2018 Maserati GranTurismo gains a new look, but has the same engine

The 2018 Maserati GranTurismo has gotten a new upgrade, and we first witnessed it at the New York Stock Exchange on June 27 as the automaker’s CEO Reid Bigland arrived to ring the closing bell. The slight upgrade that was given to the GT is the company’s way of celebrating a full decade on sale.

Looking refreshed, the car definitely came from a weekend of relaxation at the Caribbean, and not from the plastic surgeon. It came out with a new front fascia featuring the hexagonal grille, instead of the oval-shaped one from the standard model. This inspiration came from the Maserati Alfieri concept. Though it does not fit the GranTurismo that well, this benefits the car in that aerodynamic drag will be reduced from 0.33 to 0.32. More conventional ducts have replaced the standard ones, which no longer sweep underneath the splitter. Changes have also been made around the rear of the car, with a new bumper and redesigned exhaust outlets.

The GranTurismo also gets an upgrade inside the cabin technology- and design- wise. Starting with the brand-new touchscreen and 8.4-inch infotainment system that is compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto support. Premium speakers from Harman Kardon ensure you get only good quality music. Driving modes are now easier to access as they are now located on the central console near the gearshift. For the seats, customers can choose between a combination of Alcantara and leather upholstery, or Poltrona Frau leather.

Under the hood remains the same 4.7 liter Ferrari built V8 engine, enabling the Maserati to produce 460 horsepower (343 kilowatts) and 384 pound-feet (520 Newton-metres) of torque, with a speed of 0-62 miles per hour time of 4.8 seconds - that is for the Sport trim.

The MC trim, on the other hand, is a little faster at 4.7 seconds due to it weighing less. The engine works with a six-speed automatic gearbox that sends power to the rear wheels. Similar to the 2013 model, the automated manual version reached 62 miles per hour in 4.7 seconds, while the full automatic did the same in 4.8 seconds.

It may not be as high-tech as its mainstream rivals like the Mercedes-Benz E-Class coupe, which is also cheaper. But not many cars in the market still offer the combination of traits that mark a truly desirable GT car.

Maserati has gotten rid of the entry-level GranTurismo from the range, and customers can now choose from two trims: the Sport trim of the more aggressive MC specification. Furthermore, Maserati has not yet announced a price and a UK launch date, but we’re expecting this one to cost around £90,000.

PRESS RELEASE

GRANTURISMO MODEL YEAR 2018 MAKES ITS WORLD DEBUT IN NEW YORK

Maserati has chosen the New York Stock Exchange as the venue to unveil the model year 2018 GranTurismo. With its restyled exterior in “Grigio Granito” colour and refined black leather interior, the GranTurismo MC (short for Maserati Corse) makes its world debut today at the Experience Square, right at the main entrance of the NYSE.

Maserati CEO Reid Bigland will ring the closing bell of the stock market at exactly 4:00pm EST (10:00 pm CET) today.

Maserati will line up its entire range next to the restyled GranTurismo MC in front of the New York Stock Exchange building: a black Ghibli SQ4 Nerissimo Edition with a black/red interior (an exclusive version for the US and Canada markets, which debuted in the New York Auto Show last April), a blue “Passione” Quattroporte GTS GranLusso with a Zegna Silk interior and a white 350hp Levante with a black/red interior, the first SUV in Maserati’s century-long history.

Alongside the modern Maserati cars, busy New Yorkers will have the unique opportunity to admire a sensational sports coupé representing Maserati’s racing heritage: the blue Maserati Tipo 151 – one of three ever built – that participated in the 24 Hours of Le Mans race in 1962.

MY18 GRANTURISMO: REFINED INSIDE OUT

GranTurismo is a genuinely Italian car concept pioneered by Maserati. The GranTurismo model is the latest Maserati designed by Pininfarina and since its launch in 2007 it has evolved into one of the most iconic GT cars ever built. The 4-seater coupé is considered the ultimate expression of Maserati’s passion, technology and craftsmanship and remains unique in the supercar segment thanks to its timeless design and comfortable 4-seat interior.

Maserati has produced more than 37,000 GranTurismo and GranCabrio models in the historic factory of Viale Ciro Menotti in Modena and relaunches the iconic model for 2018 with an elegant and aerodynamically efficient restyling, refined interiors and a state-of-the art infotainment system.

The streamlined GranTurismo range comprises two well defined versions, the Sport and the MC – the latter on display in New York. Both versions are equipped with the naturally aspirated 4.7-litre V8 engine, hand-built by Ferrari in Maranello and capable of producing 460hp at 7,000rpm and 520Nm of peak torque at 4,750rpm. A six-speed ZF Automatic Gearbox is attached directly to the V8 powerhouse.

The Maserati Design Centre team in Turin approached the MY18 restyling by treating the timeless design with utmost respect. The car’s new ‘sharknose’ hexagonal grille is inspired by the Alfieri Concept and adds a three-dimensional effect to its frontal view.

Together with the new, lower air ducts, the grille helps improve the airflow distribution and reduce the aerodynamic drag from 0.33 to 0.32. The rear bumper has also been redesigned with an emphasis on the natural elegance of the iconic GT coupé and cabriolet, featuring a neater design with twofold layout for the Sport and MC versions.

The performance figures of the MY18 GranTurismo have been improved compared to the previous model year. The GranTurismo Sport accelerates from 0-100km/h in 4.8 seconds and reaches a top speed of 299km/h while the lighter MC version makes it to 100km/h in 4.7 seconds and has a top speed of 301km/h .

The interior of the GranTurismo offers unparalleled comfort for four adults, thanks to the individual Poltrona Frau® leather seats with integrated headrests. The iconic Italian coupé is also available with Alcantara and leather upholstery.

For 2018, the GranTurismo features a new, high resolution 8.4” capacitive touch screen and Harman Kardon Premium Sound system. The state-of-the art infotainment system is compatible with both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone mirroring functions, while the redesigned central console accommodates a user-friendly, double rotary knob, made of forged aluminium. The button cluster for the car’s driving modes is repositioned on the lower central console, next to the gearshift lever.