Two Maserati staples have reached the end of production, with only one set to return in the future. The Quattroporte has been produced in six forms so far since 1969 and an electric successor is set to arrive towards the end of the decade. The V8 engine will not be making a comeback though, with the one-off and aptly named Grand Finale being the last trident-endowed car to have eight cylinders powering it.

Since making its debut in 2013, the sixth generation Quattroporte had always been something of an outsider in the large executive class. Bigger than a BMW 5 Series, but broadly similar in size to the short wheelbase Mercedes-Benz S-Class, the Quattroporte always intentionally leant on style and driving dynamics, but perhaps unintentionally majored on exclusivity towards the end of its time on sale. Along with a pair of 3.0 litre V6 engines burning petrol or diesel, the range-topping 3.8 litre F154 engine developed by Ferrari found a home under the long bonnet of the four-door flagship.

Being based on the most potent Trofeo model, the Grand Finale has 572 bhp and 538 lb ft (729 Nm) at its disposal, needing just 4.5 seconds to reach 62 mph and having a top speed of 203 mph. A ZF-built 8-speed automatic gearbox handles the transmission of performance from the engine bay to the rear wheels, via a self-locking differential. Double wishbone suspension features at the front, with a multi-link setup at the rear, and 21” wheels connected to each axle.

The Grand Finale has been specified almost perfectly to my eye, with Maserati’s Furioserie customisation team putting some excellent touches on the car. The deep blue paint is known as Blu Nobile, and the carbon fibre exterior trim is also finished in this colour. The brake callipers are silver, sitting behind two-tone light and dark silver rims. The window surrounds and brand badging is bright silver, while the Trofeo wordmark on the front wings, grille bars and V8 badge on the boot lid are all dark. Personally, I’d have had light trim all around for a more consistent contrast to the lovely dark metalwork, but one place where I have no complaints is the interior.

Some people are getting bored of the blue and tan combination, but I am not among that group. There’s a reason the colour scheme is frequently used, and the Grand Finale uses it to great effect. Tan leather is found on the seats and door cards, while black leather features on the steering wheel and B-pillar, and black fabrics are used for the floor and headlining. When looking closer, the touches from the Furioserie team become evident; the headrests feature the trident logo, while the interior trim shuns carbon fibre in favour of burl wood; my favourite application is the thin ring of wood that runs around the entire circumference of the steering wheel.

The centre console and the door sills each have commemorative plaques with Grand Finale wording, while the identification number can be found when the driver’s door is opened. Usually, the lower build numbers are coveted by collectors, but I think the owner of the final Quattroporte will be happy with the number 999,999. There’s a lot to admire in detail and in general, but the standout feature for me is the bespoke engine cover, which hosts the signatures of the Furioserie team that worked on the final V8-powered Maserati.

The Qauttroporte Grand Finale has been delivered to a customer in the USA, who simultaneously accepted another one-off based on the MC20. The Iris is the latest special model to be based on the carbon-bodied supercar, featuring bespoke AI Aqua Rainbow paint which appears to be light blue at first glance, but gently shifts with a rainbow effect depending on the intensity and direction of the light that reaches the curved body panels. 

White contrast decals can be found on the bonnet and the side, accentuating the rear haunches before narrowing and flowing onto the rear deck. The interior sees white seat bases with bright blue accents and contrast stitching, while the Aqua Rainbow hue is found on the plus and minus symbols of the shift paddles. Just like in the Quattroporte, the paddles are in the wrong place as they are not connected to the steering wheel, instead being mounted on the column. Carbon fibre interior trim on the steering wheel and centre console mirrors the lower trim of the exterior bodywork, resulting in an exceptionally well balanced and co-ordinated model to my eye.

The MC20 is powered by the engine that has superseded the V8 and become the performance engine of choice in the Maserati range. The 3.0 litre Nettuno engine outperforms the V8 by developing an extra 49 bhp, and 1 more Newton metre of torque, for totals of 621 bhp and 730 Nm. Although it differs in displacement, bore, stroke and cylinder count, the 90o Nettuno engine is said to be based on the V8 that it replaces.

With a pair of tasteful one-offs, Maserati has closed the door on V8 models that began and fittingly ended with the Quattroporte nameplate, and shown how the Furioserie customisation department can come out with two greatly different interpretations of the “blue with a light interior and contrasting trim” brief.

Having recently been delayed to 2028 at the earliest, the seventh iteration of the Quattroporte will return the Italian flair to the often understated large executive class, but do so silently with electric power being the sole option. I have no doubt that it will look dramatic with performance levels to match, and perhaps attract a wider customer base than the outgoing model, but no successor will ever have the cylinder count to match or beat the Quattroporte Grand Finale.