V8 engines set for a comeback at Maserati

Maserati is seriously considering bringing back the V8 engine, with its engineering chief confirming that the brand has already studied fitting a compact bent-eight into its current-generation sports cars and SUV.

Speaking with carsales, Maserati head of engineering Davide Danesin said while a V8 comeback had not yet been locked in, the technical feasibility and customer demand for the move were both in place.

“My personal opinion is yes: I think the V8 could potentially be coming back... I’m sure that if we would be making it, we would be selling it [but] maybe not in big numbers,” he said.

The strongest candidates to go V8 could be limited-run versions of the GranTurismo coupé and GranCabrio convertible. A Grecale V8 is less likely, though if approved, it would create an intriguing Italian alternative to the Mercedes-AMG GLC63 and BMW X3 M.

Danesin confirmed the brand’s existing GranTurismo/GranCabrio and Grecale architectures had been designed with alternative engines in mind.

“We believe that a good V8 engine could fit... it looks like the momentum for V8 is building up. The decision to make it is very much depending on company strategies [but] I think potentially the space is there,” he said.

While the Stellantis alliance that owns Maserati has three versions of the US-made ‘Hemi’ V8 engine currently in production, Danesin said these “big block” engines would be “very tricky on our architectures” and that a smaller engine design would be favoured.

That means a “typical V8 we would design in Europe”. One approach would be to build off the Nettuno V6’s 90-degree cylinder-bank angle, but it would still be a substantial task with nearly all components requiring a redesign.

We would expect any V8 to eclipse the outputs of the existing V6 Trofeo grades, which currently produce 434kW/650Nm.

Pricing would likely need to be ambitious to cover both the engineering effort involved, and the scale of the emissions penalties that the V8 would trigger in various markets.

With top-end six-cylinder versions of the GranTurismo running $427,500 (plus on-road costs) last time they were sold new in Australia, a V8 could touch $500K in the two-door cars.

Slotting the eight-cylinder engine into the Grecale (which currently tops out at $179,900 in V6 form) could make for a more attainable proposition.

Danesin said the appeal of the V8 would be on emotional grounds rather than necessarily being transformative for the performance of the cars.

“[The] V6 performance is already very good. You don’t feel the need of a V8 because of missing performance,” he said.

“I think the need of a V8 is [about] having the proper engine for a certain vehicle. It is a more a perception issue.”

The V8 discussion sits within Maserati’s broader commitment to retain the choice of pure internal combustion power alongside the brand’s Folgore battery-electric models.

Danesin said internal combustion engines remain central to future product and partnership decisions, while Maserati doesn't currently believe plug-in hybrid tech suits its philosophy due to the blurry distinction between their petrol and electric properties.

If Maserati gets the tick of approval from Stellantis to proceed with the V8 revival, a low-volume run of the GranTurismo and GranCabrio appears to have the clearest business case.

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