Bye bye V8! New Maserati GranTurismo ditches Ferrari DNA for supercar V6 and electric power

Maserati is ushering in a new philosophy for one of its most iconic models, with its GranTurismo sports car entering a new generation free of influence from a certain Maranello car brand.

The 2023 Maserati GranTurismo, revealed this week in Modena, is built on a new platform unrelated to that of its predecessor, which will also form the basis for future EVs, and features the same engine as the Maserati MC20 supercar, turning its back on the 4.7-litre Ferrari V8s it once bore.

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The new engine, a 3.0-litre twin-turbo petrol V6 called Nettuno by Maserati, debuted in the MC20 supercar. There it makes 463kW and 730Nm, where Maserati claims it’s the world’s most powerful production V6.

In the top-spec GranTurismo Trofeo, the Nettuno V6 makes a slightly calmer 410kW and 650Nm. A step under that is the ‘base’ GranTurismo Modena, in which the output drops to 365kW/600Nm.

While the Trofeo, the more powerful of the two, is claimed to hit 100km/h from standstill in 3.5 seconds, the Modena’s 3.9-second claim is still respectable.

Both versions are claimed to weigh in at 1795kg, so the difference in their 0-100km/h times comes almost entirely down to power.

The Trofeo also gets an electronic locking differential instead of the mechanical unit found in the Modena.

As well as ditching the old platform and Ferrari engines, Maserati has taken another step towards the future, introducing an all-electric version of the sports car called the GranTurismo Folgore.

With 560kW and EV tech Maserati says was derived from Formula E, the Folgore isn’t to be scoffed at. It also boasts a wild 1350Nm. It’s named for the Italian word for lightning for a reason.

Three electric motors rated at 300kW each draw from an 800-volt power system and a 92.5kWh battery, while being laid out in a ‘T-bone’ battery pack shape to allow the car to remain only 1353mm tall - the same height as the V6 versions.

Despite being much heavier than the V6 versions, a claimed 2260kg weight is SUV territory, the all-wheel drive Folgore is able to hit 100km/h in a claimed 2.7 seconds. Afterwards, 200km/h arrives in 8.8 seconds.

On the topic of being quick, Maserati says with 270kW charging, the GranTurismo Folgore is able to be charged to a 100km range in just five minutes.

It’s a long way in terms of progress from the first iteration of the GranTurismo, launched 75 years ago in 1947 as the Maserati A6 1500 Gran Turismo, which bore a 1.5-litre inline six-cylinder engine boasting 48kW.

Now, in 2022, the brand is set to take on the likes of the Porsche Taycan and its sibling from Audi, the e-Tron GT.

Australian pricing and specifications for the new Maserati GranTurismo are yet to be confirmed, and will likely be revealed closer to its local launch.