- Maserati confirmed it will end production of the V-8 for all models by the end of 2023.
- The Trofeo versions of the Levante, Ghibli, and Quattroporte are the only cars in Maserati’s current lineup with a V-8 option.
- The Trofeo-based Ghibli 334 Ultima and Levante V8 Ultima will be Maserati’s final V-8 models and will be revealed at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in July.
While we were still celebrating McLaren’s recently renewed vows to the hybridized V-8, Maserati informed us it will be removing the V-8 option from its vehicles. Production of the company’s V-8 will officially cease in late 2023 as the manufacturer shifts its focus to the Nettuno V-6 engines.
The unfortunate shift is part of Maserati’s “Dare Forward 2030” electrification plan wherein every model will have an internal-combustion and hybrid variant by 2025, and the lineup will be fully electrified by 2030.
As things stand now, the Trofeo versions of the Levante, Ghibli, and Quattroporte are the only cars in Maserati’s lineup to come equipped with the V-8. It looks like the V-8 Quattroporte will die out with the model’s current generation, but the Levante and Ghibli will both earn another run of V-8–equipped models.
Details are scant, but we know the Ghibli 334 Ultima and Levante V8 Ultima are Maserati’s swan song for the eight-cylinder mill. Both cars are planned to be revealed in full at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in July. It seems unlikely that Maserati will tinker with the engine itself for those versions, with the manufacturer more likely to give it a special livery and bodywork.
In its current form, the twin-turbocharged 3.8-liter V-8 produces 580 horsepower and is capable of charging the Levante SUV to 60 mph in 3.7 seconds. The twin-turbo V-6 Nettuno engine in the MC20 may be down two cylinders, but it’s incredibly power dense and cranks out over 620 horsepower. Proselytizers of the V-8 religion won’t find solace, but anyone who can find joy in a bit of induction noise and wastegate flutter should be content.
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Associate News Editor
Jack Fitzgerald’s love for cars stems from his as yet unshakable addiction to Formula 1.
After a brief stint as a detailer for a local dealership group in college, he knew he needed a more permanent way to drive all the new cars he couldn’t afford and decided to pursue a career in auto writing. By hounding his college professors at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, he was able to travel Wisconsin seeking out stories in the auto world before landing his dream job at Car and Driver. His new goal is to delay the inevitable demise of his 2010 Volkswagen Golf.
Source: www.caranddriver.com