Posted on February 27th, 2008 by Auto News
This time, Maserati is doing it the proper way around. When the fifth-generation Quattroporte was launched at the 2003 Frankfurt auto show, it was burdened with a complex and jerky semiautomatic that was woefully unrefined for such a posh sedan. Once the Italians realized customers would simply not put up with it??”BMW learned a similar lesson with its SMG in the M5 and M6??”a ZF six-speed automatic transmission was hastily adapted. In the process, the transmission moved from the rear axle to the front of the car.
Maserati learned from the experience, and when the gorgeous GranTurismo was unveiled in Geneva a year ago, it was fitted with the ZF automatic from the outset. A logical choice for a grand-touring coupe that feels more comfortable being admired at the country club than playing with the Corvettes on a racetrack.
Based on a shortened Quattroporte platform, the GranTurismo is a heavyweight among its competitors. Its standard 4.2-liter V-8 needs revs to dance, but the six-speed automatic is not tuned for sporty driving. It doesn??™t blip the throttle when downshifting, which is the case with the autoboxes fitted to the Jaguar XK and Porsche 911 Turbo. Worse, automatic tends to overrule the driver. Even in manual mode, it upshifts at redline, leading to the occasional double-shift. It also reacts to what it interprets as a kickdown command.
The stage is thus properly set for a return of the semiautomatic. Dubbed MC-Shift (think “MC12″), the electro-actuated gearbox formerly known as Cambiocorsa or DuoSelect has been further improved, and it sits at the rear axle, causing a slightly more rear-biased weight distribution.
Good news: The GranTurismo S at the 2008 Geneva auto show comes mated to a new 4.7-liter engine making 434 horsepower, up from the 4.2-liter??™s 400 horses. This is another high-revving engine, true to the Ferrari roots favored by the nouveaux riches and one that most hard-core Maseratisti have made peace with.
What might win over even more die-hards is the classic displacement of 4.7 liters??”paying homage to the marque??™s glorious past. The two models that come closest to the GranTurismo in Maserati??™s heritage are the Mexico and the Indy. Both came with 4.2-liter and 4.7-liter V-8 engines.
Apart from the new engine and gearbox, the GranTurismo S receives fairly subtle upgrades. Bigger, darker wheels don??™t try to hide the Brembo high-performance braking system; the leather-and-Alcantara interior gets newly styled seats with horizontal piping; deep rocker panels have been added; and the quadruple round exhaust trumpets are replaced with double rectangular units (we hesitate to label this change for change??™s sake an upgrade).
No word yet on pricing or dealer availability. But a gap is being filled in the Maserati lineup??”with a semiautomatic befitting the new S 4.7??™s sporting aspirations.
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Posted on January 31st, 2008 by Auto News
Driving
The Maserati??™s 4.2-litre V8 engine, built by Ferrari, is a cracker. Eager, hungry for revs and tuneful, it??™s magic when used hard. There??™s always a bit of delicious background engine and exhaust noise. It??™s fast, too, despite the hefty 1,800kg kerbweight ??“ 0-100mph takes a mere 11.9 seconds! However, it??™s more frustrating in daily use, because of a marked lack of mid-range pull, while the automatic gearbox??™s reluctance to give you full control is frustrating. It is, however, a capable driver??™s car. It??™s not as polished as, say, a Jaguar XKR, but we think its flaws add character. The dampers feel fidgety and it can lose composure on bumpy roads ??“ but, once you??™ve got used to the sharp, light steering and alert chassis, it??™s huge fun, with lots of feedback.
Marketplace
Maserati is one of the most glamorous and evocative automotive brands of all time ??“ and the GranTurismo is more stylish than any German rival. It has exuberance, flair and a real sense of drama and passion. It??™s a huge car, mind, with a long wheelbase, though there are some advantages to this. There??™s just the single engine, gearbox and trim line at the moment, with a very extensive (and expensive) range of bespoke options available. Rivals to the two-door coupe include the Jaguar XKR, Aston Martin V8 Vantage, BMW M6, Mercedes SL and, of course, the Porsche 911.
Owning
The Maserati may have a small boot, but inside, there??™s a real surprise. The long wheelbase provides enough space for a pair of rear seats as roomy as a family hatchback! They even have ISOFIX mountings for child seats. But it??™s up front where the real excitement lies. The rich, tactile materials, shapely steering wheel and chrome-ringed buttons look superb. And while ergonomics are not perfect, they??™re leagues ahead of Maseraris of old. Shame the unintuitive sat nav is lifted straight from a Peugeot, though. There is also a little more wind and road noise than you??™d expect. And as for running costs, prepare for a shock. There are only 16 dealers in the UK, and three visits will cost you ??3,999! The 25,000-mile service alone will cost ??1,757. Luckily, tall gearing means everyday economy won??™t be disastrous, while exceptional retained values should mean you won??™t lose out when you come to sell.
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Posted on December 24th, 2007 by Auto News
We??™re not big fans of calling cars ???sexy,??? but if any one marque??™s cars truly deserve the designation, it??™s those produced by Maserati. Besides beauty, however, Maseratis have always possessed something else: a sporting pedigree born of the brand??™s amazing race cars of the 1920s through ??™50s.
The Quattroporte Sport GT S continues in that tradition. Maserati says the new four-door represents ???the ultimate sporting expression of Maserati??™s flagship model,??? as it goes one step beyond the previously released Q-porte Sport GT.
The GT S uses the same 4.2-liter V-8 and six-speed automatic transmission as does the rest of the Quattroporte lineup.
With the powertrain unchanged, it??™s the GT S??™s revised suspension and brakes that provide the extra spiciness. The suspension has been tuned to what Maser claims is a ???racing setup,??? with new springs and shocks lowering the ride height by 0.4 inch in the front and 1.0 inch at the rear. The Brembo brakes utilize cross-drilled, aluminum-and-iron composite discs all around and new six-piston calipers up front.
The GT S remains breathtakingly good-looking, of course, but gains some menace with a black chrome mesh grille, blacked-out window trim, and body-color door handles in place of chrome.
Sinister 20-inch, seven-spoke wheels are also added. Inside, the instrument panel goes to carbon fiber and rear passengers get more supportive seats.
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Posted on November 22nd, 2007 by Auto News
The Swiss love exotic cars, so it??™s hardly a surprise to see Maserati??™s most important product introduction of the year come to light at the Geneva auto show. Behold the Maserati GranTurismo coupe, penned by Ferrari??™s favorite designer, Pininfarina. Recall that the previous Maserati coupe was a Giugiaro design. Built on a short-wheelbase version of the Quattroporte platform, the coupe carries on with a Ferrari-derived 4.2-liter DOHC V-8 upgraded to produce 405 horsepower. That??™s nine more horses than the previous GranSport coupe could boast and 11 more than the Quattroporte. The only transmission, at least initially, will be the six-speed automatic recently introduced on the Quattroporte, and there are no plans for a convertible in the near future. We estimate the new coupe will wear a $100,000-to-$120,000 price tag when it goes on sale this summer.
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