Maserati to debut F-Type rival in Geneva? [Update]

Could Maserati\'s new sports car break cover at the Geneva show?

Maserati's long-awaited sub-GranTurismo sports car may finally be on the verge of making its debut.

The trident brand will unveil its answer to the Jaguar F-Type and Porsche 911 at next week's Geneva Motor Show, according to a GTSPIRIT.com report that does not cite sources.

Rumors referenced by Car and Driver suggest that the sports car will ride on a shortened version of the Ghibli and Quattroporte's platform and utilize the sedans' twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 and/or 3.8-liter V8 engines.

While Maserati has declined to comment on the alleged debut, the automaker has been making noises for some time about a two-door that would be smaller, less expensive and more driver-focused than the GranTurismo.

Last year, Maserati CEO Harald Wester stated that the brand needed a higher-volume sports car to compliment the niche-selling GranTurismo. Prior to that, a leaked product plan sheet also suggested that Maserati was plotting a 911 rival.

This year is Maserati's 100th on the market, a milestone that would certainly lend itself to the introduction of an important new model.

Of course, none of that means that the sports car will necessarily arrive in Geneva, so we'll just have to wait and see what next week holds.

UPDATEMaserati has confirmed that it plans to pull the sheet on two new models in Geneva. One will be a production version of the Quattroporte Ermenegildo Zegna Limited Edition concept that debuted last September in Frankfurt - it's essentially a standard Quattroporte with an unusual paint finish and bespoke interior elements.

The other debut is a mystery, leaving the door wide open for the rumored sports car.