The last car in Australia with a V8 engine, rear-wheel drive, and a sedan body is almost sold out.
Just five examples of the Maserati Ghibli 334 Ultima are left for buyers across Australia and New Zealand, and just “one or two” Ghibli Trofeo sedans are left in dealer stock according to Maserati Australia managing director Grant Barling.
The Trofeo and 334 Ultima pack a 3.8-litre twin-turbocharged V8 pumping out 426kW of power and 730Nm of torque, sent to the rear wheels through an eight-speed automatic. The same engine was offered with all-wheel drive in the Levante SUV.
Once they’re gone, you won’t be able to buy a rear-wheel drive sedan with a V8 engine – a formula that underpinned decades worth of Holden and Ford heroes – from one of the 60-odd brands competing for buyers in Australia.
The death of the locally manufactured Commodore and Falcon struck the first blow for old-school V8 performance sedans.
They were outlived by the Chrysler 300 SRT, along with the Maserati Quattroporte Trofeo and Lexus GS F, but all are now gone from Australian showrooms.
German performance cars are doing their part to keep the eight-cylinder dream alive, but the BMW M5 and Audi RS6 feature all-wheel drive, while the Mercedes-AMG C 63 S has ditched its turbocharged V8 in favour of a plug-in hybrid powertrain with a four-cylinder engine.
There’s still some good news for fans of the classic V8, though.
Along with the full-sized American pickup trucks gaining traction in Australia, you’re able to get a V8 engine in the new Ford Mustang for less than $100,000 before on-road costs – and all-wheel drive is nowhere to be found.
If you don’t need four doors, it’s arguably the closest thing we have to a successor to the Commodore and Falcon. It’s even available with a manual.
