THE facelifted Maserati GranTurismo and GranCabrio have made their first public appearance at the 2017 Goodwood Festival of Speed, alluring car lovers at the event.
The Maserati GranTurismo, the iconic four-seater coupe, has made its European premiere two days after it was revealed at the New York Stock Exchange, while the Maserati GranTurismo GranCabrio made its world debut at Goodwood, the United Kingdom.
Maserati’s stand at Goodwood has made its mark this year by celebrating 70 years of the GranTurismo. A collection of classic GT Maserati cars, alongside the newly introduced GrandTurismo and GranCabrio, will tell the GranTurismo story to the public.
GranTurismo is a genuinely Italian car concept pioneered by Maserati and remains the purest expression of the Modena-based marque. Also on display are the following legendary Maserati GT models.
The A6 1500, the original GrandTurismo model that was launched at the 1947 Geneva Motor Show featuring a 1.5-litre six-cylinder in-line engine with 65hp under a revolutionary body designed by the iconic styling house Pininfarina.
There was also the 3500 GT, the first “mass-produced” Maserati that made its debut in 1957, the year Fangio took the F1 title in his 250F. Its aluminium body was designed by Touring around a 3.5-litre six-cylinder engine that produces 230hp.
Also on display was the Ghibli SS Coupe. It was named after a Saharan wind, the 1967 Ghibli was designed by Giugiaro and is considered one of the greatest Italian grand tourers. The Ghibli SS was introduced in 1970 with a larger 4.9-litre V8 engine with 335hp.
Lastly, the 3200GT was also shown on display. It was designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro and it returned the GranTurismo concept to its former glory in 1998. The predecessor of the current Maserati GranTurismo that featured a Twin Turbo 3.2-litre V8 engine that is capable to churn 370 hp.
Meanwhile, the MY18 GranTurismo is the latest Maserati which has been designed Pininfarina. Since it was first launched in 2007, it has evolved into one of the most iconic GT cars ever to grace the roads.
The restyled and further refined Maserati GrandTurismo is available in two trim levels - Sport and MC. Both trims come with a naturally aspirated 4.7-litre V8 engine producing 460hp. The engine generates an incredible sound and is hand-crafted by Ferrari in Maranello. It is mated to a six-speed ZF automatic transmission.
It comes with a new “sharknose” hexagonal grille that was inspired by the Alfieri concept and adds a three-dimensional effect to the frontal view.
Nonetheless, the refined MY18 GranCabrio benefits from the similar styling cues as the Maserati GranTurismo, with the new “sharknose” grille. Together with the new lower air ducts, the grille helps to improve the airflow distribution and reduces its aerodynamic drag from 0.33 to 0.32 for the GranTurismo and from 0.35 to 0.33 for the GranCabrio.
The rear bumper has been redesigned with an emphasis on the natural elegance of the iconic GT coupe and cabriolet, featuring a neater design with two fold layout for both trims.
As for the interior, both the Maserati GranTurismo and GranCabrio offers unparalleled comfort for four adults, thanks to the individual Poltrona Frau leather seats with integrated headrests.
For 2018, the interior features a new high resolution 8.4-inch touch screen with refined ergonomics. The state-of-the-art infotainment system is compatible with both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone mirroring functions.
The lower console is redesigned to accommodate a user-friendly, double rotary dial made of forged aluminium and repositioned button cluster for the car’s driving modes. The new Maserati double dial clock at the centre of the dashboard and the Harman Kardon Premium Sound system are standard on both Sport and MC versions.
Alongside these iconic models, Maserati has collaborated with several renowned partners to craft the perfect GranTurismo experience at Goodwood. As part of its partnership with Maserati, Bulgari has designed the GranTurismo owner’s watch Exclusive Edition and will unveil it at the Maserati lounge at Goodwood.
Every Maserati customer who orders an MY18 GranTurismo or GranCabrio during the Festival of Speed will be presented with one of the exclusive watches.