Maserati line-up in India gets Ferrari-built V6 petrol engines
Maserati India has updated its four-door line-up in India with V6 petrol engines, which meet Euro 6c emission norms, as well as being BSVI-compliant by extension. The Levante, Ghibli and flagship sedan Quattroporte will get the 3-litre twin-turbo V6 petrol engine, mated to an eight-speed automatic with a redesigned gearshift lever. The base variants of these cars will output 350PS and 500Nm torque, while the 'S' variants will output 430PS and 580Nm of torque.
The starting prices (ex-showroom) of the new models are as follows:
Levante â€" Rs 1.41cr
Levante S â€" Rs 1.53cr
Ghibli â€" Rs 1.31cr
Ghibli S â€" Rs 1.44cr
Quattroporte â€" Rs 1.63cr
Quattroporte S â€" Rs 1.73cr
As with previous Maserati models, the GranLusso or GranSport trims dictate the overall theme of the car, extending from the exterior accents and wheel designs to the interior colours and upholstery, with the former tending to a more luxurious and stately look, while the latter is sportier. Maserati claim five new wheel designs for the three cars, available in 20- and 21-inch sizes, while two new tri-coat exterior colour options are also available. Maserati's new MTC+ infotainment system coupled with an 8.4-inch touchscreen is available across all three cars.
As we understand it, the new V6 petrol engine will be sold alongside the V6 diesel on offer in these three cars, while the Quattroporte will continue to offer the 3.8-litre V8 petrol as well, in the GTS variant. This 2,979cc engine, codenamed F160 is in a 60 degree V6 configuration, and utilises twin turbochargers and direct injection. In standard guise, it develops its peak power of 350PS@5,750rpm and 500Nm@1,750-4,500rpm, while in S guise it delivers its 430PS@5,750rpm and 580Nm@2,250-4,000rpm. The exhausts 'sport' flaps are opened at revs upward of 5,000rpm, and help deliver a muted exhaust note below that. Designed by Maserati Powertrain and assembled by Ferrari, both versions of this engine were updated in 2018 to produce marginally more power, and it is these tunes which are coming to India. This will be the first time the Ferrari-built V6 petrol is offered in the Indian market.
Coming to performance figures, the new Levante and Levante S accelerate from 0-100kmph in 6s and 5.2s respectively, the Ghibli and Ghibli S post 5.5s and 4.9s for the same, and the larger Quattroporte and Quattroporte S manage the dash in 5.5s and 5s. In comparison, the Quattroporte GTS with the 3.8-litre V8 does the 0-100kmph run in 4.6s, while the diesel versions of the Ghibli and Levante post times well above 6 seconds.