Maserati may be on the cusp of its best idea in years, and it has nothing to do with making yet another SUV. At a time when much of the sports car industry seems determined to replace the driver’s connection to the car with software upgrades, the Italian brand is openly discussing a future supercar with a manual transmission and an internal combustion engine.
The driving force behind this idea comes directly from the customers. Cristiano Fioriohead of Maserati’s Bottega Fuoriserie personalization department, claims that as many as half of their customers are specifically looking for a petrol engine paired with a manual transmission. It is a combination that Maserati, like most other luxury car manufacturers with the exception of Porsche, does not currently offer. But that could soon change.
“I believe that we will have to have a manual gearbox in our range for the Bottega product,” Fiorio told Autocar, adding that he hopes that day will come as soon as possible. His words are also confirmed Davide DanesinMaserati’s head of engineering, who described the manual transmission as an “opportunity” specifically for a special, limited edition car rather than a production model. He emphasized that a fully mechanical car makes sense with a mechanical gearbox, which is in line with the brand’s heritage and the wishes of those looking for a retro experience.
Nettuno V6 as the heart of a mechanical beast
If this project comes to fruition, the star of the show will almost certainly be Maserati’s Nettuno V6 engine. This twin-turbo the unit, which already powers the MC20, GranTurismo and Grecale models, develops an impressive 630 hp without any electrical assistance. Company executives do not hide their admiration for this engine, and Fiorio and the CEO of Maserati, Holy Ficilihave repeatedly emphasized that Nettuno is key to the brand’s identity.
They confirmed that the engine will continue to develop in the direction of mild and full hybrid versions (but not plug-in hybrids) over the next few years. It is this powerful engine, paired with a precise manual gearbox, that could create one of the most desirable driver’s cars on the market and become Maserati’s most extreme combustion engine model since the legendary MC12.