NewsBy: Juandre
At the 2023 edition of Goodwood Festival of Speed, the annual celebration of motorsport and car culture, Maserati proudly shows two cars making their world debuts, the Ghibli 334 Ultima and Levante V8 Ultima.
This year sees the House of Trident pay homage to the final chapter of its iconic lineage of V8 engine-powered grand tourers, which have sold over 100,000 units since the launch of the Maserati 5000 GT in 1959.
To mark the upcoming end of production of the legendary 572-hp twin-turbo V8 engine, with the models themselves due to become collector’s items in the months ahead, Goodwood’s hallowed grounds will host the global debut of two special editions. The Ghibli 334 Ultima (the number denoting its top speed in kilometres per hour – thereby making it the current fastest internal combustion engine sedan in the world), and the Levante V8 Ultima. Together, they promise to captivate festival-goers in the First Glance Paddock, with the former also in action during the hillclimb.
Also taking part in the Goodwood hillclimb, the GranTurismo Trofeo, equipped with the roaring 542-hp V6 Nettuno engine. Its soul is the innovative pre-chamber combustion system, featuring twin spark plugs and derived from Formula 1.
Meanwhile, the Maserati area will be hosting the Maserati GranTurismo One Off Prisma, a proud expression of this car’s past and of the brand’s ability to go further. Joining it will be a GranTurismo Folgore, so showgoers can fully appreciate everything about the Italian luxury marque’s first all-electric car, up close and personal.
The new electric flagship model features 800-volt battery technology developed with cutting-edge technical solutions derived from Formula E, endowing the svelte grand tourer four-seater coupé with the ability to travel up to 280 miles (450km) on a single charge, as well as top-up charging for 60 miles (100km) in just five minutes. It also boasts impressive performance, courtesy of three powerful 300-kW permanent magnet motors – one in the front, two in the rear – for a total installed power of over 1200 hp. It therefore delivers a maximum available power to the wheels of over 750 hp, at 1,350 Nm of torque.
The iconic GranTurismo’s lineage derives from the Maserati A6 1500 GT – the world’s first grand tourer, and at its heart continues to offer the same perfect blend of unique style, progressive technology and performance, all encased in a typically striking Italian body.
Located on the Festival’s Electric Avenue will be Maserati’s second full-electric model, the Grecale Folgore – the first mid-size luxury SUV on the market. Equipped with a 105-kWh battery using 400-volt technology and with a range of 310 miles (500 km*), it has been carefully designed to make every day exceptional. Designed and built in Italy, the Grecale
Folgore delivers the Trident’s trademark performance and luxury, providing 820 Nm of torque and more than 500 hp.
Rounding off Maserati’s presence at the event is another showstopper, the MC20 Cielo. Having made its UK debut last year at the festival with David Beckham, it returns once more to the iconic hillclimb, this time resplendent in Rosso Vincente. With its eye-catching design, outstanding weight-to-power ratio, carbon fibre chassis, retractable smart glass roof and powered by the F1-derived 621-hp V6 Nettuno engine, it will definitely turn heads over the four-day event.
* Predicted values + EU specs
Keyword: Maserati celebrates V8 engine at Goodwood Festival of Sspeed 2023