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Maserati details the new, 630-hp V6 that will power its mid-engined MC20 coupe

Maserati is done leaning on former sister company Ferrari for technical support. It has unveiled the six-cylinder engine it designed and will build in-house to power the MC20 supercar that's scheduled to make its debut later in 2020. Ferrari's willingness to develop and/or build engines for Maserati shrank significantly when it split from former parent company Fiat-Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) in early 2016 and became independent. Insiders knew the division would be spun off, so they began designing Maserati's new engine (which is called Nettuno) in 2015 and accelerated the process in 2017. It's a 90-degree, 3.0-liter V6 with a dry sump and a twin-spark, pre-chamber ignition system rooted in racing. In this application, it's twin-turbocharged (the turbos are mounted on the outside of the engine rather than in the middle of it) and it's equipped with both direct and indirect fuel injection.  All told, the 485-pound Nettuno engine develops 630 horsepower at 7,500 rpm and 538 pound-feet of torque between 3,000 and 5,500 rpm. It continues revving to a redline of 8,000 rpm.  Matteo Valentini, Maserati's chief engineer, explained the Nettuno engine will ultimately power the company's entire range of vehicles, though he stopped short of naming the specific models that will use it after the MC20. He added the six-cylinder will "bring Maserati back into the world of racing," meaning its output will likely grow in the not-too-distant future. We'll learn more about the engine when the MC20 makes its debut September 9. What remains to be seen is whether Maserati will replace the V8 available in the Levante and the Quattroporte, or if it will surf the downsizing wave sweeping across the industry. Developed jointly with Ferrari in the early 2010s, that engine makes 590 horsepower when it's bolted in the Levante Trofeo's bay, meaning its output is eclipsed by the Nettuno V6's. Both engines are built around a 90-degree architecture, so the 3.0-liter V6 could turn into a 4.0-liter V8 if it's modular enough to gain a pair of cylinders — and if Maserati sees a market for another eight-cylinder. Featured Gallery Maserati Nettuno 3.0-liter V6 engine Maserati Coupe Performance

2024 Maserati GranTurismo revealed, twin-turbo V6 or 750-hp EV: 'We're going to let buyers decide'

Maserati is in the midst of a renaissance; it's branching out into new segments with cars like the MC20 and the Grecale. While it's counting on these models to widen its target audience, it's not forgetting about its existing customers and the cars that brought them to the brand. The new, second-generation GranTurismo is a blank-sheet redesign that's evolutionary where it counts and revolutionary where it needs to be. First, the elephant in the room: this is a big, luxurious coupe launched in an era when big, luxurious coupes are disappearing at an alarming rate. What's the point? Min Byung Yoon, Maserati's lead exterior designer, explained the grand tourer (a fast, upscale car designed to quickly and effortlessly drive across a country) is one of the pillars that the company's image is built on, and keeping this tradition alive is important. Customers care more about image and usability than tradition, however, so the new GranTurismo receives several important updates. Maserati will offer the GranTurismo in three different flavors: Modena, Trofeo and Folgore. The first two use a version of the excellent 3.0-liter, twin-turbocharged V6 inaugurated by the MC20 and also found in the Grecale. Known as the Nettuno engine internally, it develops 490 horsepower and 443 pound-feet of torque in the Modena, figures that increase to 550 and 479, respectively, in the Trofeo. It's bolted to an eight-speed automatic transmission in both applications, and it spins the four wheels — the original GranTurismo was rear-wheel-drive. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Andrea Baccino, the chief engineer for the Italian firm's electric powertrains, told me that making all-wheel drive standard across the range is a way to expand the GranTurismo's usability. It's now a viable year-round driver, even if you live somewhere in rural Vermont. The system is rear-biased but variable: it can send up to 100% of the engine's torque to the rear wheels or split it 50/50 between the front and rear axles. The V6 is front-mid-mounted to achieve a 52/48 front-rear weight distribution, and the GranTurismo weighs around 3,957 pounds, which is surprisingly low considering it's not exactly nimble: it measures about 195 inches long, 77 inches wide and 53 inches tall. Hitting 62 mph from a stop takes 3.9 seconds in the Modena and 3.5 seconds in the Trofeo, and top speed checks in at 187 mph and 198 mph, respectively.

Maserati Boomerang concept could fetch millions at auction

It's not every day that a truly head-turning, show-stopping, one-of-a-kind concept car goes up for auction, but that day is coming soon. Bonhams consigned the one and only Maserati Boomerang concept for its upcoming auction in Chantilly, France. The concept, designed by the inimitable Giorgetto Giugiaro at his Italdesign studio, debuted at the Turin Motor Show in 1971, and resurfaced at the Geneva Motor Show the following year in fully functional form. It was based on the Maserati Bora (by the same designer), packing a V8 engine good for 300 horsepower and 300 kilometers per hour (186 mph). What really set it apart, however, was its dramatic wedge shape that could only have been penned by Giugiaro. Of course it was never put into production, but its design was said to have influenced the original Golf that Giugiaro designed for Volkswagen shortly thereafter – to say nothing of the BMW M1, DeLorean DMC-12, Lotus Esprit, and so many others. In correspondence with Autoblog, Bonhams specialist Philip Kantor quoted its pre-sale estimate range at ˆ3-4 million (about $4 million, give or take half a million, at current exchange rates). That might seem like a big chunk of change, but as Kantor points out, "It's a unique, road registered concept car by the best car designer of the 20th century, so in comparative terms it's very realistic." We'll look forward to seeing bidding reach that range when the gavel drops on Sept. 5. For now, you can check out its sharp lines in the high-resolution image gallery above. THE ONE-OF-A-KIND MASERATI BOOMERANG OFFERED AT BONHAMS 5 Sep 2015, The Chantilly Sale A signature concept car of the 1970s, the Maserati Boomerang was a one-off prototype unlike anything seen before. Using geometric shapes and ruler straight lines, its angular style made a strong statement at the 1971 Turin Motor Show. Now the Boomerang is set to cause a stir once again as a highlight lot of Bonhams 5 September Chantilly Sale. Philip Kantor, Bonhams European Head of Motoring, said: "The Boomerang was the first car of its time to create such a strong, angular style statement. It's considered by many to be one of the most remarkable designs of the 20th century and the 'grandfather' to the Volkswagen Golf Mk 1.