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Maserati special editions celebrate the end of the V8 at Goodwood

The Goodwood Festival of Speed is ready to cheer anything with pretensions to velocity, equally respectful to new hooligans trying to seize the day and veterans that have had theirs. Maserati's brought both to the 'sceptered isle, sometimes demonstrated in the same body. The house of the trident will start shutting down V8 production next year, bringing an end to 64 years of eight-cylinder Maseratis going back to the 5000 GT of 1959. The Ghibli 334 Ultima and Levante V8 Ultima special editions commemorate the sunset, both powered by the departing twin-turbo 3.8-liter V8 making 572 horsepower and 538 pound-feet of torque. The sedan gets the "334" designation of its top speed in kilometers per hour, known as 206.3 mph in non-metric lands. That's three miles per hour more than the Ghibli Trofeo's top speed as shown on Maserati's retail U.S. site. Performance and aero updates include a new carbon fiber spoiler, special tires made from a new compound, and 21-inch Orione wheels. The sprint to 62 miles per hour drops from 4.3 seconds to 3.9. The automaker calls this car the "current fastest internal combustion engine sedan in the world," and it's going to climb the Goodwood hill. Each special edition gets 103 examples. Maserati hasn't discussed regional allotments nor how to make a reservation. The rest of the Italian showcase in Lord March's back yard revolves around the new. The GrandTurismo Trofeo with a Nettuno V6 will be there, the 542-hp V6 stepping further out of the shadow of the V8. The battery-electric GranTurismo Folgore takes a bow as well, as does the Grecale Folgore. Artsy types will want a look at the GranTurismo Prisma, a one-off based on the Nettuno-powered GranTurismo Trofeo. Revealed a few months ago, this tips a cap to 75 years of the automaker. Artists hand-painted the body with 14 colors that nod to classic Maserati hues, then hand-painted the names of classic models like the Indy, Mistral, and Amaranto, applying more than 8,500 individual characters. Finally, a GranTurismo Folgore and an MC20 Cielo will join the Ghilbli 334 Ultima making a run up the hill. The MC20 Cielo is returning for a second run after a debut jaunt last year.

Next-generation Maserati Gran Turismo, Gran Cabrio confirmed

The Maserati Gran Turismo will return for a second generation after all. The Italian automaker confirmed the on-again, off-again grand tourer as it presented its financial results to investors.  The Gran Turismo coupe and its convertible offshoot, the Gran Cabrio, were both included in the five-year plan parent company Fiat-Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) presented in 2014. Their future began looking grim when they disappeared from the company's road map, according to Motor Authority. We know Maserati is busily working on another, more hardcore sports car inspired by the Alfieri concept, and odds are insiders worried releasing two similar models in the same price bracket would confuse buyers and torpedo both nameplates. The latest from Maserati's Modena, Italy, headquarters is that development of the next Gran Turismo is back on track. Additional details about the car remain under wraps, but Maserati's presentation noted every car it releases beginning in 2020 will be offered with a battery-electric powertrain. The current, 12-year old Gran Turismo (pictured) has been V8-only for its entire career, and we wouldn't be surprised to see the eight-cylinder return as an alternative powertrain for buyers who don't want an EV. Maserati has previously made it clear that it won't commit to an all-electric future. Maserati's product master plan pegs the next Gran Turismo's debut date at some point in 2021. Keep in mind the company isn't exactly known for timeliness. Even if we see the model during 2021, it's unlikely to appear in American showrooms until 2022 at the earliest. The Gran Cabrio will arrive the following year, so it will likely launch as a 2023 model. That means the current Gran Turismo and Gran Cabrio will likely remain in the firm's lineup for two or three additional years. The presentation reaffirms Maserati's commitment to finally becoming a full-line automaker. In 2020, it will give the Levante, the Ghibli, and the Quattroporte a mid-cycle refresh, and it will release the aforementioned production version of the Alfieri concept introduced way back in 2014. Then 2021 will bring a smaller SUV, and a convertible variant of the yet-unnamed Alfieri-inspired model. Finally, the Quattroporte and the Levante will be replaced in 2022 and 2023, respectively. Maserati will need to keep the Gran Turismo and the Alfieri in two distinctly separate segments.

Maserati's first electric car won't be a Tesla rival

Italian supercar makers haven't exactly embraced electric vehicles with gusto (the LaFerrari hybrid is about as close as you get), but that should change in the next few years. Ferrari's sibling brand Maserati tells Car and Driver that it's working on an electric vehicle that would be shown before 2020. And unlike other luxury car brands, Maserati doesn't plan on eating Tesla's lunch. It has to produce something "very different" to stand out, the company's Roberto Fedeli says. Think of something more like the GranTurismo coupe (see above) than yet another upscale sedan. Part of the challenge, Fedeli claims, is making a green machine that's exciting to drive. Breakneck acceleration is the only really thrilling aspect of EVs right now, he says – the sheer weight of those lithium-ion batteries dampens the enjoyment on twisty roads. A Maserati would have to be lighter on its feet. Also, the automaker will have to find a way to give its car character without a roaring gas engine under the hood. In that sense, Maserati's 2020 goal is realistic. It may not have much choice but to wait for battery technology to catch up to its ambitions. Related Video: This article by Jon Fingas originally ran on Engadget, the definitive guide to this connected life. News Source: Car and Driver Green Maserati Tesla Coupe Electric Luxury Performance