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Auto Car
4 days ago
- Automotive
- Auto Car
New Maserati flagship could get V6 and MANUAL gearbox!
Maserati and Alfa boss reveals plan for two firms to collaborate once again on a limited-run supercar Close News Maserati is considering a new flagship super-GT with V6 power and a manual gearbox as part of a drive to emphasise its sporting heritage and strengthen the brand's luxury credentials. Set to be a limited-run creation, the new top-rung Maserati could be launched as early as next year as the most exclusive and powerful combustion-engined car the firm has produced since the MC12 landed two decades ago. It is tipped to be based on the Granturismo and will be twinned with an equivalent Alfa Romeo model, similar to the way in which the new Alfa 33 Stradale is based on Maserati's MC20. Speaking to Autocar at the Goodwood Festival of Speed earlier this month, Santo Ficili, who is CEO of both marques, said: 'We have infinite possibilities to customise products for our customers, for the entire range of Maserati. I'm imagining to do something like we did in the past, also considering Alfa Romeo.' Ficili referenced previous collaborations between the two firms, highlighting that the Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione was based on the previous Maserati Granturismo and built alongside that car at Maserati's plant in Modena, where the later 4C sports coupé was also produced. More recently, Alfa Romeo turned to Maserati to provide the basis for the new 33 Stradale supercar, which shares its basic monocoque chassis and twin-turbocharged 3.0-litre V6 engine with the mid-engined MC20 (now rebadged MCPura). 'We built the 4C and 8C in Modena, so why not?' said Ficili of the prospect of another limited-run supercar tie-up. 'We can imagine a 'few-off' Maserati. It's easy, because you can look at the past of these two brands, and you can find a nice car like the 33 Stradale, and we can invent something like this.' Ficili stopped short of describing in more detail his vision for a new bespoke creation but suggested the aim is to use the new flagship to celebrate Maserati's Nettuno V6 engine, as used in the Granturismo, Grecale and MCPura. 'It's a masterpiece,' he said. It is likely that any V6-powered limited-run special would ramp up the Nettuno's output beyond the 621bhp of the MCPura, in line with a price that would be well in excess of that car's £230,000, but the firm is unlikely to use electrification to achieve that power boost. Maserati engineering boss Davide Danesin said: 'There are still customers looking for pure mechanical cars.' He added that there is a 'bad feeling' about having a battery on board a supercar, due to the heightened complexity and extra weight it brings. The Nettuno's 'super-advanced' pre-chamber combustion technology and twin injection system help to cut emissions and boost performance, he said, and the engine is 'getting to 210hp per litre with very efficient combustion'. That figure is why the MCPura can remain a pure-combustion car and it means Maserati can keep the V6 in production with the same power once Euro 7 regulations are in force. Giving further clues to what a limited-run Maserati supercar could look like, Danesin even dropped a hint that it could reintroduce a manual gearbox to Maserati's ranks for the first time in years. He said: 'A manual gearbox is an opportunity. I don't see that in big series [production], but why not do a special version with a manual gearbox? No reason to say never. It could be the right choice for a limited edition of a car.' He added that a manual gearbox would emphasise the 'pure', analogue ethos of a Maserati supercar. 'By doing a purely mechanical car, it does make sense to have a mechanical gearbox with a shifter,' he said. 'So why not? It fulfils perfectly the brand. It fulfils perfectly our approach and the mindset. So honestly, I think one day we'll do it.' Ficili said he plans to emphasise Maserati's Italian heritage going forward, adding that the company's headquarters in Modena – 'the middle of Motor Valley' – is 'the right place' to build sports cars. The firm will shortly begin production of the Granturismo and Grancabrio at its factory there once again, having built the current generation at Fiat's Mirafiori plant since 2023. Any new V6 special edition will be closely related to those cars. Neither Danesin nor Ficili gave any indication of when this new supercar could break cover, but next year will be the 100th anniversary of the launch of Maserati's first car, the Tipo 26 grand prix racer that won Italy's legendary Targa Florio endurance race on its first competitive outing in 1926. The following year, Alfa Romeo launched the venerable 6C 1500 sports car, which went on to win the Mille Miglia and the Spa 24 Hours. An Alfa Romeo version of Maserati's next limited-run sports car would no doubt celebrate the centenary of that seminal model. Alfa has already confirmed it will reveal a second supercar in 2026 from its new 'Bottega' division for limited-run cars, which launched with the 33 Stradale. Join our WhatsApp community and be the first to read about the latest news and reviews wowing the car world. Our community is the best, easiest and most direct place to tap into the minds of Autocar, and if you join you'll also be treated to unique WhatsApp content. You can leave at any time after joining - check our full privacy policy here. Next Prev In partnership with
Auto Car
10-07-2025
- Automotive
- Auto Car
Maserati will improve its current electric cars before launching new EVs
Maserati will launch extended-range versions of its electric Grecale crossover and Granturismo sports car later this year as part of a push to keep developing and improving its EV line-up. The Italian firm launched its first two electric cars in 2024, offering EV power in those model lines as an alternative to mild-hybrid and pure-petrol ICE options. It was due to launch an electric Quattroporte this year but delayed that car until later this decade and now says improving its existing EVs and increasing uptake is the priority over launching new models. Speaking at the unveiling of the new MCPura – the renamed and lightly restyled replacement for the V6-powered MC20 supercar – Maserati engineering boss Davide Danesin said the firm has adjusted its strategy in light of declining demand for premium electric cars and will continue to invest in its existing EVs rather than branching out into new segments. He said: 'Maserati has invested a lot in an electric roadmap in the past years and we produced two wonderful products: the Grecale Folgore and the Granturismo Folgore. Unfortunately, the acceptance from the market of BEV cars is low, so we are also affected, like all the other brands, by the low demand. 'But we developed great technologies in the past years for electrification and I think many of them are going to last. For example, this year, we are releasing the Grecale Folgore in an extended-range version, with additional kilometres of range, and we're going soon to do the same for the Granturismo. We are still developing our battery-electric vehicles to improve performance.' He did not disclose any details about these extended-range EVs. The Grecale Folgore is currently offered with a 105kWh pack under the floor, giving an official range of 311 miles, while the electric Granturismo's T-shaped battery has a usable capacity of 83kWh for an official 280 miles. It remains to be seen whether Maserati will boost the capacity of these batteries to eke out more miles per charge, or whether the duo's respective range figures will be extended by virtue of efficiency improvements elsewhere. Danesin said Maserati will continue to update its electric cars to keep pace with rivals and new technologies: 'Of course, on the other side, we need to follow the roadmap of the technology. We know the technology is evolving and we are evolving. "We are going to follow the roadmap of cell evolution in the next years to continuously improve our products. Some other technologies that we developed on the current Folgore we are going to further refine and bring on. We are following our internal roadmap of continuous improvement.'
