2017 Maserati Granturismo Reviews

The aural sensation of the operatically roaring Ferrari-derived V8 is but one way in which this $300,000 piece of Pininfarina sculpture transcends all misery.We first drove it just on a year ago on the international launch through the Italian Alps, an environment which is germane in the same way this one isn't.The roads there are as smooth as ours are cratered and crumbling. Highway speed is limited by conditions and ability not restricted to a rate guaranteed to induce sleep. Overtaking lanes are occupied not by oblivious zombies a la the M5, but by overtaking vehicles. In a word, paradise — one in which this grandiose tourer can be given its full range of expression.Deploying it in our Third World conditions would surely be akin to tethering a stallion to a plough. In a dynamic sense, that is sadly true. Aside from the odd furtive burst of acceleration and gratuitously unnecessary downchanges just to thrill to that bent eight rip, you get to enjoy about one third of the GranTurismo's dynamic capability.But where so many exotics and performance deities are just flat out wasted here, the Maser's sheer aesthetic presence is transcendent. Just look at it.Confronting though the scarlet interior of our loan car was, nine other shades of quality cow hide can be specified to complement 19 exterior hues and even five choices of brake calliper colour.The GranTurismo is $50K up on the ageing GranSport but feels and looks double that. The former's rear seats are more than expensively upholstered luggage racks; they'll hold two adults in tolerable comfort with 260 litres of luggage space behind them.Captivating on the outside (and curiosity of an intrusive extent is a non-optional GranTurismo extra), what lies within is worthy of almost equal attention. The flat-on steering wheel is something of an object in itself; only the freakishly built could fail to find the optimum position from which to grapple with it and the chrome shifting levers.Most of all, the GranTurismo benefits from the same highly adapted six-speed ZF automatic transmission of the Quattroporte Sedan, on which platform the coupe is based. When in Sport mode, the ZF is functionally almost as quick as the GranSport's abrupt clutch pedaless manual, but with the vast advantage of a Drive mode that works as such, not as a stuttering compromise.The auto is better almost all of the time and far better suited to the grand touring remit. Consuming the kilometres with grace is what this Maserati is all about. While Drive mode suffices for the urban crawl, stabbing the Sport button is all but irresistible — gears are held longer, throttle response is enhanced and so too is the engine's already rich timbre. A high-quality sound system is fitted, but who has ears left for that?Sport's transformation over normal mode is made complete by Skyhook adaptive suspension whose automatically and continuous damping ensures the forces generated by the car's 1880kg kerb weight go to where they count during cornering.The GranTurismo is indeed a big unit but, come those few occasions you'll find to exploit it without fear of reprimand, it turns in with a fluidity that makes cornering feel intuitive.Even with its hardly negligible 5.2 second 0-100km/h sprint time, there are any number of exotics and performance sleds that leave the Maser in their wake — or would if this land enjoyed autostradas and B-roads of Italian calibre. But we don't.The triumph of this, the world's most beautiful car, is to make you forget where you're driving it.

The car that helped power the back-to-black turnaround at Maserati is now even quicker.The Gran Tourismo has grown an S badge and more muscle to become a boulevard cruiser with a sinister character just waiting for a winding road to explore.The GT was originally developed in only 18 months but has been so successful, alongside the luxury Quattroporte, that it is a crucial part of a plan to lift sales from 8500 to 15,000 cars within five or six years.Maserati cannot keep up with world-wide orders – 1700 customers are still waiting for their cars to be built – but that has not stopped the GT-S from going ahead.The order books are already open in Australia, even though deliveries will not start until early next year.Local importer European Automotive Imports expects to sell 60 next year, along with 120 each of the standard GT and the Quattroporte, even though the price – about $330,000 – will be $30,000 more than the existing model's.The stunningly beautiful four-seater GT-S shares the same DNA as the Alfa 8C Competizione, which we don't get in Australia because it is built in left-hand drive only and shares mechanical components with Ferrari.The standard Gran Turismo is a knockout grand tourer, but the S adds fiery spice to the equation.And what does the S stand for? Maserati says Sport, but it could also stand for spectacular, sensational or sexy. Take your pick, all three apply.But it will take a Maserati train-spotter to pick the changes to the S over the standard GT from a distance.The only clues are the bolder grille, darkened headlights, side skirts, twin oval exhaust pipes and dark 20-inch alloy wheels.Inside are new, body-hugging sports seats.And, the car being at the high end of Italian design, buyers can choose from a range of interior colours.The big change is under the muscular bonnet. The standard GT's 4.2-litre V8, which is supplied by Ferrari, has been massaged in the GT-S to 4.5-litres, with a gain in power from 298 to 323kW at a lofty 7000 revs. Torque is up from 460 to 490Nm at 4750 revs.On the road, the power gain has lowered the 0-100km/h sprint from 5.2 seconds to 4.9 — and a claimed top of 295km/h (up 10km/h) makes it the fastest Maserati in production.That's an impressive set of figures for a car that weighs more than two tonnes when fuelled and carrying two people.To take full advantage of the lift in performance, Maserati swapped the Turismo's six-speed ZF auto gearbox for its in-house designed, electro-actuated semi-automatic box. Shifting is done by large paddles either side of the steering wheel.This smart six-speed transmission is essentially three gearboxes in one, and all three subtly change the character of the car on the road.The new robotised MC (Maserati Corsa) gearbox has been moved from the front to between the rear wheels for better weight distribution of 53 per cent to the rear and 47 per cent to the front.Providing certain criteria are met, the MC system pre-engages the next gear so gear engagement is made in 40 milliseconds and the entire gear change is completed in 100 milliseconds — substantially faster than a driver can move a traditional gear stick. On the roadI reckon Maserati has missed a golden chance to promote theGT-S. It should have recorded the deep-set V8 engine growl and sold it to mobile-phone users as a ring tone.The sound from the twin exhausts is reasonably restrained and neighbourhood friendly in normal mode, but select manual sports mode and most of the exhaust gas is rerouted to bypass the muffler.The GT-S comes alive, aggressive and loud. The wonderful exhaust note, complete with a howling bark and cackle on down-changing and over-run, is magic, especially when amplified in the narrow streets of Modena.The new semi-auto gearbox is so diverse it gives the car three distinct driving characteristics.You can leave it as a conventional full automatic, or a semi auto with the driver doing the changes via the steering wheel paddles (and changing the engine exhaust note). And you can go the full monty and have the added MC performance of super-quick changes in sports mode.Despite the gorgeous styling, there is no hiding the size of the GT-S, but getting two tonnes to 100km/h in less than five seconds is impressive. It reflects how well the torque is delivered, especially above 3200 revs.The bad news: fuel consumption is not impressive, even though Maserati has made an effort to make the engine more efficient. The Euro fuel figures are 21.6 litres/100km urban cycle, 10.0 litres/100km on the highway and 14 litres/100km for combined cycle.Nor is it a clean, green engine. It produces 330g/km of CO2.To put that in perspective, at least three cities in Germany are banning cars from city centres if they produce more than 160g/km of CO2.The conundrum for the GT-S engineers was to design a car that offers supercar performance with luxury car comfort.It's a marriage that works. Road-holding is exceptional and balanced. It sits wonderfully flat on the road and mid-corner acceleration produces little in the way of weight transfer, though the steering can be a little slow in the twisty stuff.As expected, the ride is firm — even on smooth European roads — but I will reserve judgment on the ride quality until it is tested on more familiar Aussie roads.Maserati says the main rivals for the GT-S will be the Porsche 911 Carrera S and the Aston Martin DB9.Is it good enough to beat them? Definitely. Snapshot Maserati GT-SPrice: $330,000Engine: 4.7-litre V8Power: 323kW at 7000 revsTorque: 490Nm at 4750 revsTransmission: MC-Shift electro-actuated six-speed gearboxPerformance: 0-100km/h in 4.9 seconds, top speed 295km/hEconomy: 25.2l/100km city, 11.3l/100km highway; 16.4l/100km combined (European figures)Emissions: 385g/km CO2 

Normally I'd wax lyrical about how this car will affect your senses, the aural music created by the quad exhaust pipes and the gravity forces affecting the driver's body through high-speed bends.Then there's the sumptuous leather cabin, the richness of the timber trim and the clarity of instruments, not to mention the new, full figure sexy body.But not this time.Because for the few times that I've previous driven a Maserati, this was the first time that nothing went wrong. And that is so remarkable that it almost rates above the driving experience. It didn't squeak or rattle. Nothing fell off. The doors opened with ease and the radio was audible. Yes, you'd expect that for near-on $300,000. But in previous models, you didn't get the Q-word.Quality, it seems, was a bit thin on the ground in the 1980s and 1990s.I remember a Maserati of the early 1980s that seemingly was assembled from a distance.So bad was the fit and finish it was highly likely that workers stood at some distance from the creeping production line and threw bits at it in the hope that some would stick.Another Maserati rattled so much the radio was useless, and another started losing weight mid-journey by jettisoning parts. Window winder, lower dashboard trim and something unidentifiable that dropped from under the dash were three that broke free on my small trip.Driving the latest GranTurismo could have been a journey back. But to my surprise, it wasn't. This new car — the latest Maserati and the one that could prise well-heeled enthusiasts out of their Ferraris, Lamborghinis and Astons — is simply beautiful to drive.Gone is that dreadfully clunky semi-automatic gearbox that marked the brand as painfully sporty.Now there's a silky-smooth ZF six-cog box. It even has shifters on the steering wheel if you simply must change gears yourself. The build finish is superb and only matched by the quality — there's that word in a Maserati article for the first time — of the materials.The dashboard is attractive and as easy to use as a Camry. Everything is laid out so neatly it not only defies historic Maserati trends, it is at odds with the Made-In-Italy badge.And it seats four adults. No kidding! A two-door coupe that fits two adults in the back. It was so novel that I tried it and even my 177cm frame was comfortable.The boot is accommodating enough to fit a golf bag, primarily because there's no spare tyre. There's an aerosol kit, so lots of luck.The simple fact is that the standard 20-inch wheels don't fit in the boot.Now that we've established that this one is going to stay together, let's take it for a punt.This is a big car. It's based on Maserati's four-door Quattroporte saloon with a margin snipped out of the wheelbase.So in the flesh it's a bulky car that sits quite high for a coupe and stretches far enough to need park sensors.It's also heavy and crests the 2-tonne mark with two occupants and fuel. Remember, this is primarily a GT and not a track racer.Countering all this is the Ferrari-sourced 4.2-litre V8 engine that despite its meaty power, is quite uninspiring.Sure, the exhaust pipes will bark and howl and the engine will make a muted mechanical gargle, but the auto gearbox softens the blow.In the old model the semi-auto would sound like a rabid dog gnashing its teeth centimetres from your face, so it felt fast. But the fact is it is fast. Maserati claims that the 100km/h sprint arrives in 5.2 seconds, which is Ferrari territory. The ride is surprisingly compliant and the cabin remains quiet. It's a very relaxed ride.The seats are supportive, the steering wheel falls easily to hand and the gauges simple and communicative. There's a premium audio system and a sat-nav system that doesn't need an electronic engineering degree to operate.The car's bulk will be invisible to drivers who stay on gazetted roads, though on closed roads the kilos are noticed.It can point and shoot corners with ease, though the brake pedal needs increasing pressure to slow it down. The steering is perfect for touring though in close quarters needs a few extra turns to make a tight corner.But I'm penny-pinching. This is a beautiful car and the surprise is that it's a Maserati.At last — a Maserati that looks as good as it's built.    SnapshotMaserati GranTurismoPrice: $292,800Engine: 4.2-litre, V8, quad-camPower: 295kW @ 7100rpmTorque: 460Nm @ 4750rpmAcceleration: 0-100km/h in 5.2 secondsFuel: premium, 86-litre tankEconomy: 14.3 litres/100km (claimed), 16.9 litres/100km (tested)CO2 emissions: 335g/km (Corolla: 175g/km)Transmission: 6-speed automatic, sequential, paddle-shifters; rear-driveBrakes: 4-wheel 330mm vented, cross-drilled discs; ESC, ABS, EBD, traction control, brake assistTurning circle: 10.7mSuspension: double wishbone, coilsWheels: 20-inch alloyTyres: 245/35R20 (front); 285/35R20 (rear); no spareDimensions (MM): 4881 (l), 1847 (w), 1353 (h), 2942 (wheelbase)Weight: 1880kgWarranty: 3 year/unlimited km, roadside assistFor: Performance, comfort, driving easeAgainst: Visibility, no spare tyre 

Do not mistake this for a GranSport replacement. That was the message from Maserati this week as it launched what will surely prove to be the most beautiful new car of the year. The beguiling GranTurismo coupe will sit between the would-be Porsche 911-rivalling GranSport and the Quattroporte exotic/executive saloon.At least that's what Maserati says. Having experienced the versatility of this superb grand tourer in the Italian Alps, we'd say the newcomer upstages both. Its to-die-for design may belie it, but the newcomer is essentially a derivative of the saloon though with two fewer doors and 110kg less strain on the scales. Despite that it's a still thumping 1880kg.The GranTurismo also shares the saloon's drivetrain, namely the same delicious Ferrari-derived 4.2-litre V8 married to a six-speed ZF automatic transmission with sport mode and manual function via paddle shifters or the gearstick.Positioned as a rival for everything from Bentley's Continental GT, BMW's 650i, Jaguar's XKR and the Mercedes-Benz CL 500, the GranTurismo will be priced between $290,000-$300,000.The precise price will be announced when the Maser stops traffic at the Australian International Motor Show in Sydney in October.Local deliveries begin in the same month, most of the 2007 allocation having been pre-sold. Australian spec cars receive as standard 20-inch rims, Skyhook adaptive suspension, Bose upgraded stereo and comfort front seats.That operatic 295kW/460Nm V8 lacks low-down torque but gets the GranTurismo to 100km/h from standing in a claimed 5.2 seconds - a time which would necessitate use of the sport mode. Almost as impressively, the big GT can go from that speed to zero in 35m. The newcomer might not be intended to supplant the older coupe, but it's tough to imagine it not taking customers.Seating four adults in luxurious comfort, the GranTurismo is almost 4.9m long, with minimal overhangs on a wheelbase that's been reduced by 123cm from the Quattroporte, but retains a useful 260-litre boot capacity.Capable of relaxed and comfortable daily use, the coupe comes into its own when presented with a challenging road. It's a superbly balanced (weight distribution is 49:51) and confidence-inspiring handler.A bewildering array of cosmetic options, including 19 possible exterior colours, 10 shades of leather upholstery with various stitching and trim options (even the Brembo brakes come in a choice of five colours), ensure that no two GranSports will be precisely the same.Australia is Maserati's ninth-biggest market. The GranTurismo is expected to thrust local sales of the feted marque past 200 next year.    Snapshot Maserati GranturismoPrice: $290,000-$300,000 (est)Economy: 14.3L/100km combinedEngine: 4.2L V8, 295kW, 460Nm, 0-100km/h 5.2 secsVerdict: Weepingly beautiful, the GranTursimo is at home on the freeway and the B-road. 

Almost every sportscar worth its fuel bill has a sports button. Few, however, have one as effective as the GranSport's.Punch the button on the centre console and Dr Jekyll becomes Mr Hyde — but watch out, this one can really bite.Choosing the sport option alters not only the engine and transmission mapping — sharpening shift responses and change points — but winds down the suspension to tooth-rattling firmness while pushing the traction control "nanny" further into the background as well as adding an extra edge to the steering sharpness.The final touch is an aural treat. An electronically controlled pneumatic valve system opens the exhaust and turns the pussycat purr from the 295kW 4.2-litre V8 into a jungle rumble.The sound of the engine blipping on downshifts is grand, almost enough to make you forgive the super-aggressive 6-speed Cambiocorsa transmission.The wheel-mounted paddles come easily to hand — not that common in the world of F1-styled paddle-shifts — and that is good, as there is no other option for manual shifting. However, it is the thumping aggression of the changes that make using the clutchless manual-style box either a love-it or hate-it proposition. You can opt to select the auto button but, while that frees you from paddle-work, the gearbox retains its attitude.While the sport mode does give the GranSport a true performance character, in reality it is impossible to live with for any length of time on the average Sydney road surface. Keep it as a special treat to be savoured in those focussed moments.Aesthetically, the Maserati GranSport loses nothing to its rivals. All Italian from the trident mounted on the mesh grille under its purposeful Roman nose to the flaring flanks, it is a fine example of what elicits passion in automobile aficionados. But slide inside and the experience is truly enhanced.The interior is welcoming and encompassing with extremely comfortable sports seats, a steering wheel with leather on the main grip areas and a squared-off carbon fibre top with an embedded silver centering mark.The small central lever, with its lift-and-pull action for reverse, is a bit twee for the car.The seat insert and trim material is both stylish — it should be, having been developed by a leading Italian fashion house — and effective at providing seat-of-the-pants grip.However, it is not all chianti and aged parmesan. There are some things — important things — that really should be better in a car of this stature. Potentially the most critical is the relationship of the accelerator to the brake. In the reverse of what is ideal, the accelerator pedal sits proud of the brake making it not uncommon to catch it with the outside of the foot on the way to the brake.A surge when retardation is needed can really get adrenalin flowing. Problem solved if you left-foot brake — but in reality, that is just a way around an issue that shouldn't exist.Annoying, but not as crucial, is the difficulty reaching some of the comfort controls set back in the stylishly scalloped centre console.The squashed top on the steering wheel also has a way of obscuring the upper areas of the instrument panel.But back to the good stuff. The biggest improvement in the new GranSport is in the steering feel. Previously an area in which Maserati trailed its natural rivals by some distance, it is now on a par with most and close to the best.