Maserati upgrades GranTurismo Sport

Maserati maximised exposure of its facelifted GranTurismo Sport by revealing it at the Geneva motor show this week. In a largely restrained facelift, Maserati has given the GranTurismo Sport a new front bumper with gaping air intakes either side of the unchanged grille, as well as new headlights with “DRL (daytime running lights) LED technology.” Other than detail differences below the grille, the frontal treatment is not dissimilar to the current GranTurismo MC Stradale. Although the company says the new, “functionally designed” bumper “optimises the front air flows for both engine and brake cooling” its main purpose appears to be the provision of a more aggressive, contemporary look for the front-engine, rear-drive coupe. Maserati also says the GranTurismo’s rear end also gets new tail lights “in an elegant, more aggressive, darker tone.” Inside, the car benefits from redesigned front and rear seats, as well as a new, more ergonomic steering wheel. The skinnier-backed front seats allow for 20mm of extra rear-seat legroom. Perhaps most importantly, the GranTurismo Sport gets a power boost, with its 4.7-litre V8 bumped from 323kW in the current model to 338kW. Maximum torque is 520Nm. Maserati says the extra power (quoted in Euro kilowatts and probably subject to change when the facelifted Maser arrives in Australia late this year) does not affect fuel consumption or emissions figures. Zero to 100km/h acceleration is quoted at 4.7 seconds for the six-speed electro-actuated MC Shift transmission version and 4.8 seconds when equipped with the also six-speed MC Auto Shift ZF automatic transmission. Top speed figures are 300km/h and 298km/h respectively. The Gran Turismo Sport also rides on an “evolution” of Maserati’s romantically-named Sport Skyhook system which offers the choice of regular or Sport modes. Braking is by Brembo, using “oxidised blue” six-piston callipers at the front and similar-hue four-piston callipers at the rear, clamping slotted and perforated cast iron/aluminium brake discs. The wheels are humongous: 20-inch “Astro Design” alloys. The GranTurismo is an important car for Maserati. With 2700 cars delivered globally last year it accounted for 44 per cent of the company’s total sales. The biggest market was the US, which accounted for just under 900 sales, followed by China and Italy.