Eight-cylinder production to end after 64 years with Ultima editions of Ghibli and Levante.
Maserati has announced that it will finish V8 production later this year, ending 64 years of the powerplant’s use in the Modena firm’s road cars.
The final V8s are bound for special Ultima editions of the Ghibli and Levante, with the former dubbed the ‘334’ in a reference to its top speed of 334kph.
Maserati credits the increase to aerodynamic optimisations, which include 21-inch Orione alloy wheels with new tyres made from a specially developed compound, plus a carbonfibre spoiler. The changes also help the Ghibli to accelerate quicker, cutting its 0-100km/h sprint time from 4.3sec to 3.9sec.
The 334 Ultima’s Scià di Persia paint harks back to the original ‘Shah of Persia’ Maserati 5000 GT, as does the Pale Terracotta tan leather interior. Special ‘334’ logos feature around the car.
The Levante Ultima, also powered by the 420kW twin-turbocharged V8, receives a similar aesthetic package.
Maserati will produce 103 examples of each model, phasing out the eight-pot engine from the end of 2023.
The Italian marque has sold 100,000 V8s since 1959 but will now phase out the engine in favour of the more efficient Nettuno V6 as well as battery-electric powertrains.
It will use this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed to celebrate this point of inflection in its history, displaying the new Ultima models as well as the new V6-powered Granturismo Trofeo and its electric variant, the Folgore.