New Ferrari to use QP's engine

This has been discussed for some time in the California section. Rumors have been around over a year. Most think it's a great idea, as do I.

 

I'm looking forward to see how the new California with its massive 479 pound-feet of torque (clearly more than a McLaren 12C!!) will blow away the 458 in the acceleration.

You will see, Ferrari will cut the Cali back…

 

Very interesting news. Nice to see true synergies between the companies.

I don't know about blowing away the 458 though, the Cali is one fat beast in need of a serious diet.

 

Not the first time. The 4.2 L Maserati V8 in the Coupe and Spider had similarities to the F430 V8. They were not the same engine but where relatives.

 

So Ferrari has realized they have to "man up" the girly California. About time. Mazda had to do this with the miata, so they made it look like a mini viper..I really hope they make the new Cali a stunner.

 

Yes, but that was Ferrari technology benefiting Maserati (and me!!). Now that the technology is flowing the other way, it is a true synergy between the companies. Nice!

 

Take a short time to read the following article (copy past from another thread), also interesting to read who's Paolo Martinelli, the CEO of Maserati Powertrain Development.


"THE ROAR OF A MASERATI ENGINE IS SOMETHING WE COULD NEVER LOSE."
(Paolo Martinelli, Head of the Maserati Powertrain Development. Before undertaking this role, Martinelli spent nearly thirty years with Ferrari, eventually as the Head of the Engine Department for the Formula 1 team across the era of Michael Schumacher’s world championships. Production of the new Maserati engines will be performed by Ferrari in Maranello.)

It may seem strange but it is not enough for Maserati to produce engines that are the most powerful, high-performing and ‘musical’ in the world. The recent objectives of the Powertrain Maserati department, overseen by engineer Paolo Martinelli, have been geared towards even more energy-efficient engines. These power units are high performing but have notably lower consumption levels and emissions.

“It is a difficult challenge but one that excites me”, smiled Martinelli. Martinelli started by making significant modifications to the 4.7 litre V8 from the Maserati GranTurismo MC Stradale, changes that were then introduced to the engines from the GranTurismo Sport, GranCabrio and GranCabrio Sport.

Many of the improvements to the original engine from the GranTurismo range derive from the ‘low friction’ programme. As the tag suggests, the modifications made were to reduce friction, including the revision of the oil sump fluid dynamics courtesy of the addition of mono-directional valves. Another introduction was the use of special Diamond Like Carbon (DLC) to coat the camshaft tappets and lobes, a change that significantly improved the smooth running of mechanical parts, limiting energy loss.

Even the exhaust system pressure was reduced, again upping efficiency: “With less pressure in the exhaust system”, outlined Martinelli, “the distinctive Maserati sound is preserved but with the consumption of much less energy. The roar of a Maserati engine is something we could never lose”. To conclude, an enhanced injection set up and dedicated mapping have optimised the combustion. This brings higher power output but reduced consumption CO2 emissions.

Seeking constant improvements, Maserati’s future aim to bring down its cars’ carbon footprint while maintaining their true sporty nature is even more ambitious: “In terms of engine efficiency, we will not be satisfied with 1-2%. In time, in five to ten years, we want ten times as much”, wrapped up a confident Martinelli.

An important step in this direction has already been taken with the innovative twin turbo engine fitted to the new Quattroporte. It is a technological gem in terms of efficiency and performance.

A HUNDRED YEARS OF ENGINE DESIGN IN ONE V8

For Maserati, creating a new engine is a unique event, one that brings Italy’s legendary “Motor Valley” back to life. And the new, original Twin Turbo V8 used on the Quattroporte is no exception.

Some engines have a special quality that defines their character much better than their power and torque data or any other technical specifications could ever do: their origins. If an engine is developed in that area of Italy’s Emilia Romagna region, and more precisely in the provinces of Modena and Bologna, known as “Motor Valley”, it is safe to say that it will be a unique piece of engineering with extraordinary characteristics.

Obviously, it is not the weather that makes an engine from “Motor Valley” so special - although this is responsible for some of the area’s wonderful food products - but rather the passionate enthusiasm of the men who firstly conceive it, then design it and finally assemble it, adopting the same modus operandi as the craftsmen who built the foundations of the Valley in the early Twentieth Century, ensuring the success of some of the world’s leading automotive constructors: from the Maserati brothers to Enzo Ferrari and Ferruccio Lamborghini.

Men whose legacy is so immense that it has made the whole region a symbol of excellence in engine design. It was on this boundless know-how that the engineer Paolo Martinelli - Modena born and bred, with a splendid F1 past behind him, head of Maserati's Powertrain Department since 2011 - drew unstintingly to develop the new-generation Twin Turbo V8 installed on the Quattroporte. An engine with a strong identity, entirely developed and designed by Maserati in Modena and built at the Ferrari plant at Maranello.

For Maserati, with its constant commitment to leading-edge innovation in engine design, this eight-cylinder unit represents a real technological revolution. Like the famed family of V8 engines used on the GranTurismo and GranCabrio range, which have undergone further improvements recently and which are still at the cutting edge, this original engine has a surfeit of sophisticated design solutions, enabling it to set new records in terms of performance and efficiency.

Around the V90 layout, the Maserati engineers have built a 3.8 litre engine capable of generating a power of 530 HP at 6,800 rpm and a torque of 710 Nm at between 2,000 and 3,500 rpm. As a result, the new unit delivers specific power and torque of 139 HP/litre and 171 Nm/litre respectively, well above the averages for the category. Amazing figures that enable the Quattroporte to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in just 4.7 seconds and pass the 300 km/h threshold with ease, with a top speed of 307 km/h. An achievement that makes the new sedan the second fastest Maserati of all time, second only to the muscular MC12 with V12 engine. In addition, with 95% of the torque already available at less than 1,600 rpm, the Quattroporte's V8 combines smooth running and outstanding performance at any engine speed with a special focus on fuel consumption and emissions.