Never underestimate a car guy on holiday. That's the lesson to be learned by Maserati, which apparently left a Gran Turismo Spyder mule in a lot somewhere in Modena. An eagle-eyed tourist snapped off a handful of pics showing the two-piece roof and articulating trunk in its earliest stages of development. Expect the Gran Turismo Spyder to make its debut in Paris later this year, with sales beginning in early 2009.
Try as we might, there are just some things that words just cannot express. For automotive enthusiasts like us, those things usually have four wheels and, more often than not, come from Italy. Take the Maserati GranTurismo, which only grew more desirable in our eyes with the addition of the 4.7-liter V8 from the even more luscious Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione. We could gladly write all day about its achingly gorgeous lines and impeccable attention to detail, to say nothing of the rip-roaring powertrain, but we just couldn't do it justice. And so we bring you this video, which you can watch after the jump. Enjoy.
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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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As we reported it would be last week, the Maserati Gran Turismo S was on it's way to Geneva and we've finally had some time to caress it with our lens. Featuring the same 4.7-liter 440HP V8 engine developed for the Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione, this updated Maser won't take a backseat to its pricier and swoopier cousin any more. Okay, maybe it will considering it actually HAS a backseat. The upgraded engine is mated to an electro-actuated MC-Shift gearbox mounted on the rear transaxle for optimized weight distribution and faster shifting times. Maserati even put a demo version on display with the car so we could see the improvements firsthand. Going is one thing, stopping another. To that end, Brembo has supplied an upsized brake package, the same one in fact, that is seen on the Quattroporte Sport GT S. It features those trick front brakes that are dual-cast iron/aluminum discs gripped by six-piston aluminum calipers. As you can see from the live images we've added to the gallery, the new wheels, badges and leather/Alcantara interior make this GranTurismo S stand out even when it's standing still. We were just starting to see some of the "regular" GTs on the road, and now Maserati has upped the ante. Honestly, this is what the car should have been all along. Now they just need to develop the convertible to match the recently unveiled 8C pop-top.
Following yesterday's reports, Maserati has released official details and images of the new GranTurismo S ahead of its unveiling in Geneva next week.
As reported, the S version benefits from the same 4.7-liter 440hp V8 engine which Maserati developed for the Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione. The more powerful engine is mated to an electro-actuated MC-Shift gearbox mounted on the rear transaxle for optimized weight distribution and faster shifting times. The extra power is kept in check by the Brembo braking system first used on the Quattroporte Sport GT S, featuring front brakes with dual-cast iron/aluminum discs and six-pot aluminum calipers. As you can see from the official images we've added to the gallery below, the GranTurismo S also benefits from some subtle visual tweaks, including new wheels, and a leather & Alcantara-trimmed interior with sport buckets.
Given the impression the GranTurismo made at its debut at last year's show, we can't wait to get our lenses on the new GranTurismo S.
