Maserati Chicane Concept: 2+2 Compact Sports Car

Motoring Channel Staff - 30/January/2008

Modena, Italy — Maserati has revealed the first official image of its new concept car, which is scheduled to be unveiled at the 2008 Geneva Motor Show.

Named the Maserati Chicane Concept, the 2+2 coupe shows how the Italian sports car maker plans to evolve its design language beyond the new decade.

The Italian sports car concept was conceived by a handful of design students schooling at the Instituto Europeo di Design (European Institute of Design) in Turin, Italy, and shows off a far more exotic look than we've seen from Maserati in the past.

With powerfully blistered wheel arches at the front and rear, visibly rising up and out to give the car a bold stance, the design is outgoing but still has an unmistakable Maserati flavour.

Measuring 4.4 metres long and 1.85 metres wide, it's a medium-sized sports car, and sits quite low at just 1.25 metres in height.

Considering it's smaller than both the current Maserati models - GranTurismo and Quattroporte - the new concept has reignited rumours that Maserati is currently developing or at least considering the notion of building a smaller, more affordable sports car to boost international sales.

The Maserati Chicane Concept car retains the Italian sports car maker's exclusive use of 8-cylinder power by using a V8 engine that outputs power to  the rear wheels. 

Maserati is expected to release more details of the Chicane Concept at the Geneva Motor Show in March, including power outputs, performance figures, and potentially a statement concerning the future expansion of the Maserati line-up.

The Italian company will also show another concept car alongside the Chicane, called the Challenge. 

This concept was also designed by students (perhaps Maserati is trying to save development dollars), and is a 2+1 seater 2-door sports wagon with a large boot for loading mountain bikes and othersizable sports equipment.

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