Swansong Maserati GranTurismo Sport Edizione V8 Aspirato for Oz

The Maserati GranTurismo and its glorious naturally-aspirated V8 will be given a fitting send-off in Australia, with a new limited-edition version of the flagship Italian sports coupe confirmed for showrooms in December.

Australians won't be offered the swansong tri-colour Maserati GranTurismo Zeda limited-edition announced for other markets last week; instead 23 examples of the Maserati GranTurismo Sport Edizione V8 Aspirato will come here to celebrate the end of production of Maserati's top-sehlf coupe and its Ferrari-derived 4.7-litre naturally-aspirated V8.

Each will be priced at $295,000 plus on-road costs (the same price as the standard Sport model in Australia) and five unique heritage paint colours will be available.

These are Blu Corse, Blue Sera, Argento Auteuil, Verde Britannia and Celeste Chiaro -- in addition to the existing Nero Carbonio and Rosso Italiano (pictured). A variety of brake calliper and alloy wheel combinations will also be available.

The interior is adorned in Alcantara and leather upholstery, while a forged aluminium interfaces surrounds the centre screen, complete with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

“Maserati has produced more than 40,000 GranTurismo and GranCabrio models in the historic factory, Viale Ciro Menotti in Modena,” Maserati said in a press release.

“The Edizione V8 Aspirato signs-off this iconic model with its elegant and aerodynamically efficient styling, refined interiors and state-of-the art infotainment system.”

As tightening emissions standards take effect, ushering a new era of downsizing, forced induction and electrification, the GranTurismo's 4.7-litre V8 is one of the last remaining naturally-aspirated V8s available on the market. Released in 2007, the GT coupe is also one of the oldest new cars on sale, having predated the Apple iPhone.

Maserati's naturally-aspirated 4.7-litre V8 is built by Ferrari in Maranello and capable of producing 338kW at 7000rpm and 520Nm of peak torque at 4750rpm.

Matched with a six-speed ZF automatic transmission, it accelerates the GranTurismo Sport to 100km/h dash in 4.8 seconds and a top speed of 299km/h.

Maserati recently detailed new plans explaining how it will transition from a petrol and diesel line-up to plug-in hybrid and all-electric vehicles by 2022, confirming its June 2018 promise to produce four EVs and eight PHEVs including a new plug-in sports car and baby SUV.

The first and most important of these will be revealed in May 2020, in the shape of an all-new "super-sports car" that will be available with a pure-electric powertrain but won't look like the Alfieri concept.

It will be built in the same Modena factory as the outgoing GranTurismo and GranCabrio, which are now out of production and will be replaced by all-new models manufactured in Turin from 2021 and 2022 respectively.

"The Modena factory, the home of Maserati for 80 years, is a magical place that combines the Maserati heritage and 'made in Italy' DNA along with a strong drive towards the future and innovation," said Maserati today.

"It is in this very place that the long-awaited new super-sports car planned for 2020 will be built. Major modernisation is already under way on the production line, to also accommodate for the electric version, as well as the construction of a new painting line."

Other Maserati models on the horizon include a facelifted Ghibli next year, which will bring the Italian car-maker’s first plug-in hybrid powertrain, an all-new mid-size SUV in 2021, a redesigned Quattroporte limousine in 2022 and a new Levante SUV in 2023.

However, the identity of Maserati's first 100 per cent battery-powered model remains unclear, following the apparent confirmation of all-electric versions of both the next GranTurismo and GranCabrio too.

"The new GranTurismo and GranCabrio, to be produced at the Turin manufacturing hub, will herald a new era of electrification for the Maserati range of cars, constituting the first models to adopt 100% electric solutions in the history of the Brand,” said Maserati last week.

To October this year in Australia, sales of Maserati coupes and convertibles are more than 50 per cent down, with just 24 sold.