Maserati Considering Mid-Engined Competitor for 911 and R8

Maserati is trying to build its brand and sell 50,000 cars a year by 2015, and it is considering adding a new mid-engined car to its lineup to compete with the Porsche 911Porsche 911 Gen.6 [991 Series]Germany, 2011 > present110 versions
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and Audi R8Audi R8Germany, 2006 > present44 versions
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.

The new car would be a two-seat sports coupe with a mid-mounted V8. Maserati has not confirmed that they are building the car, but the origin of the rumor comes from the company's CEO Harald J. Wester. Between 1,500 and 2,000 of the new coupes will be produced each year at a cost of around €150,000 each. The price and performance would be just below the Ferrari 458Ferrari 458 ItaliaItaly, 2009 > present676 photos
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, which retails for about €200,000, to prevent Fiat's sports cars from competing against themselves. 

It is not the first time that Maserati has built mid-engined road cars. From 1971 to 1978 it built the BoraMaserati BoraItaly, 1971 > 19793 versions
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with a mid-mounted V8, and from 1972 to 1982, it built the MerakMaserati MerakItaly, 1972 > 19825 versions
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with a V6 engine. The Merak competed more closely with the contemporary Porsche 911, while the Bora competed with cars like the Lamborghini MiuraLamborghini MiuraItaly, 1966 > 19725 versions
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. 

Source: Autoguide