2005 Maserati GranSport coupe
GENEVA, SWITZ: Hard on the heels of the launch of its Quattroporte sedan, the Maserati division of Ferrari unveiled its fourth model -- the 2005 GranSport coupe -- at the auto show here.
When GranSport joins the trident line this summer, said Maurizio Parlato, president and CEO Ferrari/Maserati North America, it will present ''an exciting alternative to the current Coupé, and as such, has been treated to series of new enhancements that give it a very powerful temperament indeed.''
GranSport's ''harmonious volumes are beautifully combined with more muscular, aerodynamic forms,'' explained Parlato, and that resulted in a drag-coefficient of 0.33, which he said is one of the best in the category.
On top of that, said Parlato, ''an almost total absence of oversteer and improved front-wheel drivability and precision make it very easy to handle, and ensure that drivers will be able to really put it and themselves through their paces in complete safety.''
Maserati GranSport's normally aspirated 4.2-litre V8 has all the structure of the most advanced racing engines, noted Parlato, with dry sump lubrication and twin overhead camshafts for each cylinder bank, with four valves per cylinder hydraulic tappets. The intake cams also feature variable phase timing.
Its maximum power is 400 hp and about 335 lb.-ft. of torque, which is good enough to propel the GranSport to 100 kmh from zero in about 4.8 seconds.
The Maserati GranSport is available only with the six-speed electro-hydraulic transmission in which the gears are changed using paddles mounted behind the steering wheel, a feature that Parlato said further enhances the car's sporty personality.
''The Cambiocorsa system allows drivers to choose between various gear shifting modes (Normal, Sport, Automatic and Low Grip), and in the case of the Maserati GranSport, is controlled by specific software,'' explained Parlato.
''Even with respect to already very highly developed Coupé Cambiocorsa system, the Sport mode in the GranSport offers 35 percent faster gear changing on average and also boasts automatic heeling and toeing to make dropping down a gear even faster.''