One of the big stars at last winter's Geneva International Motor Show, the Maserati GranTurismo has just landed at Auto Modena, in Montreal, the exclusive Maserati retailer in Quebec. Designed by Pininfarina, this stately 4.88-meter-long coupe is further distinguished from the previous GranSport model, which was penned by Italdesign-Giugiaro. Indeed, underneath a far better-executed silhouette, the new Maserati boasts a shortened version of the Quattroporte sedan's platform while standing 12-cm longer than the GranSport, which makes it a true 2+2 coupe. Also, the GranTurismo gets a 6-speed ZF automatic transmission to replace the manual and CambioCorsa sequential gearboxes, which only the purists seemed to appreciate.
Still found under the hood is the Ferrari-sourced 4.2-litre V8 engine that produces 400 horsepower and allows the GranTurismo to sprint from 0 to 100 kph in 5.2 seconds, according to the automaker. Not bad for a "day-to-day" car that proves to be more affordable than ever thanks to a lowered price (credit goes to our strong Canadian dollar). For $139,000, it is yours. But don't wait any longer: only 10 samples can be ordered through Auto Modena and some of them have already been reserved. Meanwhile, our first road test is scheduled for this fall. Stay tuned.
PRELIMINARY SPECIFICATIONS: Wheelbase/length/width/height (cm) : 294 / 488 / 184.7 / 135
Weight : 1,800 kg
Engine : 4.2L V8, 400 hp @ 7,100 rpm
Drivetrain : RWD, 6-speed ZF automatic
Acceleration (company data) : 0-100 kph in 5.2 s
Top speed : 285 kph
Price : starting at $139,000
photo: Alain Raymond, Maserati