Maserati’s future SUV to be revealed in Frankfurt

After being rumored for quite some time now, Maserati’s future SUV will make its world debut in September at the Frankfurt Motor Show as confirmed by CEO of Chrysler Group and Fiat, Sergio Marchionne. The model will be appearing as a concept, but will provide a good idea as to what to expect from the production version set to follow in 2013.

The new SUV will be built on a Jeep Grand Cherokee platform, but the power behind it is still a mystery. Marchionne revealed very little, saying that the SUV’s engine will be "a rock and roll engine," possibly in both V8 and V12 variants. It was first rumored to be loaded with a Ferrari-sourced V8 or V12 engine, but recent talks have nixed that notion. Now, the rumor mill is churning information about a Chrysler Hemi V8 with 465 HP, but no confirmations have been made. For Europe, there may even be a diesel engine, most likely a 3.0 twin turbo Fiat.

Whatever engine gets the chance to reside under the Maserati SUV’s hood, it should be ready to pounce on models like the Porsche Cayenne. The Cayenne, being the pioneer SUV of the performance-based automakers, has had its time to shine and may need to up the ante to battle with the upcoming competition.

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Lotus Elise investigated by NHTSA over oil leaks

My father had a habit of pointing out "it’s always the one ya least suspect." If you asked the public what they thought the Lotus Elise’s reliability was, the answer was a resounding "very good." However, now this Rembrandt of the racetrack has a small smudge and is now under investigation for a possible mechanical deficiency concerning the oil cooler.

The 2005-2006 Lotus Elise is at the center of this investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration(NHTSA). This problem centers on the right front oil cooler which can potentially come loose and spray inside the wheel well and the engine bay which can lead to a fire. This problem is described as" .. [Complaints centered on] an oil cooler line [that] had failed causing oil to spray within the engine compartment area, and/or near one of the wheel or brake assemblies." It is important to note that no one was hurt due to this malfunction although one person’s car did catch fire. That being said, the NHTSA has received 17 complaints and have calculated that around 4,400 Elises may be affected due to this malfunction.

An important distinction to note is that although this investigation is ongoing, a recall has not been issued for the Elise.

If you were considering a Lotus and now are suddenly running like Usain Bolt towards another sports car, think again because all of us here at TopSpeed would still love to have this pocket racer in our garage. Its combination of incredibly reliable Toyota innards and speed make the Lotus Elise a must have for any car enthusiast. Take this complaint for what it is; a small bump in the road for a great vehicle.

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SRT models in line to get new 540-570 HP supercharged engine

When you buy a 2012 Chrysler 300 SRT8 or 2012 Dodge Charger SRT-8 you definitely will not be lacking power. These suburban bruisers are powered by massive 6.4 liter Hemi V8’s that pump out a spleen crushing 470 horsepower and 470 lbs/ft of torque. Now, what is an SRT-8 owner to do if he/she wants more power? The answer up to this point has been paying big bucks and taking it to a tuner, but now this will change.

Chrysler is reportedly considering adding a top end engine option for certain SRT models. According to MotorAuthority, this new engine will be based on the current one albeit with a Eaton supercharger that will push the horsepower to between 540-570 horsepower. With this power addition, these muscle cars will be put on the road with Ferrari 458-esque power. Where do we sign?! In addition, to control the extra ponies, this new engine will supposedly be mated to a new eight speed automatic gearbox. This new engine can be implemented on those SRT models which are based on the LX platform (Sorry, Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8, no upgrade for you just yet). An exception may be the Dodge Challenger SRT-8 which is based on a tweaked LX platform.

This is an important step in the reemergence of the muscle car in the American market. This reemergence has ignited an automotive world war with Ford, Chevy, and Dodge, each trying to outdo themselves in terms of engineering and appeal. This new Detroit cold war has only one winner and that is the muscle car enthusiasts around the world.

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