Maserati V8 gets last hurrah with Ghibli 334 Ultima And Levante V8 Ultima

Maserati is retiring its V8 with the Ghibli 334 Ultima and Levante V8 Ultima. The Italian carmaker has been building V8 powered cars since 1959 and now it’s time to bid the iconic powertrain a teary-eyed farewell. The V8, which Maserati used to get from big brother Ferrari, is getting a proper sendoff.

The Ghibli 334 Ultima and Levante V8 Ultima debuted at this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed and are powered by a twin-turbo 3.8-liter V8. The engine produces 572 horsepower in both cars. 

The Ghibli is the more special car of the two as it has now become the fastest production sedan in the world. It sprints from 0 to 62 mph in 3.9 seconds thanks to "meticulous work” done to save weight and new performance-oriented tires that use a "special compound." The "334" in its name denotes its top speed in kilometers per hour, which equals 207 mph.

Glossy black brake callipers and 21-inch wheels with dark accents are added to the sports sedan. A carbon fibre trunk lid spoiler is present at the back. Maserati equipped the Ghibli 334's interior with Ultima Pale Terracotta leather and Alcantara for the seat centres. Naturally, the headrests have been embroidered with the Trident and 334 emblems, and the centre console has a plaque that reads "334". The "uno di 103" logo further emphasises the car's rarity.

The Levante V8 Ultima sits on 22-inch wheels, gets the "V8 Ultima" logo painted on the front fenders and a carbon fibre exterior package as standard. Inside, the SUV gets Pale Terracotta and black leather which sports the Maserati badge and "V8 Ultima" lettering. Mirroring the Ghibli, the Levante also gets the "una di 103" logo to give it that extra special feel.

With the V8’s given one last hurrah, Maserati will now work towards becoming electric starting with the fully electric GranTurismo Folgore. Maserati’s electric flagship will come with an 800-volt battery featuring technology derived from Formula E cars. The car will have three 300-kW permanent magnet motors – one in the front, two in the rear – which will together produce up to 818 horsepower. The future looks bright, and fast, for the Maserati!