Maserati bids farewell to Ferrari V8 with Trofeo trio

Maserati’s holy trinity of V8 power has landed in Australia in the form of the Ghibli Trofeo, Quattroporte Trofeo and Levante Trofeo.

7

All three variants represent the top-of-the-range of their respective monikers, and all three are powered by a Ferrari-derived 3.8-litre twin-turbo V8 that churns out 433kW and 730Nm.

Power from the prancing V8 will be, in the case of the Ghibli and Quattroporte, sent to the rear wheels, while the Levante SUV will utilise Maserati’s Q4 Intelligent All-Wheel Drive system.

7

All will score a limited-slip differential at the rear and all will come equipped with ZF’s ubiquitous eight-speed torque converter automatic gearbox.

Unsurprisingly, Maserati’s quoted 0-100km/h times for the Trofeos are rapid. The Ghibli takes 4.3 seconds, the portlier Quattroporte taking a touch longer at 4.5 seconds and, thanks to its AWD system, the Levante takes just 3.9 seconds.

7

And, if you find yourself on a racetrack/private road, the trio will each top 300km/h without breaking a sweat - Maserati claims a top speed of 324km/h for both sedans, while the super SUV has a V-max rated at 304km/h.

Both the Quattroporte and Levante have previously been powered by the Ferrari V8, but the Ghibli Trofeo represents the first in the model’s history to host an eight-cylinder engine.

7

It’s also the final time that Maserati will utilise the Maranello-built pwoertrain, as the company now pivots towards an electric future. Maserati CEO Davide Grasso says he wants to “electrify” all models by 2025.

Aside from the performance the V8 brings, the special edition models also score a host of bespoke visual cues exclusive to the Trofeo range.

7

The exterior is treated to a piano black front grille with twin vertical bars, carbon fibre front air ducts and rear extractors, splashes of red on the side air vents and lightning bolt of its Trident badge and redesigned tail light clusters that harken back to the “boomerang” style of previous models like the 3200GT.

Inside, the opulent automobiles are festooned with carbon fibre accents, unique Trofeo script that's stitched into the headrests and a full-grain Pieno Fiore natural leather upholstery.

7

Prices for the trio are not cheap, with the Ghibli Trofeo, Quattroporte Trofeo and Levante Trofeo costing $265,000, $376,900 and $336,990, respectively.