Maserati has been working diligently for some time now to bring the GranTurismo into the future. The Italian high-performance top-dollar coupe/convertible has come a long way from its foundation as a collaborative effort between the Trident and the Prancing Horse companies. The original GranTurismo’s exceptionally curvy exterior and opulent interior are as traditional to the nameplate as its Ferrari-derived 4.2-liter V8 engine married to a 6-speed automatic or 6-speed automated manual transmission.
Now, the uber-luxurious GranTurismo is returning for the 2024 model year, sporting styling cues from the equally-new Maserati (Tipo M182) Grecale, a 5-door, 5-passenger luxury C-SUV the Italian automaker put in production in March this year. The GranTurismo will get its power from the Nettune V6 mill introduced with the similarly audacious MC20 Spyder coming in 2023.
It will also get a tri-motor electric powerplant producing more than a thousand horsepower, a far cry from the original 399 horsepower generated from the 4,244 cc 90° V8. Maserati says the new GranTurismo will be available in Modena and Trofeo specifications led by the electric Folgore (Italian for lightning) and the ICE Modena. We expect the V6 GranTurismo coupe to get followed by a GranCabrio “Spyder” version.
The GranTurismo From 2007 To 2019
Human pregnancy typically takes nine months from conception to birth, but can you think of any automobile developed in nine months? The Maserati GranTurismo holds that record. Unveiled at the 2007 Geneva Motor Show, the car boasts a drag coefficient of 0.33, while the engine got mated to a 6-speed ZF automatic transmission producing 399 horsepower.
Maserati produced the GranTurismo along with the Tipo M145 GranCabrio from 2007 until 2019. Both are GT series developed on a 2-door, 2-passenger architecture derived from the Maserati Quattroporte V’s M139 platform but got powered by a 4.2-liter (259 cu-in) V8 engine collaboratively developed with Ferrari. Featuring a double-wishbone front and rear “multilink” suspension system, both GTs prioritized high-performance and passenger comfort.
Maserati produced 28,805 GranTurismos, including variants S (2008 – 2012), MC (2009 – 2010), MC Sport Line (2009 – 2019), Sport (2012 – 2019), and MC Stradale (2011 – 2015). The GranCabrio variants include Sport (2011 – 2019), Fendi (2011), and MC (2013 – 2019) – 11,715 in total.
Maserati also offered special editions of the GranTurismo. They include the 5000 GT-inspired Touring Sciadipersia unveiled at the 2018 Geneva Motor Show, with a GranCabrio version of the Sciadipersia introduced the following year. Maserati wrapped up the GranTurismo lineup with a one-off model called the Zeda, painted in a gradient of blue, black, and white colors.
The GranTurismo Specifications And Engines
The original GrandTurismo’s stamped and boxed steel chassis is a shortened version of the 5th-gen Quattroporte’s M139 platform, with the engine pushed back past the front wheel’s centerline within the wheelbase. The wheelbase got shortened by 4.7 inches and 3.1 inches in the rear overhang, while two aluminum subframes at the front and rear complement the steel-sectioned chassis.
Both the GranTurismo coupe and GranCabrio spyder featured a front mid-mounted engine and RWD architecture. This layout helped give the GranTurismo a near-perfect 49:51 front-to-rear weight distribution.
The hood is made of aluminum, the trunk, a single-sheet molding compound, and the body panels made of steel. All eight GranTurismo variants utilized the same 90° V8 engine, albeit with slightly different power outputs, from the GranTurismo’s 399 horsepower at 7,100 rpm and 339 lb-ft of torque at 4,750 rpm to MC Stradale’s 454 hp at 7,000 rpm and 384 lb-ft of torque at 4,750 rpm.
The GranTurismo Transmission And Performance
The GranTurismo could sprint from static to 62 mph in 5.2 seconds, while the Stradale could make the distance in 4.5 seconds. Depending on the variant, a torque converter 6-speed automatic and 6-speed automated manual gearbox was available with both the GranTurismo and GranCabrio. This is the same ZF-supplied 6HP26 automatic transmission system found in the Maserati Quattroporte.
It has Auto Normal Mode, Auto Sports Mode, Auto ICE Mode, and Manual Mode, while the automated manual has Manual Normal and Manual Sport, Manual Sport with MC-Shift, Auto Normal, Auto Sport, and Auto ICE modes. The F136 V8 engine propels the GranTurismo to a top speed of 177 mph, although the higher trims like the Stradale and GranTurismo S can achieve 188 mph and 183 mph top speed, respectively.
What We Know About The New V6-Powered Maserati GranTurismo
The Maserati GranTurismo you see in these pictures is almost ready to debut later this year, but that isn't stopping the proud Trident from showing off sneak peeks of just how cool the comeback GTs really are. If you’re familiar with the original GranTurismo, then you can see that the new V6 offering is a redesigned GranTurismo.
We now have confirmed performance specifications of the full-electric GranTurismo Folgore variant. It will have three e-motors, one at the front axle and two at the rear. All three will generate a combined 1,200 horses and propel the car from a standstill to 60 mph in a breezy 2.6 seconds. That should translate to a 200 mph top speed.
Maserati claimed a DC fast charger adds 100 miles of range to the battery in 10 minutes. That's as impressive as the 800-volt system you see in Formula E race cars. By the way, the Trident is bracing for a Formula E campaign come 2023. Considering the MC20 uses a 6-speed automatic drivetrain, it’s safe to say the new GranTurismo will do likewise.
We’ll soon know more about the ICE-powered GranTurismo Modena and Trofeo variants. But we can tell you right now they will share the same 3.0-liter Nettuno V6 engine making 621 horsepower and 538 lb-ft of torque in the Maserati MC20 that entered production in March. That means we can expect the Modena and Trofeo to generate a similar power output.
You see the “75th” script with the Trident logo? That’s a salute to the model the Italian automaker respects as the marque’s GT class progenitor, the Maserati A6 1500.