Maserati Ghibli 334 Ultima, Levante V8 Ultima Debuts Globally
At the 2023 edition of Goodwood Festival of Speed, the annual celebration of motorsport and car culture, Maserati showcased 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 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 is the GranTurismo Trofeo, equipped with the 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 and a GranTurismo Folgore. The GranTurismo’s lineage derives from the Maserati A6 1500 GT.
The new electric flagship model features 800-volt battery technology developed with 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 around five minutes. It also boasts 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.
Located on the Festival’s Electric Avenue is Maserati’s second full-electric model, the Grecale Folgore – the first mid-size luxury SUV on the market. The car is equipped with a 105-kWh battery using 400-volt technology that provides range of 310 miles (500 km). Designed and built in Italy, the Grecale Folgore provides 820 Nm of torque and more than 500 hp.
Rounding off Maserati’s presence at the event is the MC20 Cielo. Having made its UK debut last year at the festival with David Beckham, it returns once more to the hillclimb, this time resplendent in Rosso Vincente.
