Maserati is open to revitalizing its iconic and powerful ocho.
One of the biggest and most exciting V8s could be set for a comeback. Maserati recently held an important press conference, sharing major updates to its lineup and future product strategies.
During the conference, the management went on record saying that they are very interested in reviving the company’s beloved 8-cylinder petrol. And that’s not just good news for Italian car enthusiasts, but for V8 enthusiasts and enthusiasts in general.
Some of the best sounding and sweetest V8s ever
It was only a short time ago, in 2024, that Maserati ended its use of V8s. That last V8, the Ferrari-sourced twin-turbocharged “F154,” still powers every V8 Prancing Horse sold today.
Although the engine is a direct import from Ferrari, Maserati differentiated its version by using a conventional cross-plane crankshaft (compared to Ferrari’s flat-plane crankshaft). Other variants include more intake and exhaust designs, among tweaks such as engine management mapping.
Those changes have resulted in what is arguably one of the best-sounding V8s ever made, giving it its distinctive baritone, both at idle and under throttle load. A reputation that began when Maserati and Ferrari collaborated on the previous V8, the naturally aspirated “F136”.
I mean, just listen to it.
The latest twin-turbo F154 wasn’t that different, just a little more closed to the extra pipes involved in the turbos.
To commemorate the final moment of the V8, Italy’s Trident launched a special end-of-production version of the Quattroporte called the Grand Finale. Not only did it mark the end of the previous generation Quattroporte but also the end of Maserati’s use of V8s altogether.
At the same time, Maserati officially unveiled its replacement, the all-new Nettuno twin-turbo V6. Since then, fans have been wondering if the V8 will ever return to Maserati.
Now, there seems to be a glimmer of hope at the end of the tunnel.
“Everything is possible”
When the conference reached the Q&A segment for journalists, AustraliaCallcame the magic question about the V8.
“The sky’s the limit,” replied Santo Filici, Maserati’s chief executive. “Yes, we have to consider the fact that today we already have a very good V6 Nettuno, in my opinion, the best in the world”
“We exploit this engine in all our models, from Grecale to MCXtrema, to express that the power of this engine is so great that we can do everything we want in terms of performance, and respecting the environment,” continued Filici. “But again, we are looking; everything is possible in the future.”
But Filici also explained that the new V8 may present some challenges. And that’s because Maserati depended on its relationship with Ferrari for the F154 and F136.
Today, Maserati operates completely separately from Ferrari, having ended its last partnership in 2023. That partnership is what gave Maserati the V8s found in Ferrari.
Therefore, in order for Maserati to re-introduce the V8 to its portfolio, it will have to re-engineer and adapt it to its applications. Besides, it would have to come up with a new floor design.
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