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You may have heard rumors that Italian auto brand Maserati is considering adding a new type of vehicle to its lineup: a mid-engine supercar. This new Maserati would offer much greater performance power than any current Maserati vehicle and would serve as the brand’s “halo car.” It’s even slated to get a GranSport label- the marker of a truly powerful vehicle. This new supercar will be simply named the Maserati GranSport and will compete with the Audi R8 and the Porsche 911 for the top supercar spot. The vehicle will probably only produce around 2,000 units each year, and it’s expected to go on sale at dealerships across the world by 2015.

Of course, there have been many rumors circulating about the new vehicle and its exact position when compared to its contenders. Though Auto Express originally reported that the new supercar would receive the brand’s 4.7-liter V-8 engine, the reports have now changed to suggest that the GranSport is specifically designed to hold a twin-turbo V-6 engine. This engine could achieve zero-to-sixty in under four seconds and top 190 mph due to its over 450-horsepower production capacity. A seven-speed dual-clutch transmission will be paired with this V-6 (sourced from the Ferrari 458 Italia) and will send power from the mid-mounted engine directly to the rear wheels. This engine could also be seen in the Maserati Kubang SUV and an upcoming BMW sedan that will rank below the next Quattroporte.

Our source has also revealed that the new Maserati model will feature a carbon-fiber chassis that’s identical to the Italian Alfa Romeo 4C concept, though the track and wheelbase will be extended to properly house the V-6 engine. Despite this extension, however, the Maserati GranSport will be impressively light, at a curb weight of only 2,6040 lbs.

If these numbers are, in fact, true, we can expect the new GranSport to have a power-to-weight ratio very similar to the Maserati MC12 and will have ratio of 5.87 pounds per horsepower. The MC12 produced 623 horsepower and a curb weight around 3,150 pounds and could achieve 60 mph in 3.8 seconds and had a top speed of 205 mph, so the new Maserati GranSport should be extremely impressive as well!

The two-seater Maserati GranSport could be priced around $140k and will certainly help the brand to achieve its ambitious goal of selling 50-thousand global units annually by 2015. The GranSport is one of the three promised vehicles that will be introduced by Maserati by 2015. One of the other vehicles is the upcoming Maserati Kubang SUV, which was first introduced in concept form at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show. The second, of course, is the GranSport, and the third is still being debated, though it’s likely to be the rumored “baby Quattroporte” that the company has been developing. Rumors surrounding this small sedan have been circling the internet for quite some time now.

Stay tuned here with reviewitonline.net for more information about the upcoming Maserati GranSport, and be sure to check out our reviews for currently available models while you wait. From the Maserati Quattroporte sedan to the Maserati GranTurismo Sports Coupe, we’re your comprehensive source for new car reviews!