The all-new Maserati GranTurismo doesn’t exactly look much different to its 15-year old predecessor model, but beneath that stylish sheetmetal it’s an entirely different animal.
Revealed in Modena today, Maserati says its mission for the new version was to pair the “high performance typical of a sports car with comfort suitable for long distances”.
The sexy Italian-made coupe joins the new Maserati Grecale crossover and MC20 supercar as part of the Trident brand’s range makeover.
The drivetrains are new to the model, and none are a Ferrari V8 as before. There are two versions of the MC20 supercar’s ‘Nettuno’ V6, and an insane all-electric drivetrain in a model called GranTurismo Folgore.
GranTurismo Modena
Maserati claims it decided to “maintain continuity with the design of the previous generation, widely appreciated among customers”. Which is a nice way of saying it looks very similar.
That said, the GT aged beautifully and its lines appear timeless, as do its long-bonnet silhouette, oval-shaped grille with big Trident badge, trio of gills ahead of each door, and muscular rear haunches.
The bonnet blurs into the side fender, in a pronounced bulge above the front wheel, which Maserati calls the cofango – a portmanteau of cofano (bonnet) and parafango (fender).
GranTurismo Trofeo
Its body makes extensive use of lightweight materials such as aluminium and magnesium, together with high-performance steel for the most critical functions. About two-thirds of the car is made of aluminium, Maserati says.
The new GranTurismo achieves a drag coefficient of 0.28 in the Modena and Trofeo versions, and just 0.26 in the Folgore EV due to clever bodywork design.
The LED headlights are a little more vertical than before, while the tail lights retain the signature boomerang motif but are housed in a more conventional design. Petrol versions have four exhaust tips.
GranTurismo Folgore
In terms of colours, there are six options called Bianco, Grigio Maratea, Grigio Maratea Matte, Nero Ribelle, Blu Emozione, and Blu Nobile. But if you have the cash, the Maserati Fuoriserie customisation program lets you select a wider array of colours.
Furthermore, the brake callipers come in seven colour choices called Matte Nero, Nero, Rosso, Giallo, Blu, Matte Rosso, and Matte Dark Rame (the latter specific to Folgore).
Inside there’s said to be (we have no pics) a 12.3-inch centre touchscreen and 8.8-inch lower display, a 12.2-inch digital instrument cluster, a projecting heads-up display, and the MC20’s available digital rear-view mirror. You also get ‘Hey Maserati’ voice controls.
The multimedia system uses the Android Auto operating system, offering high data processing speeds, and pairs to an optional 19-speaker and 1195W Sonus Faber sound system.
The GranTurismo Modena’s 90-degree 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6 produces 365kW of power (490hp) and 600Nm of torque, mated to an eight-speed automatic supplied by ZF with paddles, and AWD.
Maserati’s claimed zero to 100km/h time is 3.9 seconds and the top speed is listed as 302km/h.
The GranTurismo Trofeo’s version of the same engine makes 410kW (550hp) and 650Nm, cuts the 0-100km/h time to 3.5 seconds, and increases the top speed to 320km/h.
Compared to the MC20 Nettuno, the GranTurismo’s six-cylinder comes with a wet sump rather than a dry one. The engine is also equipped with cylinder deactivation.
Meanwhile the GranTurismo Folgore EV sports three 300kW radial motors for maximum system output of 560kW (battery discharge capacity), or 610kW on overboost. The motors use silicon carbide inverters derived from Formula E.
Peak torque is listed as a staggering 1350Nm, and its AWD system has torque vectoring.
Its T-bone shaped battery pack has 92.5kWh capacity (83kWh useable), and with its available 800V system can handle charging speeds of 270kW, said to add 100km range in five minutes.
Maserati claims a 0-100km/h time to 2.7 seconds, the 0-200km/h speed is rated as 8.8 seconds (2.6sec faster than the Trofeo, if you don’t mind), and top speed is listed as 320km/h – which can’t be great for range…
While the Folgore of course has no exhaust or intake, a sound tuning function operated by synthesisers is pumped inside and out through speakers.
“The natural acoustic dynamics of the electric motors driven by the inverters have been digitally shaped and integrated with the typical sound taken from the Maserati V8 tradition,” the company claims…
The GranTurismo Modena, Trofeo, and Folgore all use double-wishbone front suspension with air springs with electronic adjustable dampers.
All three have multi-link rear suspension, with air springs and electronic adjustable dampers. The Modena has a mechanical self-locking rear diff, while the Trofeo and Folgore use an electronic self-locking unit.
Each uses 380 x 34mm front ventilated discs with Brembo six-piston fixed callipers, and 350 x 28mm rear ventilated discs with Brembo 4-piston fixed callipers.
The staggered wheel configuration comprises 21-inch rims with 295/30 tyres at the rear, and 20-inch wheels with 265/30 or 265/35 rubber at the front.
The GranTurismo Folgore sits lower than any other electric car on the market, Maserati claims. Said Folgore can also provide regenerative braking levels of up to 0.65g.
At 2260kg, the Folgore EV weighs 465kg more than the Modena and Trofeo (1795kg).
There are various drive modes to change the engine and chassis behaviours, called Comfort, GT, Sport and Corsa, with an ESC-off option for the track. The Folgore’s modes are GT, Sport, Corsa, and Max Range which dials things back to eke out more miles.
Maserati recently announced it’s going all-electric by 2030 and will have at least one pure electric variant for every model in its lineup by 2025.
We expect the GranTurismo to hit Australia in the second half of 2023, with the petrol and EV models both locked in.
