Maserati GranCabrio Reviews and News

Maserati GranCabrio - four proper seats, comfortable, inviting and all-enveloping. never before had AN open-top Maserati offered such a lot. never before had a automobile with the trident badge allowed an entire family or four friends to relish a journey in the open air. The Maserati GranCabrio's magic chemistry starts when you examine it: it is shockingly lovely, with the soft top up or down. so it options a classy canvas top, for terribly precise reasons, which can be summed up in 3 words: «centre of gravity». Fabric, ultra-high school cloth, weighs very little, infinitely less than metal and helps the car's road-holding: the system weight is simply 65 kg. then cloth is pliant, it enhances the palette of the car's exterior colours six times over, the quantity of shades within which it is offered, from a solid black to a advanced metallic element grey, to a heat chocolate colour.

Twenty eight seconds, that is the time it takes for the Maserati GranCabrio to travel back to being a secure cocoon. A flying one too, due to a 110 of 0.35 with the roof up, that will increase by a mere trifle, to 0.39, with the highest down.

Design is at the service of comfort. the times when anyone travelling in the back of a sports automobile were resigned to suffering physical discomfort are well and actually over: rear passengers in the Maserati GranCabrio don't seem to be supporting actors, but co-stars of the journey. The legs, even for those who are quite six feet tall, are not any longer crammed in, the spine {is no|is not ANy|isn't any} longer forced into an unnatural erect position, but well and physiologically supported on backrests designed so sportiness doesn't got to compromise on comfort.

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Maserati Quattroporte Sport GT S Reviews and Photos

The new Maserati Quattroporte Sport GT S sets one more milestone in terms of sportiness within the high performance luxury saloon phase of the automotive market. planned and developed as "a real driving machine within the guise of a luxury saloon", the Quattroporte Sport GT S is the final expression of Maserati's sportiness within the Quattroporte vary.

The technical changes to the new Maserati Quattroporte Sport GT S in respect to the Quattroporte S concern four areas:

the mapping of the V8 four.7 l engine, with power redoubled to 323kW; the mechanical device management computer code, with new features designed to extend driving enjoyment; the front and rear suspension system that includes single-rate dampers, stiffer springs and lower ride height; the sports exhaust controlled by pneumatic valves for a deep, low-pitched and charming sound.



The sportier and additional aggressive look is additionally evident due to the interior and exterior rhetorical choices: the new black grille with dish-shaped vertical fins that includes the lance logo with red accents, typical of the sportier versions of Maserati models; the new headlights, in aluminiferous Ti finish; the side and rear "shadow line", which includes black finishing around the doors, body-coloured door handles and black twin oval exhaust pipes; the new M-design seats with perforated Alcantara® and animal skin upholstery; the standard trim in Titantex, a "titanium coloured" stuff.

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2013 Maserati GranTurismo Sport Review

Maserati.Inc - The powerful 4.7-litre V8 engine can now deliver a maximum power of 460 HP (338 kW) and a peak torque of 520 Nm, without penalising fuel consumption and emissions. The version with automatic transmission and MC Auto Shift management software (which is also used in the GranCabrio Sport and Quattroporte Sport GT S) also benefits from significantly enhanced performance, achieving a top speed of 298 km/h and acceleration of 0 to 100 km/h in 4.8 seconds.

With regards to the suspension, the new Maserati GranTurismo Sport is fitted with the Sport Skyhook system, an evolution of the continuous damping control system that makes the car even more reactive and fun to drive, whilst at the same time increasing passenger comfort.

In SPORT mode the car is pin sharp in responding to the driver's input, while in normal mode it constantly adapts the damping to absorb the roughness of the surface for a smoother ride. All this equates to a superb handling capability that combines sports performance and comfort in all driving conditions.

The Maserati GranTurismo Sport is available with two different types of transmission: a ZF 6-speed automatic and a 6-speed electro actuated gearbox, with dry twin-plate clutch (not available in North America). The first enhances driving comfort without compromising on performance, while the second offers a more involving driving experience.

External restyling

The front bumper has been redesigned to improve the air flow and the cooling of the front brakes, whilst at the same time to enhance the appearance of the nose of the car, thanks to a new styling element that unites the space between the new headlights and the traditional oval grille. The chromed trident with red accents takes pride of place at the centre of the grille: a detail reserved to the most powerful Maserati cars, in keeping with the tradition of the marque.

The front light cluster maintains its original profile, but it has been completely redesigned and improved thanks to the addition of DRL LED technology. The new LEDs give the headlights a further style boost as well as improving functionality and visibility, benefitting car safety.

Behind the impressive 20" Astro Design alloy wheels lies the equally impressive braking system of the new Maserati GranTurismo Sport, which employs Brembo dual-cast technology coupled with 6-piston brake calipers at the front and 4-piston brake calipers at the rear. The disc, in a slotted and perforated version, is made of two different materials, cast iron and aluminium, reducing weight by between 15% and 20% and delivering enhanced comfort, reduced corrosion and wear and superior component performance.

The caliper, meanwhile, represents a new feature for Maserati and Brembo in terms of colour, introducing a brand new oxidised blue which, thanks to its matt finish, enhances the car's ultra-sporty nature, emphasising once again the meticulous attention Maserati devotes to detail in order to ensure total customer satisfaction. This extends to even the tiniest design detail, fully embracing the "tailor made" principle.

The rear of the car has been made even sleeker than before thanks to restyled, darker light clusters that accentuate its dramatic look.

The new model introduces a brand new colour called "Blu Sofisticato" which shows off the car's lines to best advantage and frames the countless innovative stylistic features that characterise this new Maserati GranTurismo Sport.

Sporty interior

The interior of the Maserati GranTurismo Sport has been treated to a sporty makeover. The distinctive new design of the rear shell of the front seats, in leather, also frees up more space for rear seat passengers (+20 mm).

Particular attention has been devoted to enhance the dynamic yet refined spirit of the Maserati GranTurismo Sport. New details in EcoChrome grey and the Poltrona Frau leather upholstery, feature alongside sporty elements such as the gearshift paddles on the steering wheel, inspired by the design of the Trofeo race car, and the aluminium pedals.

In 2011 the GranTurismo range accounted for 4% of the total Maserati sales, with over 2700 cars delivered to clients all over the world.


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Maserati GranCabrio Sport 2013 Review

Maserati.Inc - The new Maserati GranCabrio Sport consolidates its presence on the convertible car market with completely revamped exteriors and a more powerful engine. The new front bumper, with redesigned profile to enhance aesthetics and functionality, new headlights, a new, even more powerful engine and an upgraded suspension system make the new GranCabrio Sport a point of reference in the convertible car market.

Exterior

Already one of the most highly regarded in the world of sports cars, the Maserati GranCabrio Sport's bodywork has undergone a restyling which skilfully harmonises the characteristics of the GranTurismo Sport.

Interior

The steering wheel, with new design, is now more ergonomic and, in combination with the extended Trofeo-design paddles and light aluminium pedals, is better suited to sports driving thanks to a flattened rim and accentuated grip profile. The new grey EcoChrome materials for the interiors and the Poltrona Frau leather upholstery complete the existing characteristics, such as the steering wheel transmission paddles and the aluminium pedals.

Engine

Both the hardware and software of the engine have been improved significantly, improving its power by 10 HP and torque by 10 Nm, without adversely affecting consumption or emissions.

At 7,000 rpm, the Maserati GranCabrio Sport delivers 338 kW (460 HP) with a considerable torque of 520 Nm at 4,750 rpm.

Automatic transmission (MC Auto Shift)

The automatic six-speed ZF transmission with MC Auto Shift is perfectly capable of handling the exceptional performance of the powerful V8 and derives from the transmission of the GranTurismo Sport. The Maserati GranCabrio Sport with MC Auto Shift transmission can reach 100 km/h in just 5.0 seconds. Chassis and suspension The Maserati GranCabrio Sport was designed to combine peerless driving comfort for all occupants with optimum handling at high speeds.



Exceptional performance and road holding, as well as the handling of a great sports car, are qualities of the GranCabrio Sport that few other sports convertibles can boast.

This is thanks to the shock absorbers with Sport Skyhook system, the most recent development of the Maserati damping control system. The Sport Skyhook system constantly adjusts the GranCabrio Sport's shock absorbers, adapting them to the road conditions. With the aid of a new rear anti-roll bar which is 12% more rigid, the Sport Skyhook system allows the vertical rigidity of the Maserati GranCabrio Sport to be increased by in Sport mode.

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2013 Maserati GranCabrio MC Review

Ferrari.Inc - Inspired and encouraged by the considerable success of the GranTurismo MC Stradale, which was warmly received by customers thanks to a masterly translation and adaptation of racing characteristics for use on the road, the new Maserati GranCabrio MC completes the open-top range with a highly sporty and aggressive look, while maintaining the strengths and characteristics of a true grand tourer, ideal for long journeys.

Exterior

The new, sporty look can be seen in each stylistic element of the Maserati GranCabrio MC's bodywork. Inspired directly by the cars of the Maserati Trofeo MC World Series and the GT4 version, the new design perfectly blends sportiness, dynamism, the search for aerodynamic perfection, elegance and style. These stylistic elements already partly characterised the GranTurismo MC Stradale and the GranTurismo Sport, and seamlessly unite form and function.

The car, 48 millimetres longer than the GranCabrio and GranCabrio Sport, is characterised by a front end which is inspired directly by the MC Stradale, adopting a profile designed to optimise the aerodynamic lift and flow. Thanks to experience gained in racing and above all to specific analysis of fluid dynamics, the new GranCabrio MC downforce (measured at 140 km/h) is 10% higher at the front and 25% higher at the rear compared to the GranCabrio and GranCabrio Sport.

The bonnet incorporates two generous air outlets at the centre to optimise cooling of the powerful V8, and two more air outlets to cool down the brake discs have also been added to the two front wings.

Initially introduced on the GranTurismo Sport the new headlights, which adopt LEDs for the daytime running light (DRL) function, complete the new look of the Maserati GranCabrio MC. Though they maintain the external shape seen on the other three versions in the GranCabrio range, the new headlights adopt the most modern technology, perfectly enhanced with an extremely sporty look thanks to the matt black colour of the structure.

The rear is characterised by the large spoiler, for greater negative lift at high speeds. Inside the spoiler, built into the luggage compartment, is the third brake light. The bumper has been completely redesigned at the bottom to make the new model even sportier and at the same time ensure optimal aerodynamic efficiency. Finally, the dynamism of the Maserati GranCabrio MC is accentuated by the 20" MC Design rims, available in glossy Titanio or matt Grafite, and made using flow-forming technology. Interior

The interior of the Maserati GranCabrio MC has received a thorough overhaul with particular attention paid to ergonomics.

The new seats, completely redesigned from both an aesthetic and functional point of view and enhanced with high-quality materials, now ensure the optimum balance of comfort and performance, elegance and functionality. The new structure of both the front and rear seats now incorporates the headrest and is enhanced by an upper, central trim, with a design inspired by the car's front grille.



Particularly important, especially with convertible cars, is the attention paid to the rear passengers. For this reason, the frame for the front seats, which is also available in a completely carbon-fibre version, has been completely redesigned to ensure 20 mm more legroom for the rear passengers.

The seats, with an increased profile to enhance their wrap-around structure and lateral containment, ensure sporty driving while guaranteeing superior comfort, even on very long journeys.

The rear seats have been redesigned according to the same logic: maximum comfort, maximum passenger restraint in sports driving and ample use of quality materials.

To complete the new, super-sporty look of the new Maserati GranCabrio MC, it incorporates the Trofeo-design steering wheel paddles as standard, with increased dimensions as seen on the GranTurismo Sport, and an aluminium pedal unit.

Engine and performance

As with the most sporty GranTurismo in the range (the GranTurismo Sport), the GranCabrio MC also adopts the new 4.7-litre V8 engine, which delivers 338 kW (460 HP) together with substantial torque of 520 Nm at 4,750 rpm.

The timing system, with a system of two chains per bank, features dual variable valve timing.

The new power unit, in combination with the MC Auto Shift transmission, is now able to propel the Maserati GranCabrio MC, in closed soft top configuration, to a top speed of 289 km/h (179 mph) with acceleration of 0 to 100 km/h in 4.9 seconds.

Automatic transmission (MC Auto Shift)

Like other sports models in the Maserati range, the Maserati GranCabrio MC also adopts an automatic six-speed ZF transmission able to transfer all the power of the 460 HP V8 engine to the ground. Calibrated specifically for application on the sportiest version in the GranCabrio range, the MC Auto Shift transmission features five operating modes. It can be used in Auto-Normal, Auto-Sport, Manual-Normal, Manual-Sport and Ice modes.

In Manual mode, gear changes are carried out directly by the driver through the steering wheel paddles, as with a truly manual gearbox. In Manual-Normal mode, the driver can change gear until the threshold value is reached, while in Manual-Sport mode the gear is maintained until the driver next changes gear, even if this may result in over-revving and the intervention of the limiter.

On the GranCabrio Sport, Sport mode includes super-fast mode, which derives directly from the GranTurismo Sport and the Quattroporte Sport GT S and permits gear changes that are 50% faster.

This mode includes automatic blipping (short burst of acceleration) when downshifting with the Launch Control system, called MC Start Strategy(which operates only with MSP deactivated).

Using the MC Start Strategy, the driver holds down the brake pedal, presses the accelerator pedal and then releases the brake pedal when the optimum engine speed is reached (2,300-2,500 rpm).

Performance, safety and comfort were the guidelines that Maserati engineers followed when designing the chassis for the new GranCabrio MC. In light of the experience gained with the GranTurismo MC Stradale, it is fitted with single-rate dampers, to give maximum emphasis to the car's sporty character, which guarantee greater rigidity in order to ensure optimum road holding in all driving conditions, without detracting from maximum passenger comfort.

Braking, always powerful and safe, is guaranteed by Maserati's patented Dual Cast system, which includes brake discs with aluminium bell and steel braking surface, 360×32 mm at the front and 330×28 mm at the back.

The one-piece aluminium alloy brake callipers, produced by Brembo and available in various colours, are also six-piston at the front and four-piston at the rear. This configuration ensures greater uniformity in braking, a constant clamping force and the sensation of a stable and reliable pedal, reducing brake wear at the same time.

In deference to Maserati tradition, the monocoque chassis is made with different materials to ensure maximum weight reduction and maximum torsional rigidity. The use of high-strength steels for the structural part and the use of aluminium and composite materials for the moving parts, ensure maximum performance in complete conformity with the spirit in which the new Maserati GranCabrio MC was conceived.

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The First Drive : Maserati GranTurismo MC Stradale 2012 Review

Maserati.Inc - Customer studies from the early days of the current Maserati GranTurismo coupe bear out one of our persistent complaints with the car: It’s too quiet and a little too anodyne for a vehicle wearing the chrome trident. The fix is to open ’er up, at least for those buyers who want a little extra Italian wattage.

A new, higher-heart-rate model, the GranTurismo MC, starts at $143,850 and promises to crank up the aural vibrato as well as the throttle response and curve-eating ability of the big coupe. (The company is introducing the Sport version of the GranTurismo convertible at the same time; click here for our first drive.)

Aural Fixation

Exclusivity? Naturally. History? Definitely. For Italian cars, we magazine writers have deployed all the acoustic metaphors, purple and otherwise, in our arsenal: wail, rip, shriek, snarl, buzz saw, warble, the “blood-chilling howl of a feral she-beast,” and so on.

However, generating “the Sound” is one place where Maserati has lately lagged its fellow Latin automakers. Unless you’re standing on it in sport mode, the GranTurismo speaks softly in a hissy and unconvincing dialect of the language of Lexus. Included in the MC’s touchups is a sport exhaust system that, besides being 12 pounds lighter than the base tubing, transmits more of the 4.7-liter V-8’s warbling, wailing, feral howl to the cabin. A little more, anyway. Activate sport mode, and the exhaust bypasses lock open for even more auditory pleasure.

It’s nowhere near as shriekalicious as a Ferrari 458, say, but luxury-oriented Maserati, with its smoother and more docile four-plane-crank, wet-sump version of the shared V-8, doesn’t care to be Ferrari. More Power, Quicker Shifts, New Vents!

Friction reduction accounts for the increase, says Maserati, thanks to the strategic use of “diamond-like coating,” an antifriction technology derived from Formula 1, on wear parts such as the cams and followers.

In auto-sport mode, a revised “MC Auto Shift” transmission program knocks up to 50 percent off the upshift times in the ZF six-speed automatic, claims Maserati. There are five control modes: auto-normal, manual-normal, auto-sport, manual-sport, and ice. In manual-sport, the MC gives you full control with the banana-shaped paddles, so bounce it off the rev limiter if you like. On downshifts, you get pleasing little throttle blips.

The throttle responds to minute changes in pedal angle, the revs coming on like a wave breaking on the sand. It’s clear why the houses of Ferrari—and by extension Maserati—have eschewed turbos. Nothing beats a free-breathing, purosangue Italian revver for establishing unity between engine and driver.

Besides the exhaust and extra horsepower, the MC gets special ducted front fenders and vented hood, rocker extensions, new front and rear bumpers with aero enhancements that improve downforce, and unique 20-inch wheels that shave 10 pounds total from the unsprung weight. Inside, there’s carbon-fiber interior trim that includes longer shift paddles.

The firm but comfortable seats remain the same as the base coupe’s, partly because Maserati doesn’t see itself as a carbon-fiber-race-bucket type of automaker and partly because of the high cost of recrashing the car for federal certification, a requirement when you swap out the seats.

The MC comes standard with a basic coil-over suspension. Skyhook, with its cockpit-adjustable electronic shocks, is an option, but the car doesn’t really need it. The base setup allows some modest roll and pitch, which leaves the MC still feeling like the large and weighty grand tourer that it is. We’ve found in other Maseratis that the Skyhook’s sport setting just makes the bumps harsher while doing little for handling. If you want a car that reads every bump like a Braille whiz, may we show you a Porsche 911 Turbo?

Base price to base price, the MC is $17,000 more than the base GranTurismo S automatic coupe, but when you factor in all that is standard on the MC and available as an option on the base GT (mostly appearance items such as carbon-fiber interior trim for $2550 and Alcantara headliner for $1750), the price difference is about $3515.

For that sum, you get the MC’s extra horsepower, the zippy exhaust, the special hand-modified fenders and hood, and the unique wheels. Competitors to the MC include the $104,375, 510-hp Jaguar XKR and Porsche 911 flavor of your choice. The MC asks for more money but offers Italian heritage, machismo, and rarity in return.


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Maserati Kubang Concept Car 2003 Review

Maserati Inc - A Maserati SUV like this Kubang concept being shown at the Frankfurt auto show isn't a new idea. Back in 2003, the Italian company brought the first Maserati Kubang to the Detroit show. As the company says, “At a time in which few other brands were going in the direction of a sport luxury SUV, Maserati was already thinking to build one.” The Italians thought long and hard; during the intervening years, the Land Rover Range Rover Sport, BMW X5 and X6 M, Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8, and a number of Mercedes-Benz AMG SUVs came into existence.

As part of the Fiat group, Maserati is now linked to Chrysler and Jeep, which gives the Italian company easy access to an SUV architecture—the Jeep Grand Cherokee's platform, which is actually the new Mercedes-Benz M-class’s platform. While Maserati is upfront about the Maserati Kubang’s Jeep roots, the company also promises that its SUV will be pure Maserati when it comes to the engine, transmission, suspension, brakes, and overall feel.

The Maserati Kubang will be powered by a revised version of the Maserati’s current V-8, and an eight-speed automatic is promised. We’re already excited at the thought of an Italian performance SUV.

One year after its return to the North American market Maserati has also succeeded in reaffirming its leading role across the Atlantic in the segment reserved for prestige cars with a longstanding tradition. A success confirmed by the almost 900 Spyder and Coupé model units delivered to customers starting April (Spyder) and June (Coupé) 2002.

And the Company's dynamism is immediately evident on the stand too: the Maserati Kubang concept car, a true GT Wagon in terms of performance and active safety engineering that unquestionably testifies to the Company's vision, even beyond the sports cars it traditionally builds. In fact this concept car combines the traditional sporting structure of Trident-marque cars with superb versatility and an absolutely new interior design.

Other firsts at this Show are the 2003 models (already scheduled for delivery in Europe starting this month and in the USA and Canada from next March) with their wealth of technical content. One special feature of the cars is the MSP (Maserati Stability Program) system, whereas today's Spyder has a glass rear window. As already announced, the Maserati range will be rounded out with the presentation of the new four-door model, scheduled for the Frankfurt Motor Show next September.

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