Maserati has always had a sense of effortless cool about it that no other car manufacturer can manage. One could even argue that if George Clooney was a car, he would be a Maserati. Most of it is down to the looks and sound, as almost every Maserati ever produced has been quite easy on the eyes and has an exhaust note that is without equal. Some of it is down to the idiocracies that are part of every Maserati, stuff like less than stellar reliability, the build quality, and such, but all of it somehow has the effect of just adding more charm, rather than infuriating you. However, this kind of Maserati may be coming to an end. We now know that not only is the Ghibli sedan getting the ax, but so is Maserati's Ferrari-derived V-8.

Why is the Maserati Ghibli Discontinued?

There has been a massive decline in sales of sedans since the Ghibli nameplate was revived in 2013 as a rival for the BMW 5 Series. One way Maserati is dealing with this is to replace the Ghibli with the Quattroporte, the 7 Series rival, by shrinking the Quattroporte.

Maserati Australia general manager Grant Barling told Drive "The Ghibli will move into run-out phase into 2024...The plan is for the Ghibli and Quattroporte to become one. So the Quattroporte will become a short-wheelbase – Ghibli-sized, but called a Quattroporte"

We will essentially be left with something that says Quattroporte but is more like the Ghibli in terms of size, performance, and cost. As the Ghibli is nearly 9 years old and has never been a hot seller in the luxury sedan segment, it is no surprise that it isn't lasting much longer. By 2024, the Ghibli will be 11 years old, so it's time for something new.

The only current model left unmentioned in Maserati's lineup is the Levante, which is confirmed to be updated and will also be offered as an EV like the Grecale. There is no word yet on whether that is the only option or if there will also be a hybrid.

No More Maserati V-8s....Ever

By the end of 2024 when all these changes go into effect, there will not be another V-8 Maserati or at least a Maserati that's powered by the 3.9-liter twin-turbo Ferrari V-8.

That is sad as a V-8 Maserati is possibly the coolest thing on four wheels. However, the company already has the Nettuno 3.0-liter twin-turbo V-6, so they do have a performance-focused engine ready to go.

Expect the hot Trofeo trim to continue, at least for the Quattroporte, but powered by the Nettuno engine, possibly with hybrid assistance, or even purely as an EV. Either way, the company will be strictly producing EVs by 2030, so the fancy V-6 does not have more than 7-8 years left.

Much like Lamborghini, Maserati is left with no choice but to pay more attention to its environmental impact and start working on hybrid and/or EV powertrains. Plus large luxury sedans with gas-guzzling V-8s are out of fashion nowadays. And, since they are also killing the Ghibli, this is as good a time as any to kill the V-8 as well.