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Maserati GranTurismo S Automatic

Expert Rating: 4 out of 5

What is it?

The GranTurismo S Automatic is one of a handful of cars that genuinely lives up to the meaning of its evocative name. Grand tourers should be exotic, beautiful, fast, refined and comfortable, the big Maserati coupe ticking all those check boxes. Even more so now Maserati has finally gotten round to mating its six-speed ZF automatic transmission to the glorious 4.7-litre V8 engine of the GranTurismo S. The result is virtually all the pace of the hard-charging GranTurismo S, the S Auto taking 5.0 seconds to reach 62mph compared to the S's 4.9 seconds, combined with the user-friendliness of a conventional automatic transmission. Maserati has softened its edges a touch in line with the smoother self-shifter, but in doing so it's created its finest GranTurismo yet.

Is it any good?

The GranTurismo S Automatic could be utterly hopeless but it would still find homes thanks to its sensational looks. It's far from hopeless, though. The technical-looking trident-effect wheels of the GranTurismo S have been replaced by smoother finished alloys, the devilish red inserts on the S's badging reverting to plain polished metal too with the S Automatic. The six-speed automatic changes the S's character a good bit, not least as pressing the Sport button no longer instantly opens butterfly valves in the exhaust to allow you to hear the 4.7-litre V8's mechanical symphony better. With the S automatic you'll only get to hear the V8's voice unhindered in Sport mode from 3,000rpm and above, this done to increase refinement on the motorways.

Adding the automatic is more than a simple bolt on job as the transaxle layout of the robotized manual is not possible with the slick-shifting auto. It needs to be fitted directly to the back of the engine but Maserati has achieved this without upsetting the weight distribution by more than a few percent to the front.

It remains a beautifully balanced car to drive. The steering is light and precise, however there's no disguising its size on tighter roads. Lacking the delicate steering feel, control and braking ability of a Porsche's 911, or the thundering torque rich performance of Jaguar's XKR the GranTurismo S automatic copes with testing roads rather than really excelling on them. That's not really a complaint as the big coupe's breadth of ability impresses enormously, even if others better it in specific areas.

Comparing the GranTurismo to the 911 is perhaps unfair too, especially as the Italian car seriously trumps the German one for space. The rear seats in the Maserati are generously proportioned, meaning it's genuinely possible to carry four adults in relative comfort. The automatic shifts very quickly and smoothly whether in automatic or via the column-mounted paddles, but the 4.7-litre V8's high-end delivery does mean you need revs to make good progress, low rev urgency lacking compared to rivals like the Mercedes-Benz CL600 and Bentley Continental GT.

Should I call the bank manager?

Good luck if you're doing so as we doubt your bank manager will have time for people wanting £84,395 to spend on an Italian plaything. Park one outside the bank though and you might get the manager to change his or her mind, and if that doesn't work then argue that the automatic is cheaper by around £4,000 than the flagship S and that it also emits less CO2.

Summary

It has taken Maserati a while to put its 4.7-litre V8 engine into the GranTurismo combined with a proper automatic transmission, but it's been well worth the wait. Maserati calls the S auto its completion model in the GranTurismo line-up, the Italian firm keeping the best until last.

Kyle Fortune