The latest addition to the Maserati range is
the Maserati GranSport, a new model celebrating the concept of
sportiness at the heart of all of the Trident’s Grand Tourers, due to be
unveiled to the world for the first time at Geneva’s International Motor
Show. The new car, which joins the Coupé and Spyder in the Maserati
range, goes on sale next summer. The GranSport’s name alone suggests its
eager thoroughbred GT spirit, the kind of spirit that can provide plenty
of fun on demand for the driver. The GranSport name also has a special
symbolic significance for the Trident as it was first used in the 1950s
for an elegant two-litre coupe designed by the Carozzeria Frua on the
base of the famous A6 G.
The new GranSport, however, is designed to offer 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.
AN AERODYNAMIC THOROUGHBRED
The Maserati GranSport’s harmonious
volumes are beautifully combined with more muscular, aerodynamic forms,
the fruit of much testing in the wind tunnel aimed at improving the Cx
value and achieving a balanced division of the vertical loads (Cz)
between the front and rear axles. The result is that the Maserati
GranSport has a Cx of 0.33, one of the very best in its category. An
almost total absence of oversteer and improved front-wheel drivability
and precision make it very easy to handle too and ensure that drivers
will be able to really put it and themselves through their paces in
complete safety.
Work on the new model’s aerodynamics has led to the addition of
newbumpers. The front one, in fact, has a very pronounced lower spoiler
with side bars elegantly integrated into the body itself, while the
luggage compartment deck has been given a discreet yet equally
efficientspoiler lip. The new aerodynamic features associated with the
fact that the set-up is now 10 mm lower, result in a two point
improvement in the Cx value and translate into clear benefits for the
driver. In fact, the Maserati GranSport offers a truly blistering drive,
thanks to its direct, precise steering and excellent stability at high
speeds.
The traditional Trident elegance is there too in the classic chrome
grille reminiscent of the Quattroporte’s. The grilles over the air vents
on the rear bumper are chrome too. The Maserati GranSport’s sporty look
is completed by new 19” wheels inspired by the ones sported by the cars
in the Maserati Trofeo Championship, with spokes forming a very
attractive Trident.
400 HP V8 ENGINE
The Maserati GranSport’s normally
aspirated 4,244 cm3 V8 has all the structure of the most advanced racing
engines with dry sump lubrication and twin overhead camshafts per
cylinder bank with four valves per cylinder hydraulic tappets. The
intake cams also feature variable phase timing.
Its maximum power delivery has been upped from the original 390 hp to
400 hp too, thanks to special development work to reduce internal
attrition and careful work on the intake manifolds and valve seats. The
engine has been combined with a sports exhaust system that is instantly
recognisable, thanks to the unusual design of its twin chrome exhausts
and was designed to give enthusiasts that instantly recognisable deep,
full-bodied rumble. Thanks to an electronically controlled pneumatic
valve system, even more can be made of the exhaust by pressing the
“Sport“ button on the central console too.
CAMBIOCORSA
TRANSMISSION
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
further enhances the car’s sporty personality. The Cambiocorsa systems
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. Even with respect to
already very highly developed Coupé Cambiocorsa system, the Sport mode
in the GranSport offers 35% faster gear changing on average and also
boasts automatic heeling and toeing to make dropping down a gear even
faster. Thanks to the new Cambiocorsa software, the Maserati GranSport
can sprint a whole kilometre from standstill in a breathtaking 23
seconds flat.
The gear shift ratios are specific too, with the adoption of a sixth
gear that is 5% longer, which, in combination with its more powerful
engine and improved aerodynamics, allows the Maserati GranSport to
improve on the already blistering speeds of the Coupé, delivering a
dizzying top speed of 290 Km/h.
As with the other models in the Maserati range, the driver can choose
between two levels of gear changing. Normal mode is more comfortable and
typical of Grand Tourer driving, while with a touch of the Sport button
on the central console they get to feel the true power of the car. The
Sport mode delivers much faster gear changing, a deeper exhaust sound
and less invasive use of the MSP stability and traction control system.
The optional Skyhook suspension system, which offers continuous damping
control, is also affected by the driver’s choice of Normal or Sport
modes. For more comfort-oriented driving, there is even an Auto button
which puts the gears in full automatic mode so that the driver need do
nothing more than sit back enjoy the thrilling experience of driving a
Maserati. However, the Sport function can still be activated in this
mode.
DRIVER-ORIENTED
TECHNOLOGY
Needless to say, the Maserati GranSport
boasts all of the many excellent technological and safety features
offered by the Maserati Grand Tourers, but with some very important
refinements. The car has the same sophisticated set-up as the Coupé
Cambiocorsa: a Transaxle layout with the gearbox rear-mounted in unit
with the differential, stability and traction control (MSP) integrating
ABS, ASR, MSR and EBD functions, which the driver can deactivate if
desired, independent front and rear suspension with double wishbone
geometry, which can be integrated with the Skyhook system on request,
the Skyhook adaptive damping system which instantly adapts the damper
calibrations to suit the driving and road conditions and allows the
driver to choose between two different settings (Normal and Sport).
The fact that the set-up has been lowered by 10 mm and the adoption of
the 19” wheels and tyres with a specific profile (front 235/35 19”, rear
265/30 19”), characterised by a smaller slip angle, have lowered the
centre of gravity and hardened the set-up of Maserati GranSport, making
it even more agile and responsive to the steering wheel.
The Brembo brakes with alloy titanium-coloured four-piston callipers
with differentiated diameters and large ventilated cross-drilled discs
(front 330 mm; rear310 mm), also further enhance the dynamic
characteristics of the car.
INTERIOR: ELEGANCE AND
FUNCTION
The GranSport’s interior reflects its
brilliant personality both in terms of aesthetics and functionality, yet
also exudes the elegant good taste and luxurious comfort of a Trident
Grand Tourer. The dashboard, body-hugging seats, tunnel, thick rimmed
steering wheel, impressive materials (leather, carbon fibre, alloy, high
tech fabric) all combine to create an attractively sporty ambience too.
The Maserati GranSport’s dashboard boasts excellent specialist trim and
central console options. The upper part of the dash is trimmed in
leather, while the central area, framed by the car-coloured piping
strip, is trimmed in a special high tech fabric originally developed for
nautical use and available in Nero (Black), Grigio Nickel (Nickel Grey)
or Blu Metal (Metal Blue). This is a double layered material which is
not only very attractive but also non-slip and extremely hard-wearing,
making it ideal for trimming the central area of sports seats and the
lower rim of the steering wheel.
The front seats are designed for high lateral containment, and guarantee
maximum driver contact with the car for perfect control. They were
developed with the help of the Maserati test drivers in line with the
strictest ergonomic principles with the aim of combining sporty
characteristics and excellent seat comfort for perfect, long distance
driving. This is why the seats are also fully power adjustable and can,
on request, be supplied with a heating option and memorised settings on
the driver’s side.
The carbon, leather-trimmed tunnel separates the two front seats. It
contains the Cambiocorsa control selector and the secondary commands,
each one of which is set into an elegant chrome surround.
The main control buttons, including the blue Start button, on the other
hand, are grouped together on the central console near the driver. The
climate control and CD player buttons are also set in a carbon feature
on the central console.
Any driver lucky enough to get his hands on the three-spoke steering
wheel of the Maserati GranSport will appreciate the work that has been
done to mould the rim (trimmed in perforated leather, carbon and
technical fabric) to offer improved ergonomic grip. All of the car’s
functions are arranged on the instrument binnacle which boasts sporty
white graphics on a Maserati navy blue background.
PERSONALISATION
PROGRAMME
The Maserati GranSport is available in
the six sportiest colours in the Maserati range, each one of which can
be combined with various interior options. Owners can choose from the
classic Giallo Granturismo (Grand Tourer Yellow) and Rosso Mondiale
(World Championship Red) or, alternatively between the metallic Nero
Carbonio (Carbon Black), Blu Mediterraneo (Mediterranean Blue) and
Grigio Touring (Touring Grey). The sixth colour choice recently added to
the range is Bianco Fuji (Fuji White), an original pearl white with the
unusual depth typical of three-coat pearlescent paints. This is the
starting point from which the Officine Alfieri Maserati programme can be
used to include a vast array of other personalisation options regarding
the colours of the interior trim leather, fabric as well as technical or
comfort-oriented features, such as: Xenon headlights, Skyhook
suspension, Mercury Grey and Ball-Polished options for the wheels,
carbon interior and exterior components, GPS and GSM telephone module
controlled from the radio unit, and a six-disc CD Changer, to mention
but a few.
