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2023 Maserati MC20 Folgore planned with three-motor electric powertrain

Maserati's first new model of the 2020s, the MC20, strays from the path that's leading carmakers towards electrified and connected vehicles. The brand is nonetheless headed in this direction, and Autoblog can reveal it's planning to release a range of battery-powered cars called Folgore, a name which means "lightning" in Italian. Developed in-house, the 800-volt Folgore powertrain consists of one electric motor mounted over the front axle, and two electric motors installed over the rear axle. Sandro Bernardini, the man responsible for the second-generation GranTurismo, told us this configuration is not going to be reserved for high-performance, high-end cars. It will be the norm. And, although the rear motors are bolted into a single unit that's about the size of a modern four-cylinder engine, there is no mechanical connection between them, meaning Maserati's electric models will benefit from true torque vectoring. Ditching gasoline isn't an excuse to stop chasing performance. As we've previously reported, Maserati's first series-produced battery-powered model will be the next GranTurismo, which is tentatively due out in 2021. Motorists who don't want or need an electric car will be able to order the coupe with a version of the 3.0-liter Nettuno V6 engine that powers the recently-unveiled MC20. Speaking of, the mid-engined coupe will become a mid-motored, zero-emissions coupe a little bit later in its production run. It was developed with both electricity and gasoline in mind from the get-go. Bernardini couldn't share concrete technical specifications, but he noted his team is designing the powertrain to achieve maximum range. Engineers notably went to significant lengths to make the motors smaller, lighter, and more efficient, we're told, and the technology will be compatible with 300-kilowatt fast-charging. While performance details are also under wraps, Autoblog learned the electric version of the MC20 will "absolutely be more powerful" than its 621-horsepower gasoline-burning counterpart. It will be heavier, too, but the power hike will more than make up for the weight gain, and its handling won't be adversely affected. Chassis mock-ups confirm the MC20 Folgore will share its basic underpinnings (including its carbon fiber tub and its subframes) with the gasoline-powered model. Its front motor will occupy the space normally reserved for the frunk, while its rear motor will slot neatly between the two wheels.

Ghibli PHEV will launch Maserati's electrification offensive

The hybrid variant of the Maserati Ghibli  announced in 2019 is allegedly scheduled to make its public debut during the 2020 Beijing Motor Show. The yet-unnamed model will launch the Italian brand's electrification offensive. Sources familiar with Maserati's plans told Automotive News Europe the Ghibli hybrid will greet the public for the first time when the Beijing show opens its doors on April 21. Going hybrid in China makes sense on several levels. It's an important market for Maserati, the current-generation Ghibli (pictured above) broke cover at the 2013 Shanghai auto show, yet it's a country it has struggled to gain a secure foothold in. Adding electrified options to its range could give its annual Chinese sales a big boost because officials are promoting cars with a plug to curb pollution. There's no word yet on what kind of hybrid technology the Ghibli will receive, though Automotive News Europe speculated it will be a plug-in setup capable of powering the sedan on electricity alone for short distances. Similarly, it's too early to tell if the Italian firm will drop a hybrid powertrain into the Ghibli as we know it and push it to the market, or if it will also make visual, tech, and other mechanical updates to the seven-year-old model. Maserati hasn't commented on the report, and it hasn't announced when the Ghibli hybrid will make its debut; it only pledged to release the model in 2020. Similarly, we don't know if the sedan will be sold in the United States yet. We've reached out to the company for clarification, and we'll update this story if we learn more. Looking ahead, every model Maserati releases will incorporate a degree of electrification. Some will be hybrids, we expect the existing Quattroporte and Levante models will receive gasoline-electric technology, and we know the replacements for the GranTurismo and the GranCabrio due out in 2021 and 2022, respectively, will be the firm's first battery-electric models. There's a new sports car right around the corner, too, and rumors indicate it will be aimed at the Lamborghini Huracan Evo, but we'll need to be patient to find out what's under the camouflage. Related Video:

2014 Maserati Quattroporte to get twin-turbo V6

As we wait for the Detroit Auto Show to get our up-close and in-depth look at the redesigned 2014 Maserati Quattroporte, some details are just starting to emerge about the car's powertrain, but nothing is official just yet. Autocar has posted a first drive of the new Quattroporte, finally spilling the beans about what motivates this sporty and luxurious sedan.
We already knew that the 2014 Quattroporte will offer two engines - a V6 and V8 - but what we didn't know is that both engines will get a pair of turbochargers and direct injection. Previously, we speculated that the smaller V6 would be supercharged, but this 3.0-liter V6 will get turbos instead helping it produce an estimated 410 horsepower. As for the larger 3.8-liter V8, this engine is said to produce 530 horsepower (confirming our previous report) to go with 479 pound-feet of torque; performance specs for the V8 include a top speed of 191 miles per hour and a 0-60 mph time of well under five seconds.
All cars will have a ZF eight-speed automatic transmission, and all-wheel drive will be optional allowing for all of the engine power sent to the rear wheel during normal driving and a full 50/50 split between front and rear axles when needed. As we suspected, the 2014 Quattroporte has grown in size to better compete with the Mercedes-Benz S-Class.