Maserati to Stop V8 Production At the End of This Year
Even the most prestigious sports car brands are going electric, though McLaren recently announced an extension of its gas and hybrid engine partnership with Ricardo. Maserati, whose Ferrari-derived gas V8s sing one of the most intoxicating songs, just did the opposite. The Italian automaker announced that it would discontinue its V8 production at the end of 2023.
Though there may be some V8-powered models on sale next year, the company will not make any new engines after 2023. As a sendoff, Maserati plans special versions of the Ghibli and Levante, planned for an unveiling at Goodwood in July.
As some have pointed out, the V8’s days were numbered, even if Maserati wasn’t planning to electrify. The MC20 supercar has a twin-turbo V6 that is more powerful than the company’s V8s, and the GranTurismo Folgore uses Formula E-derived tech to deliver mind-blowing electric performance.
That said, it’s hard not to be a little wistful about this move. Maserati’s V8s are some of the best-sounding engines on the planet, even though they’re not the most powerful. The automaker’s small catalog has always been good at stirring emotion, though many owners’ emotions likely skew toward frustration with reliability and maintenance costs. In any case, it won’t be long before Maserati’s entire lineup goes electric, as the automaker said it wants to offer electric versions of all models by the end of 2025. At least we’ll have a few more years of gas engines from the Italian company alongside them.
[Image: Maserati]
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Chris grew up in, under, and around cars, but took the long way around to becoming an automotive writer. After a career in technology consulting and a trip through business school, Chris began writing about the automotive industry as a way to reconnect with his passion and get behind the wheel of a new car every week. He focuses on taking complex industry stories and making them digestible by any reader. Just don’t expect him to stay away from high-mileage Porsches.
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A terrible shame.
I've long said that certain mfrs shouldn't go electric, due to low volumes or very niche products whose ICE engines are iconic to the brand. Alfa, Maserati, Ferrari, and Lamborghini, for example.
I like V8s but Maserati vehicles so equipped are extremely expensive so it's not a big personal impact. The Nettuno V6 also seems nice enough, it isn't just some lazy air chugger replacement like some lower priced companies go with.
The Folgore stuff is cool but I do think in general once everything is an EV it'll be harder to justify the super high prices ones. At least from a performance perspective.
V8's are no good -- 3-cylinder is what you want.
/S
So what's going to happen to all of the random Italian marques Fiat kept going (this, Lancia, Alfa)? Ferrari and Fiat are safe forever, but the others?