Maserati is a company with a deep-rooted racing heritage, and it isn't about to let that fall by the wayside. With that in mind, the Trident marque has released details of its latest competition model, called the GranTurismo MC Corse Concept. We brought you spy shots of a stripped-out, track-bound GranTurismo earlier this month, and this looks to be the ticket. Based on the 430hp GranTurismo S, the MC Corse is destined for the tarmac. The engine has been upgraded with a new intake system, competition-spec catalytic converters and a center-exit exhaust to boost output to 450 horsepower. Grip is enhanced by an increased track along with a new front splitter, a larger rear spoiler, and more aerodynamically efficient side skirts, while the suspension has been upgraded to meet the track surface with 18x12-inch front and 18x13-inch rear wheels fitted with racing slicks. Enlarged brake discs with monobloc racing calipers help keep the power in check, along with an FIA-approved rollcage. Following on the heels of the MC12 Corse, the GranTurismo MC Corse promises to deliver one seriously demonic ride to go with the sinister looks. While this could be the new vehicle Maserati has been hinting at, we have a feeling Modena has another trick up its rolled-up sleeve. Stay tuned.
Head to Maserati's website and you're greeted with a tantalizingly coy poll, asking users to guess what event will take place on October 2nd, the first day of the Paris Motor Show. The overwhelming popular opinion is that a new car will be debuted, possibly the smaller Maser that's supposed to take aim at Porsche. A test mule was spied a while back, though that car didn't have the folding hardtop the new mini-Maserati, based on a hacked-down GranTurismo, is whispered to be carrying. We'll all just have to wait, each day feeling longer than the next. What else could it be, other than a car? The idea of generating such buzz over a new website, logo, or advertising campaign (all three are choices) is ludicrous, but the rest, including a new production facility could seem plausible. Even more intriguing, it could be all of the above.
Spy shots have been circulating the web of an upcoming hard-top convertible from Maserati. But while the Trident marque is known to be developing a convertible version of the big GranTurismo, reports now suggest that the vehicle spied is actually the smaller Porsche-rivaling sportscar previously rumored and spied. Like the Ferrari California, the new model positioned below the GranTurismo is tipped to come only in hard-top convertible form. If that's the case, expect a fast-action retractable roof lighter in weight than a comparable soft-top mechanism but with the added benefits of a solid lid. Again, like the Ferrari, the new small Maserati is expected to have a 2+2 cabin layout, although the rear seats are anticipated to be removable. Power is tipped to come from a smaller version of the 4.2-liter V8 in the base GranTurismo, producing about 350hp and driving the rear wheels through a revised version of the DuoSelect clutchless manual transmission still used in the GranTurismo S instead of the newer ZF six-speed auto in the rest of the Maserati range. Competitive pricing would pit it against the Jaguar XK, BMW 6 Series and Porsche 911. Hard to say at this point if the new model will appear before or after the convertible GranTurismo, but sources suggest it could be ready for unveiling sometime next year, so stay tuned.
First there was the Maserati Gran Turismo. Then came the Gran Turismo S. Then came spy shots of a Gran Turismo Spyder. And now we have spy shots of a low-down, one-seater, roll-cage and plexiglass-window equipped Gran Turismo Trophy edition sporting three huge holes in its hood. The Trophy version is said to have 413 hp, which is down from the 440 hp of the S -- but it would also be a lot lighter. Claimed to have a new ECU and exhaust, the car gets from zero to 62 mph in just four seconds. As best we can tell from the translation, this naked Gran Turismo Trophy edition is meant to compete with the Porsche GT3, or to compete in a U.S. racing series. While we find those possibilities a little odd, they must have built it to compete with something, and no matter what that something is, we say bring it... Follow the link for more spy shots of the race-ready Maser.
When we review a car, at some point we take it out to find a secluded location for a photo shoot. Anyone who does drive by usually keeps on going without asking any questions. Not so with a gleaming Nero black Maserati GranTurismo and a "Where are my sunglasses?" yellow Corvette Z06 sitting side by side. This was the scenario that transpired when fellow Autoblogger Chris Shunk swung by the Ann Arbor office for a joint photo shoot of our respective review vehicles. Corvettes, even screaming yellow Z06s, are pretty commonplace in Michigan. Maseratis, however, are anything but. The GranTurismo sashayed onto the world's automotive stage in March 2007 at the Geneva Motor Show looking right at home in the company of the models who always adorn the displays of Italian marques at such events. Read on to find out what Maserati's latest coupe is like to live with.
More Maseratis can hardly be a bad thing – unless you're one of the unfortunates trying to maintain a BiTurbo without losing your shirt. Modern Masers are sumptuous and beautiful, quintessential expressions of the Gran Turismo idiom. The gloriousness of recent trident-wearing Italians has led to a boom in sales. Maserati is looking at increasing its profitability by expanding the model range downward. A smaller Maserati sports coupe priced in Porsche 911 territory could give sales a further boost, though the swooning economy may not help the exotic brand move units. The car would be based on a hacksawed version of the Gran Turismo's platform, leaving room for only two occupants. A spiffy Maserati in the $80-100,000 range is expected to be capable of moving more than 6,000 per year, powered by the expected V8s, and possibly a V6 for increased efficiency. Mortgaging the house for this vehicle is likely a bad idea, but another choice in the segment and price range that it's expected to occupy has us nodding in approval.
Maseratis are capable of tremendous momentum, and that's exactly what the company has been carrying forward. With only a two-model line-up, Maserati has been hard at work coming out with new variants and updates at every turn. Following on the heels of the GranTurismo and GranTurismo S, the Trident marque is in the process of unveiling the new Quattroporte, but the next batter is already on deck and ready to swing.
Although these spy shots are heavily disguised, the wheels and front end betray a GranTurismo, but the hunched back – like that seen on test mules of the new Ferrari California before its launch – suggest a convertible roof mechanism. While previous reports couldn't ascertain whether the anticipated cabrio version of the elegant GT would incorporate a folding hard-top or more traditional cloth enclosure, the size of the test mule's appendage suggests the former. Reports indicate a launch in March of next year, which could coincide with a public unveiling at the next Geneva show.
The world was stunned when Maserati unveiled the GranTurismo at the 2007 Geneva show, but as beautiful as it is, critics said it wasn't tough enough to take down the competition. The folks from Modena were evidently listening, and one year later laid the beefed-up GranTurismo S on us, complete with 440-hp engine straight out of the Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione.
We brought you a slew of images before and during the show, but now Maserati has been kind enough to grace us with a whole mess of new shots. You know, just in case you didn't want one enough already.
Onwards and upwards seems to be the new battle cry at Maserati. Finally returning to profitability for the first time in 17 years, the company launched the 438-hp GranTurismo S at this year's Geneva Motor Show. So what's next for the Trident marque? Maserati confirmed back in January that the the convertible version of its sumptuous grand tourer will be hitting showrooms by this time next year, translating to a possible motor show debut at Geneva 2009.
The jury is still out on whether the drop-top GT will feature a collapsible hard-top or a more conventional canvas roof. Meanwhile, the roof mechanism could take the place of the rear seats like on the previous-generation Spyder, however the larger size of the GranTurismo could provide for a four-seat open-air experience. Expect a performance penalty due to the extra weight of the roof mechanism, although the S version, with its 8C-derived 438-hp V8, would help mitigate the loss. Whatever form it takes, the new Maserati convertible promises to be a show-stopping stunner to rival Britain's best.
There's really only one thing Maserati could have done to make us want its GranTurismo more than we already did. And from the looks of things, they hit the nail right on the head with the GranTurismo S, the more powerful, more hardcore version of the sport-luxury tourer that the Trident marque unveiled recently at the Geneva Motor Show. In the video after the jump, witness awe-inspiring footage of the GranTurismo S playing ever so gracefully along snaking roads and slow-motion splashing puddles. We're keeping a space in the Autoblog Garage perpetually free in anticipation of this one.
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