In the latter stages of its life, Maserati’s GranTurismo was a bit like a loveable old dog. In its final year, practically everything else in the class was much (much) younger, faster and technically superior - but with a beautifully distinctive 4.7-litre V8 in the nose the car’s charisma remained intact. We know because when the Granturismo and its GranCabrio sibling went off sale last year, the loss was mourned. And now its departure will be all the more sobering with confirmation that the next-gen variant is to be Maser’s first model with an all-electric powertrain.
For the manufacturer though, the launch of a rakish EV in 2021 would likely propel it back to the sharp end - at least as far as zero-emission sports cars go. Neither BMW nor Mercedes have announced all-electric competitors for the segment so far, a stark contrast to Maserati’s affirmation that testing of its powertrain is well underway. Nevertheless, the accompanying video does rather hammer the disappearance of the n/a V8 soundtrack. “The music is changing”, says the brand. But not necessarily for the better, it must be said.
The technology itself is said to be an in-house project, with the setup developed at the company’s new Innovation Lab in Modena. Expect the powertrain to find its way across the line-up too, with the hotly anticipated hybrid Alfieri a likely candidate for further electrification. Maserati’s new system is due for completion next year, though there’s no confirmation as to when the GranTurismo would be revealed.
The Alfieri will launch later this year with a platform primed to receive different powerplants. Conversely, it’s plausible that a version of the Alfieri’s hybrid setup might make its way into the GranTurismo’s line-up, depending on how wedded the manufacturer is to the all-electric approach. Just don’t expect to see/hear another n/a V8 behind the Maserati trident. More’s the pity.