Maserati Gran Turismo

[Speedster502]

Mere hours after bringing you the oh-so-sexy sketches of the new Maserati coupe, we can now reveal the first photos and a few concrete details about what is officially being called the GranTurismo.

That's GranTurismo in homage to Maserati's first-ever road car - the 1947 Pininfarina-designed A6 GT. And Pininfarina's hand is in evidence in the design of this latest 2+2.

Due to be officially unveiled at the Geneva motor show, the GranTurismo isn't quite as pornographic as the preliminary sketches - but then it was never going to be.

It's still a striking design though; the great bulging bonnet sweeping back from the scowling grill into a high, pinched rear.

Those three gill-like holes just aft of the front arch are a nod to the Quattroporte, but the overall impression is far more aggressive and stylised than Maserati's four-door saloon or the current Coupe.

As expected, the GranTurismo is powered by a V8 - a 4.2-litre block putting out 405bhp.

With 49/51 front/rear weight distribution - an extraordinary statistic for a front-engined car - it should be an engaging drive, especially if the promised auto 'box turns out to be the well-sorted new six-speed ZF from the Quattroporte, instead of the cursed Cambiocorsa auto-manual abomination.

A potential Ferrari-beater? The GranTurismo will definitely be thereabouts, especially if rumours of a GranSport model - with a 450bhp 4.7-litre V8 nicked from Alfa's 8C Competitizione - are true.

Roll on Geneva...

Named after the brilliant game. Yey a new, new Maserati not a old design revised.


This could be the new face of Maserati (Since the MC12 was a huge disaster). I have to say it looks amazing as far as Masers go. There is going to be sometrue battles if this comes out between Ferraris 599 (Or similar), Alfas 8C and of course this. So what do you guys think.
Also maserati have made this strange thing.
Coupe de grace
If the prospect of seeing the new BMW M3 and Bentley coupe isn't enough to get your automotive juices flowing ahead of the Geneva motor show in a fortnight's time, how about this for a clincher?

These are the first sketches of the new Maserati Coupe, due to debut at the International Motor Show in early March. Suddenly two weeks seems like a very long time to wait.

The Coupe looks to be based on a shortened version of the Quattroporte, and should be available in three different body styles - Spyder, 2+2 and hardtop convertible.

Under the bonnet, well, we're not promising anything, but best guesses indicate that the Coupe will be powered by the 4.3-litre V8 from Ferrari's F430.

However, there are rumblings that Maserati could even bore that engine out to five litres to produce 470bhp, while at the lower end of the power scale, the option of a reworked BiTurbo version of the V6 from Alfa's 159 has also been mooted.

Although the previous generation Coupe was styled by Italian genius Giorgetto Giugiaro, Maserati has put the design of the new Coupe in the hands of Pininfarina - responsible for the Quattroporte, as well as the Ferrari Enzo and P4/5.

If you hadn't guessed yet, we reckon it looks gorgeous. How much of the hyper-muscular swooping styling makes it to production remains to be seen.

But if it turns out to look even a 10th as good as these sketches, we'll happily sell our family pets to unscrupulous fast food manufacturers to lay our hands on one.

Heel, Fido.

Maser seem to have been very busy lately.

 

[TheCracker]

Looking nice 👍 - although it does remind me of the RX-8...

Was the MC12 a disaster? - they pre-sold all 50 cars they were planning on making.

 

[Famine]

Was the MC12 a disaster? - they pre-sold all 50 cars they were planning on making.

Not to mention winning 2 out of 4 races in the 2004 FIA GT and the 2005 and 2006 FIA GT titles outright.

 

[G.T]

Car porn!

But the rear does remind me a little of the new Mondeo:

 

[Dave A]

That is sex on wheels, Maserati's done it again .

Oh and speedster, it's not named after the game.

 

[1X83Z]

Is everyone aware that they can probably afford the outgoing model?

http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.j...s=&transmission=&max_price=40000&cardist=2297

Thanks Maserati - loving the depreciation.

 

[Dave A]

But you know what, I never thught I'd say this but the Masrati coupe doesn't hold a candle to this. This is just spot on imo. Anyone have any idea of the price ranges this car will be fitting into?

 

[1X83Z]

But you know what, I never thught I'd say this but the Masrati coupe doesn't hold a candle to this. This is just spot on imo. Anyone have any idea of the price ranges this car will be fitting into?

Given the stats, probably about as much as a Quattroporte, maybe as much as a Quattroporte Sport GT, whatever that is in your market. Here it's $105k-$130k.

 

[exigeracer]

Amazing. Well done.

I think it looks better on the model than the sketch, though. Maybe that's only because it was first to load on the page. Either way, amazing looking car.

 

[Poverty]

I like some aspect designs but im not too sure on others. Its defiently aggressive looking, but Im not too sure about how the rear end looks.

I'll make a better judgement when I see it IRL and in black.

 

[Dave A]

Amazing. Well done.

I think it looks better on the model than the sketch, though. Maybe that's only because it was first to load on the page. Either way, amazing looking car.

It's not just you, I think the model looks better than the sketch as well.

 

[Speedster502]

Oh and speedster, it's not named after the game.

Yeh I knew that it is just strange that the game (GT) has the same name as a Maserati is this perhaps the creator of GT dream car so he called it that who knows if any one does know why he called it that then please feel free to tell me.
In my opinion the MC12 was a disater because although the looks were very good but the fact it was built on the same basis of the Ferrari Enzo comparing it to that you can see where they went wrong. But admittdly it dos very well in FIA GT racing.

 

[TheCracker]

Yeh I knew that it is just strange that the game (GT) has the same name as a Maserati is this perhaps the creator of GT dream car so he called it that who knows if any one does know why he called it that then please feel free to tell me.

Grand Turismo is Italian for grand tourer, which referes to a sports orientated car with the comfort to drive long distances in. The name 'GT' which has been used on many, many cars is just short for Grand Turismo

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gran_Turismo_(racing)

In my opinion the MC12 was a disater because although the looks were very good but the fact it was built on the same basis of the Ferrari Enzo comparing it to that you can see where they went wrong. But admittdly it dos very well in FIA GT racing.

It was built mainly for homologation purposes - so Maserati could be competative in GT racing. Basing it on the Enzo was to save costs.

 

[Dave A]

Gran Turismo is just the Italian term for Grand Touring the game gran Turismo is simply using that as it's name. It's often abbreviated as GT and is meerely a type of car, ie sports car, city car ect.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_Touring
For example, an Aston Martin DB9 is a Gran Tourer, or Gran Turismo car, car's have been named after this for many decades. I believe Masterati has named a car the Gran Turismo in the past.

 

[Speedster502]

You know I am going to shut up as you guys seem to be biting my head off every time I say something wrong. I love cars but aint good at history(Apart from I am good at aston Martins history) or silly naming techniques. So please stop trying to bit my head off for only stating my opinion.

 

[TheCracker]

You know I am going to shut up as you guys seem to be biting my head off every time I say something wrong. I love cars but aint good at history(Apart from I am good at aston Martins history) or silly naming techniques. So please stop trying to bit my head off for only stating my opinion.

We're not biting your head off - just trying to fill in your knowledge gaps.

 

[Dave A]

Sorry, I'm not biting your head off. You asked for us to tell you if we knew why it was called that. That's all that me and TheCracker have done. Just being helpfull thats all .

 

[Speedster502]

But I like Audis though. Tell me what is wrong with an Audi and Poverty you even have one as an avatar so what on earth are you on about? i like most Audis apart from the A2 and A3.

 

[jammyozzy]

Oh god I want one!

That's instantly one of my favourite looking cars ever, I really love that front end, and even if they're similar to the Mondeo's those tail lights look so much better that way up. Gorgeous. 👍

 

[franz]

Good news for Maserati fan, I think this one looks very good except the rear is lacking personality, maybe too aston martin or too modern looking? If I have the money I will definitely buying a Maserati over any other GTs, good to know the used ones are cheap, so I have a better chance to own one

 

[Philly]

I will have to agree that the actual model looks far better than the sketches. The sketch looks like a nineties far-flung concept car trying to portray what cars will look like in 30 years.

I don't exactly know what to say about the car, though. The styling looks great but that's about it. I could recognize most of the front as a maser, but the rest is quite the stretch. I really like the rear, probably because it is fresh and unique for an italian car.

Oh, the more I look at it, the more I see wrong with the front. Can't wait to see one on the road.

 

[Keef]

I think this new car looks great. It's much more advanced than the old car and it actually looks like they took some time to design it, whereas the old one looked like a jellybean with it's ass chopped flat. Not to mention the old gransports--what the heck did they need runningboards on a sports car for? This car doesn't remind me of any foods so far, so I like it.

 

[Speedster502]

As you said at least it doesnt look like all the previous Maseratis for the last 1000 years. The Mc12 has been the only diffrent Maser for ages the rest have looked the same. But this one is definatley a looker.

 

[Metar]

maybe too aston martin

Bingo! I knew there was something oddly familiar about the rear.

This is quite a car Maserati's got there. I like it. It's got this strange quality about it - dunno what it is, but this is just attractive. Sex on Wheels.

And depreciation means I'll get it when I'm 25


And 49/51 Weight-distribution? Is it possible with a front-positioned engine? Gotta be a light engine...

 

[Dougboy]

As a design, it looks very nice, one of the sexiest coupes out there. But i think its a bit too aggressive as a maserati. The company is more known as a GT car manufacturer and perhapse it might lose some of the elegance due to the sporty design

 

[YSSMAN]

I've been known to lick Maserati's boots every once in a while when it comes to their cars, and this one is no exception; Simply stunning. The lines are crafted so gracefully, and yet they are not overwrought or offensive in any way. I quite fancy the current Quattroporte and the GranSport, and this appears to be a good combination of both models.

I applaud Maserati for choosing the ZF 6-speed slushbox, as their former F1-inspired transmission was never all that graceful unless it was being pushed at the limit. I believe the ZF unit is the same as what is found in the DB9 over at Aston, and although it has been cited as a transmission that likes to overheat, I doubt it will be much of an issue with this car.

It will be interesting to see the car stacked up against the DB9 and the Jaguar XKR in the future, as they being two of my favorite British cars (the Jaguar in particular), should put up an interesting fight.

 

[Wolfe]

This new Maserati sure looks neat. Let's discuss it further.

 

[Slicks]

Looks. Awesome.

Very agressive front end, and nice 'n' low. The wheels look... Unique. In a good way.

Can't wait for some interior shots.

 

[harrytuttle]

I'm seeing three cars: the current Coupe in the middle, the Mondeo slapped on the rear, and a E-Type Lighweight front end. And, no, none of them belong together. Especially with those origami wheels.

 

[Tornado]

This could be the first Peninfarina design that doesn't look like total ass in nearly a decade. Though I'm sure they won't fix the problems outlined by harry above, so maybe not.