The cars look virtually identical to the EV Folgore version, which is a good thing, as the classic long-hood-short-rear-deck GT car shape never stopped being wonderful, and the detailing, especially in the lighting design, borrowed from Maserati’s MC20 halo supercar actually works very well.
It’s an undeniably pretty car, a clear evolution of the sorts of GT cars Maserati has been building for decades, starting with the Maserati A6 1500 from the late 1940s.
Maserati’s current GT design language can be traced back to the 1998 3200 GT, and over the years it’s grown more athletic and aggressive, though this most recent version has calmed it down a bit, without losing the car’s presence. I like what they’ve done, especially with those dramatic fender curves and the unexpected crispness of those hood air extractors.
Even if it looks like a straightforward evolution of the last generation, there’s a lot different in its greasy parts, not the least of which is that these are now all-wheel-drive cars instead of the more traditional rear-drivers. Power to all those wheels no longer comes from a naturally-aspirated V8, but instead from Maserati’s own Nettuno 3-liter V6 with twin turbos, making 490 horsepower/443 pound-feet of torque on the Modena version and 550 hp/479 lb-ft on the Trofeo. Both use an eight-speed automatic from ZF, and the Modena can get to 62 mh/100 kph in just under four seconds, while he Trofeo can save you plenty of time by getting there in 3.5.
Top speed of the Trofeo is said to be 199 mph, and the Modena’s only about 10 mph less, but I’m going to guess that for most buyers either will be, you know, adequate. The interior hasn’t been seen yet, but a couple of inches of rear legroom have been added, so that’s good news if you’re hitchhiking and get picked up by a beautiful, wealthy couple driving one of these.
Maserati devoted a whole paragraph to the sound system, so it must be important: Yes, yes, “unique roundness,” the quality I look for in both my sound systems and my tires. Good, glad that’s there, that’s a load off my mind. Overall, this looks to be a lovely, old-school-yet-full-of-new-tech GT car. I’m glad these still exist. Pricing has yet to be announced, too, but I’m certain you can afford it. The pure thrust of EV’s gets old relatively fast absent other driving engagement. Case in point, I put about 40 miles on Lucid air yesterday- more or less the creme de la creme of EV’s. Loved the thrust, loved the comfort etc etc etc, but got bored REALLY quickly. Getting back into my old and tired mazda RX8 it couldn’t be more clear why. The lucid kept me in my lane, made little to no noise, no smells, and literally one pedal to drive (even to come to a full stop). I didn’t even have to turn my head to reverse given how many cameras the thing has. Compare that to a manual ICE– left hand gripping the wheel, right foot pounding two pedals, left foot mashing a clutch, right hand flicking through gears, all while I’m hearing the motor communicate things to me, while (if I’m honest) smelling my tired rotary burning oil. The mazda needs me, the EV does not. This would’ve been a good place to debut the new Chrysler I6 A Hemi Maserati would be cool tho. I like the idea of a Hemi Maserati and a Hellephant Ferrari more than I should Is this the automotive equivalent of porn fatigue? *Must be spoken like The Count from Sesame Street for the intended effect. A very nice looking car. If given one, I would drive it and put aside a typical car payment each month for the eventual Maserati mechanic tax.
