- Maserati may bring back a V8 for future models or limited special editions.
- The Nettuno V6 remains central its current internal combustion engine lineup.
- The final V8 Maserati was the Quattroporte Grand Finale delivered in 2024.
Nearly a year has passed since what was thought to be Maserati’s final V8-powered car landed in the USA, a Quattroporte Grand Finale edition. At the time, it marked the end of an era for the Trident brand. Since then, Maserati has been grappling with sluggish sales and delayed or canceled model launches.
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Despite the turbulence, there’s a glimmer of possibility that the V8 could make a return, though only under the right circumstances, according to the company’s engineering chief.
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In 2023, Maserati announced it would phase out its Ferrari-sourced V8, positioning the in-house Nettuno V6 as the engine of record until the brand transitions to an all-electric lineup by 2030. But a lot has changed over the past year. Like many others, Stellantis has been re-evaluating its long-term strategy in response to softer-than-expected EV demand and regulatory uncertainty.
V8s Not Entirely Off the Table
While the Nettuno V6 was expected to carry Maserati’s combustion-engine legacy forward, the door to a V8 revival hasn’t been entirely shut. In a recent interview with CarExpert, Davide Danesin, Head of Maserati Engineering, acknowledged the market’s continued appetite for V8s.
“We know the mood about V8s in the market of course,” he said, “and would not say that we will never use again a V8—maybe for special versions or some other models it’s something we could consider.”
While this sounds promising, Danesin made it clear that the V6 “is very much at the center of our propulsion strategy at the moment”. The engineering boss said that the Nettuno “has a lot of innovation, it’s super light, super compact, very high power density”, adding that from a design perspective, it “really has everything we need to really deliver the best driving experience for the customer.”
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The last iteration of the Ferrari-sourced twin-turbo 3.8-liter V8 produced 572 hp (427 kW / 580 PS) and 538 lb-ft (730 Nm) of torque in the Maserati Ghibli, Levante, and Quattroporte. For comparison, Maserati’s own twin-turbo 3.0-liter V6 offers up to 632 hp (471 kW / 640 PS) and 531 lb-ft (720 Nm) of torque in the mid-engined MC20 GT2 Stradale.
Packaging Over Prestige
The Nettuno V6 can also be found in the GranTurismo and GranCabrio models, which have two fewer cylinders compared to their predecessors. Klaus Busse, Maserati’s Head of Design, explained that a “super compact, super powerful V6” was the only way to execute a front mid-engine concept, as a “big V8 block” wouldn’t fit behind the front axle.
While a V8 might carry more weight in terms of “bragging rights,” Busse pointed out that in these models, it would actually result in lower overall performance compared to what the V6 delivers today.
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The future of V8s at Maserati may rest with models that can physically accommodate them, such as a new limited-run exotic or redesigned versions of the Levante and Quattroporte. Both were originally slated to go electric but have seen delays due to financial setbacks and lukewarm EV sales.
Interestingly, Stellantis has brought back the 5.7-liter Hemi V8 powertrain option in the Ram 1500, a year after they dropped it from the lineup. This proves that executives might be open to a new V8-powered Maserati, allowing the high-end brand to better compete with the likes of Aston Martin, Porsche, Lamborghini and Mercedes-AMG. Still, with the Ferrari partnership now ended and emissions regulations growing tighter, it’s uncertain which V8, if any, would suit a next-generation Maserati.
