Maserati has outlined its ‘Folgore’ electrification strategy, with the next GranTurismo coupe set to kick start the Italian brand’s EV revolution from 2023.
Translated from Italian to English, Folgore means ‘lightning’ and this nameplate will signify all of Maserati’s future full EVs.
The firm’s next-generation GranTurismo has already been spied testing and it was previously known that the car would be available with a fully electric powertrain. However, Maserati has now revealed specifications for the new GT, as well as a full timeline for the roll-out of its ‘Folgore’ electric cars.
Maserati’s head of product planning, Francesco Tonon, outlined that the GranTurismo Folgore will deliver “way more than 1,200bhp (circa 900kW) installed power” from its tri-motor all-wheel drive system, which will result in a 0-100km/h time of less than three seconds. A top speed of more than 300km/h has been confirmed.
While the brand did not outline any predicted range figures, Tonon did say that the maximum driving range from a full charge will be “satisfying for our customers.”
Maserati’s CEO Davide Grasso went on to detail the brand’s rollout plan for its future EVs when it comes to timescales, with the Grecale and GranCabrio Folgore models also set to launch next year.
By 2025 the Italian luxury brand will also reveal a fully electric version of its MC20 supercar, as well as all-new electric versions of its Levante SUV and Quattroporte sports saloon.
Given Maserati’s recent commitment to the Formula E race series, it also outlined that its future sporty models – including the GT – will feature technology transfer from race track to road. The GranTurismo Folgore will benefit from Formula E inverters, with a ‘bone’ battery for optimal weight distribution and to keep the car’s centre of gravity low.
The GranTurismo, GranCabrio and Gercale Folgore won’t make use of parent company Stellantis’s forthcoming STLA platforms, preserving their identity as Maseratis, according to the brand.
However, as the next Levante and Qauttroporte will be electric-only, offering Level 3 autonomous driving capability. These vehicles could use the Stellantis STLA Medium platform, offering a range of up to 710 kilometres.
The GranTurismo and GranCabrio will still be sold with combustion engines and Tonon believes that there is still a market for combustion-engined luxury GT models. “Today, the market for an ICE version, especially on a car like that, is absolutely still there. What we are trying to do with Folgore is give the consumer a choice and a different kind of experience.”
While the GranTurismo and GranCabrio will be available with Maserati’s new ‘Nettuno’ twin-turbo V6 engine, an all-electric variant poses an issue for the soundtrack, a key Maserati characteristic.
Tonon said that in the Folgore models “you will not hear an ICE V6 fake sound, it’s about being authentic. The engine is different, so we took the electric motors and we tuned this sound to be a truly raw Maserati. It’s not fake. It started with the electric motor sound tuned to be iconic, unique and Maserati.”
There is more potential for even more powerful and track-baised Maseratis in the future too. When asked if a spiritual successor to the brand’s MC12 hypercar is possible Grasso said: “Short answer, yes. I am saying this with a smile because as we continue to drive the brand forward our customers will be very pleased to see what we have coming up. I don’t want to say any more about that as there’s a critical part of the plan that centres around these initiatives.”
Elsewhere in the brand’s current line-up, the Ghibli saloon will not be replaced with a new-generation model.
Sean Carson