integrate mobile gaming into campaigns, how we can connect, measure and interact with offline media such as outdoor posters and print advertising, and how we can use the gaming platform to generate greater consumer loyalty.”

Gamifying the app drives repeat engagement with consumers, creates greater reach opportunities, lets users build an affinity with the vehicles and ultimately, bridges the gap between virtual and real-life brand interaction.

http://thetoptier.net/index.php/home/luxury-vehicles-a-sports-cars/2947-3-ways-digital-innovation-is-driving-engagement-in-the-luxury-car-market

What luxury cars are celebrities driving?

Everyone envy’s the cars that celebrities both sides of the pond can afford to drive. whether you like the classic Ferraris that Chris Evans owns or the Eco friendly cars that the likes of Cameron Diaz and Diane Kruger drive, you are sure to find some little gems in the list below!

Audi: David Beckham (S8), Sandra Bullock (A6), Daniel Craig (S6), Vanessa Hudgens (A7), John Mayer (R8), Jason Statham (R8), Dwyane Wade (R8), Robert Downey Jr. (A7), Cristiano Ronaldo (RS6), Justin Timberlake (S8), Rosie Huntington-Whiteley (S5), Chris Brown (R8), Taylor Lautner (R8), Sienna Miller (TT), Kevin Costner (S8), Zooey Deschanel (A5), Michael Bloomberg (R8), Phil Knight (R8), Taylor Swift (Q7), Zac Efron (S5), Zoe Saldana (A8), Miranda Kerr (A8), Harry Styles (R8)

Aston Martin: Dwyane Wade (Vanquish Volante), Jason Statham (DBS), Olivier Martinez (V8 Vantage), Ice-T (Vantage), Eddie Murphy (Vanquish), Ryan Seacrest (DB9), Pierce Brosnan (Vanquish), Adam Carolla (DB9), Jonathan Ives (DB9 and Vanquish), Lil Wayne (Vantage), Sylvester Stallone (DBS), Prince Charles (DB6), David Beckham (AMV8), Janet Jackson (Vanquish), Marc Anthony (DB7), Missy Elliott (Vanquish), Jamie Oliver (Vantage)

Bentley: Drake (Supersports), Jennifer Lopez (Continental), Prince William (Flying Spur), Bruce Willis (Continental), Eva Longoria (Continental), Jonathan Ives (Brooklands), Simon Cowell (Azure), Sylvester Stallone (Continental), Arnold Schwarzenegger (Supersports), Paris Hilton (Continental), Floyd Mayweather (Mulsanne), David Beckham (Supersports and Mulsanne), Cristiano Ronaldo (Continental), Ryan Seacrest (Flying Spur), The Game (Continental), Lil Wayne (Mulsanne), Sharon Stone (Continental), Scott Disick (Mulsanne), Queen of England (State Limousine), Carlos Slim (Flying Spur)

BMW: Brad Pitt (Hydrogen 7), Jessica Alba (750iL), Anne Hathaway (i3), Reese Witherspoon (Alpina B7), Heidi Klum (M6), Selena Gomez (X5), Cristiano Ronaldo (M6), Taylor Lautner (Z4), Will Ferrell (Hydrogen 7), Alanis Morissette (X5), Samantha Ronson (750iL), Sean Penn (Z3), Taye Diggs (X6)

Bugatti: Drake, Birdman, Flo Rida, Floyd Mayweather, The Game, Chris Brown

Ferrari: Pharrell (Enzo), Justin Bieber (458 Italia), Harry Styles (California), Kim Kardashian (F430), Jermaine Jackson (California), Eddie Murphy (599 GTB), Dwyane Wade (F12 Berlinetta), Rick Ross (458 Italia), Gordon Ramsay (F12 Berlinetta), Paris Hilton (F430), Adam Levine (365 GTC), 50 Cent (FF), Cristiano Ronaldo (599 GTO), John Mayer (599 GTB), LeBron James (F430 Spider), Ozzy Osbourne (458 Italia), Tommy Hilfiger (Enzo), Alex Rodriguez (575 Maranello), Hugh Grant (California), The Game (F430 Spider), Ashton Kutcher (California), Tyga (California), Seal (F430 Spider), Kobe Bryant (458 Italia Spider), Flo Rida (California), Ralph Lauren (F430 Scuderia), Keith Urban (F360), Usher (F430 Spider), Gucci Mane (458 Italia), Wyclef Jean (360 Spider), Adrien Brody (F430), Rod Stewart (599 GTB)

Ford: Shia LaBeouf (F150), John Mayer (Raptor), Heidi Klum (Raptor), Dwayne Johnson (F150), Simon Cowell (Bronco), Christina Aguilera (Mustang), Amber Heard (Mustang), Nick Jonas (Mustang), Shaquille O’Neal (Mustang), Benji Madden (Galaxie), Ken Block (Raptor)

Jaguar: Victoria Beckham (XJ), Kelly Rowland (F-Type), Lana Del Rey (XKF), Patrick Dempsey (XK120), Harrison Ford (XK140), Miranda Kerr (XJL), Danny Aiello (XJL), Jay Leno (E-Type), Kristin Davis (XF)

Lamborghini Kanye West (Aventador), Swizz Beatz (Aventador), Chris Brown (Gallardo and Aventador), Scott Disick (Aventador), Cristiano Ronaldo (Aventador), 50 Cent (Murcielago), Rick Ross (Murcielago), Missy Elliot (Gallardo), Robinho (Gallardo), Kobe Bryant (Aventador)

Lexus: Natalie Portman (RX), Paris Hilton (LFA), Paul McCartney (LS600h), Gisele Bündchen (RX), Owen Wilson (ES), Sarah Michelle Gellar (RX), Halle Berry (RX)

Maserati: Pierce Brosnan (GranTurismo), Miley Cyrus (Quattroporte), Lapo Elkann (Ghibli), Gwen Stefani (Quattroporte), Barry Diller (GranCabrio), Britney Spears (GranCabrio), Kylie Minogue (Gran Turismo), Katy Perry (GranCabrio)

Maybach: Madonna, Will Smith, Samuel L. Jackson, Birdman, Lil Wayne, Jay Z, Sean Combs, Kanye West, Rick Ross

McLaren: Miley Cyrus, Lady Gaga, David Beckham, Ludacris, Larry Ellison, Swizz Beatz, Dwayne Wade, Jay Leno, Will.i.am

Mercedes-Benz: Liev Schreiber (E350 wagon), Harry Styles (190 SL), Hilary Duff (G-Wagen), Jon Hamm (SLS AMG), Ashley Tisdale (G55), Tom Ford (G-Wagen), Ashley Olsen (G-Wagen), Kylie Jenner (G-Wagen), David Hasselhoff (CLS), Khloe Kardashian (G-Wagen), Gwen Stefani (G-Wagen), Bradley Cooper (G-Wagen), Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum of Dubai (G63 AMG), Jay Z (S-Class), Patrick Dempsey (SLS AMG and G-Wagen), Sandra Bullock (GL550), Eddie Murphy (SLS AMG), Tom Cruise (SLK), Justin Theroux (S550), Rick Ross (CLS and S550), Nigo (300 SL), Russell Crowe (S550), Usher (CLS), Jim Carrey (S550), Wyclef Jean (G-Wagen), Jensen Button (C63 AMG DR250), Britney Spears (G55 AMG), Selma Blair (ML 350), Shakira (SL 550), Shaquille O’Neal (S-Class), Jared Leto (SLS AMG), Tiger Woods (S65 AMG), Tobey Maguire (S400), Alec Baldwin (M-Class), Megan Fox (G-Wagen), Mark Wahlberg (SLS AMG)

PorscheKate Moss (vintage 911), David Beckham (911 Turbo Cabriolet), Dustin Hoffman (911 Cabriolet), Kanye West (Panamera Turbo), Patrick Dempsey (GT3), Hilary Duff (911), Keith Urban (Cayenne), Kiefer Sutherland (Panamera), Jonah Hill (911), Miley Cyrus (Cayenne GTS), Adam Levine (356 Speedster), Maria Sharapova (Panamera GTS), Cristiano Ronaldo (Cayenne Turbo), Ellen DeGeneres (911), LeBron James (911), The Game (Panamera), Jerry Seinfeld (various 911s), Keanu Reeves (911), Zach Braff (911), Adriana Lima (Cayenne), Lindsay Lohan (911 Cabriolet), Rihanna (911 Turbo), Chris Brown (Panamera), Samantha Ronson (911 Targa), Bruce Willis (911 GTS), Sylvester Stallone (Panamera), Pharrell (550 Spyder), Steven Tyler (911 Turbo), Matthew Perry (911 Cabriolet), LeAnn Rimes (Panamera), Ashley Tisdale (Boxster), Bill Gates (959), Michael Dell (Boxster), Robert Pattinson (Boxster)

Range Rover: Brad Pitt, Charlize Theron, Russell Brand, Kate Moss, David Beckham, Victoria Beckham, Robin Thicke, Sofia Vergara, Pippa Middleton, Jay-Z, John Mayer, Ryan Seacrest, Sharon Osbourne, Chris Brown, Shannen Doherty, Prince Harry, Queen of England, Courtney Cox, Alessandra Ambrosio, Richard Branson, Tim Burton, Hugh Jackman

Rolls-Royce: Swizz Beatz (Wraith), Jaime Foxx (Ghost), Ice-T (Ghost), Rick Ross (Wraith), Simon Cowell (Phantom), David Beckham (Phantom and Ghost), 50 Cent (Ghost), Snoop Dogg (Phantom), The Game (Ghost), Tom Brady (Ghost), Eddie Murphy (Phantom), Ryan Phillippe (Ghost), Shaquille O’Neal (Phantom), Missy Elliott (Phantom), Sean Combs (Phantom), Guy Ritchie (Ghost)

Tesla: Matt Damon, Eva Longoria, Jack Osbourne, Jeremy Renner, Shakira, Ashton Kutcher, Rachel Zoe, Laurence Fishburne

Toyota: Leonardo DiCaprio (Prius), Adrien Grenier (Prius), Ryan Gosling (Prius), Julia Roberts (Prius), Kirsten Dunst (Prius), Eric Schmidt (Prius), Sarah Jessica Parker (Prius)

Sources: Zimbio, X17 Online, Celebrity Cars Blog, Flickr, London Daily Mail, Autoevolution, UrbanDaddy’s DRIVEN, GT Spirit, Just Jared, Celebritycarz,

http://www.justluxe.com/lifestyle/luxury-cars/feature-1953959.php

 

Lamborghini Aventador Crash in London – Ouch!

 

A £250,000 supercar turned heads for the wrong reasons after it was involved in a three-car smash in Kensington.

The matt-black Lamborghini Aventador was left with damage to its front and had to be towed from the scene of the crash in Sloane Street.

Witnesses told how the rare supercar was in collision with a hatchback, causing the Lamborghini to veer off into a parked car.

After the crash, during which no one was hurt, shoppers in Sloane Street gathered around taking photos and videos.

Crash: The front right wing of the car was badly damaged Picture: Nigel HowardArt consultant Lila Afshar returned from a Mother’s Day lunch with her two daughters to discover their BMW had been the caught up in the collision.

Ms Afshar, from St John’s Wood, said: “We showed up about three hours after the incident and there was a letter on the windshield.

Witnesses said the rare supercar hit a hatchback and crashed into parked cars Picture: Nigel Howard“The Lamborghini was being towed away and the owner came up and explained what had happened.  He was really apologetic about it.”

The smash caused a mass outpouring of schadenfreude among witnesses on Twitter.

One user, who gave her name as Kate Sloane, wrote: “Smashed lambo on Sloane Street. The heart bleeds.”

Another posted: “Gutted for whichever footballer crashed their lambourgni on Sloane Street. Already people taking selfies with it.”

But one user took a more sympathetic approach, posting a photo and adding: “Not a good way to start a Sunday for this guy :(”

 

Thank you to The Evening Standard Motor Authority for this trending news.

Which Will be Better: Lamborghini Huracan or Next Audi R8?

So we now know all about the new Lamborghini Huracan. Although we’re still waiting for official test drives, for all intents and purposes this thing is going to be spectacular, a more than worthy successor to the Gallardo. Hop across the border into Germany and you’ll find Audi at work on its next-gen R8, due in 2016. And like the Gallardo and current R8, the Huracan and new R8 will share a basic platform along with a 5.2-liter V10. The new R8 will keep its base 4.2-liter V8. –

So what we’re wondering is this: have Lamborghini and Audi done enough to distinguish their respective supercars from one another this time around? True, the R8 has been heralded as the first everyday supercar, but Lamborghini has very much refined itself away from outright bonkers. Just compare the Aventador to the Diablo and Murcielago. Both the Huracan and new R8 are AWD, have the same V10 (though tuned differently), and have gone on diets thanks to plenty of aluminum and carbon fiber. Already sounds too much like the Gallardo/R8 matchup. So which one will dominate? Is this even a fair comparison?

See more at: www.carbuzz.com

 

 

BMW X7 back in planning stage.

Prior to the global financial crisis of 2008, BMW was working on a full-size SUV to sit above its X5 and X6 models and compete against the likes of the Cadillac Escalade, Mercedes-Benz GL-Class and Land Rover Range Rover the BMW X7. The crisis caused BMW to rethink the strategy, with the German automaker choosing to focus on smaller SUVs and crossovers instead of the so-called X7.

Strong demand for big and brawny  luxury SUVs, especially in emerging markets, has led many automakers to enter the segment, some of which have never launched SUVs in the past. In the next couple of years we’ll be seeing new SUVs from Bentley, Lamborghini and Maserati. This, no doubt, must have left BMW regretting its decision, but the automaker may be about to alleviate the issue.

German publication Handelsblatt is reporting that the BMW X7 is once again being looked at, but with production yet to be approved. The vehicle would ride on a new modular platform set to debut in the next-gen 7-Series and may even be built at BMW’s plant in Spartanburg, South Carolina. The German automaker is planning to make a major announcement concerning the plant next Friday, February 28.

Fellow BMW Group brand Rolls-Royce is considering a large SUV of its own, its CEO Torsten Müller-Ötvös confirmed last year.

 

Should it be approved for production, the vehicle’s underpinnings will likely be shared with an X7 from BMW, just as the current Rolls-Royce Ghost shares its underpinnings with BMW’s 7-Series.

The Rolls-Royce would likely utilize a 12-cylinder engine, and possibly a plug-in hybrid setup, while the BMW would feature six- and eight-cylinder units, also with a plug-in option.

 

Thank you to www.motorauthority.com

Ferrari World is confirmed in Spain.

Four years after the first Ferrari theme park, Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, opened its doors to the public, the second has been announced, this time for the Spanish city of Barcelona. The new theme park, to be called Ferrari Land, will be located inside the existing PortAventura resort which already houses a theme park and attracts around four million visitors per year.

As with Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, Ferrari the automaker isn’t involved directly with the new theme park but simply provides a license for the use of its name and logo. Backing the project is PortAventura Entertainment, a subsidiary of Italian private equity group Investindustrial, which recently bought a stake in Aston Martin.

The Ferrari Land theme park will cover more than 800,000 square feet and feature a number of exciting rides and retail outlets. One of the highlights will be a new vertical accelerator destined to be the tallest and fastest in Europe. The resort will also contain the first Ferrari-themed hotel, which is said to be a five-star facility with 250 rooms, restaurants and a driving simulator.

The cost of building the theme park is estimated to be about $140 million and the organizers hope to have it ready for guests in 2016.

“After the success of Ferrari World in Abu Dhabi, we received many, many requests to develop new amusement parks,” Andrea Perrone, head of Ferrari’s branding operations, said in a statement. “We carefully sifted through the various proposals and decided to accept Investindustrial’s because it is a very solid plan developed by competent people that will bring the magic of Ferrari to Spain, a nation where we have many supporters and enthusiasts, and to which large numbers of tourists flock each year, in part thanks to PortAventura.

Maserati debut the Alfieri at Geneva

Curvaceous and sensual, the Maserati Alfieri made a dashing debut at the Geneva Motor Show.

How do you upstage a Ferrari and, potentially, even a 610-horsepower Lamborghini?

You create a car that is so curvaceous and sensual, it makes everything else look absolutely dull and dreary.

It's tough to keep your hands off the new Maserati Alfieri concept.

It’s tough to keep your hands off the new Maserati Alfieri concept.

We’re not going to suggest the Ferrari California or Lamborghini Huracán, both of which appeared today at the Geneva Motor Show, aren’t some pretty amazing machines.

It’s just that the Maserati Alfieri concept is achingly beautiful – trust us, it was difficult not to run our hands along the body of this Italian sports coupe.

Maserati is expected to put the Alfieri into production in the next year or two.

Maserati is expected to put the Alfieri into production in the next year or two.

Luckily for Maserati, they had one of the most diligent dusters and fingerprint smudge removers at the show!

In our opinion, what you’re looking at is the next-generation Maserati GranTurismo. Exactly how much of the Alfieri makes it to production remains to be seen, of course.

It wasn't immediately clear what would power the Alfieri when it goes into production.

It wasn’t immediately clear what would power the Alfieri when it goes into production.

Yet if it looks anything like this concept car, Maserati is going to have to fight back a hoard of well-heeled car buyers.

Details are scarce, though it’s likely the Alfieri would continue with a version of the current GranTurismo’s delicious-sounding 454-hp 4.7-liter V-8.

The Maserati Alfieri may have just upset both Ferrari and Lamborghini at the Geneva Motor Show on Tuesday.

The Maserati Alfieri may have just upset both Ferrari and Lamborghini at the Geneva Motor Show on Tuesday.

Once the car reaches production – and our guess is that this will happen within 12-24 months – we expect the price to remain around the same $126,000 you’d pay for the 2014 GranTurismo coupe.

This is assuming the Alfieri actually makes it to production. There’s a good chance the car was built just for the show circuit.

We doubt that very much, however.

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/