2008 Maserati GranTurismo Review

Touring in Grand Style

The Maserati GranTurismo coupe is both elegant and sporty. It walks the fine line between ultimate comfort and flat-out performance.

The idea of the “grand touring” car dates back to the pre-World War II era. Depending on your viewpoint, it’s usually defined as either a luxury coupe with sporting pretensions or a sports car that emphasizes passenger comfort over sheer performance. Automakers like Alfa Romeo, Bugatti, Maserati, and Mercedes-Benz excelled at producing elegant yet agile cars that combined race-bred performance and technical sophistication with stunning styling; they marked a new peak in automotive artistry.

The rich tradition of "grand touring" cars continues today with high-end coupes like the Maserati GranTurismo. Debuting at the 2007 Geneva Motor Show, the GranTurismo is essentially a two-door alternative to the Italian automaker’s Quattroporte sedan.

The coupe closely follows the time-tested GT formula, which means it’s attractive, powerful, and athletic, but not nearly as hard to handle as a pure sports car like a Dodge Viper or Ferrari F430. This is a high-performance car that's easy to drive on a daily basis.

• Maserati GranTurismo Vehicle Summary

With bodywork drafted in conjunction with Italy’s Pininfarina design house, the Maserati GranTurismo bears a strong resemblance to its four-door counterpart, the Quattroporte. This means it has a long hood, steeply raked windshield, and soft, flowing shapes that run the length of the car. A large and low oval grille prominently bears the automaker’s trident logo and evokes classic Maserati.

As in the Quattroporte, the Maserati GranTurismo packs a lightweight and lusty Ferrari-designed 4.2-liter V8 engine that employs electronic throttle control and generates around 400 horsepower. Expect to pay a gas-guzzler tax for the thrill of being able to reach 60 miles per hour in around five seconds and attain a top speed near 180 mph. A competition-derived stainless steel exhaust system produces an appropriately throaty sound when the accelerator is depressed.

The only gearbox available on the Maserati GranTurismo is the six-speed automatic that is also offered in the Quattroporte. It adapts to driving style and can delay shifts up to 7,100 rpm for maximum thrust. While enthusiasts may wonder why the automaker’s Ferrari-sourced DuoSelect sequential-shift transmission is not offered, they need only look to Maserati’s experience with the Quattroporte, which initially lost sales because it lacked a traditional automatic. While a sequential-shifter is the gearbox of choice for Ferraris and other ultra-high-performance models, the company’s market research indicated that potential buyers favored a smoother-operating shifter with more refined around-town performance.

• See all Maserati models in the Maserati Showroom

The Maserati GranTurismo’s handling benefits from rear-wheel drive and a nearly even front-to-rear weight ratio (49/51 percent), along with a fully independent four-wheel double-wishbone suspension that includes anti-dive and anti-squat geometry (to prevent the front end from diving under hard braking and the rear end from squatting under extreme acceleration). Also onboard is Maserati’s oddly named Skyhook continuously variable adaptive damping system that automatically adjusts the suspension for either a smoother ride or grippier handling.

The Maserati GranTurismo includes beefy antilock brakes with electronic brake-force distribution, and the Maserati Stability Program helps keep the coupe from spinning off the road in extreme cornering situations.

Inside, occupants are coddled by rich Poltrona Frau-upholstered leather seats and a handsomely designed dashboard, along with an 11-speaker Bose surround-sound audio system. While the Maserati GranTurismo officially seats four passengers, its sweeping roofline encroaches on rear-seat headroom. All but the most limber adults will have a difficult time entering and exiting the back seat, despite front seats that move completely forward to facilitate ingress and egress. Trunk space is at a premium, but it will carry two sets of golf clubs or an available five-piece luggage set crafted by footwear and handbag designer Salvatore Ferragamo.

The Maserati GranTurismo offers a wide range of customization, with various leather treatments, roof linings, stitching, carpeting, and even different brake caliper colors available.

Check back for a full test-drive.