Maserati GranTurismo delivers in style

What is it?

As its name suggests, the Maserati GranTurismo is exactly that - a grand tourer in the finest tradition. Grand tourers should be quick, expensive, beautiful and capable of transporting you and some friends from the coast to your mountain retreat with the minimum of fuss. Maserati's GranTurismo should be able to do exactly that, blending long distance comfort with pace and precision there for when the mood takes you to press on a bit. It's based on the well-received Quattroporte saloon, though the GranTurismo is a coupé, albeit one with rear seats that are actually spacious enough for passengers - so long as they're not too tall.

It's a big car then, that's more of a Bentley Continental GT and Mercedes-Benz CL rival than one for buyers of cars such as Porsche's 911 or BMW's 6 Series. Power comes from a 4.2-litre V8 with Ferrari DNA, which takes care of the fast part; comfort is taken care of by the nicely finished interior and well judged ride. And the beauty part of it? Just look at it; it's one of the most graceful yet subtly muscular designs in car-dom, a true return to form from Maserati.

Is it any good?

It is indeed, but it's certainly not perfect. Not the basket case situation you used to experience in Maseratis of old, but there are a few niggles. The 405bhp engine, glorious as it is, needs to be revved very hard to produce its best, which is hardly befitting of the big Maserati's otherwise relaxed demeanour. A bit more torque low down in the rev range would be beneficial, especially if you're driving four-up with a boot full of bespoke fitted luggage. Other niggles include the too high front seats and the infotainment system. The latter is pretty fiddly and hopeless when used in a sub-£20,000 Peugeot or Citroen, but it's unforgivable when installed in an £80,000 Italian exotic.

Those few criticisms aside the GranTurismo is a wonderful experience. The gearbox, thankfully a proper six-speed auto rather than an automated manual, shifts smoothly and quickly. You're able to change gears yourself via the large steering column mounted paddles, while pressing the Sport button reduces shift times and sharpens up the throttle response, though even then it never feels as quick as the quoted 5.2 second 0-62mph time. The steering is very pointy, making the GranTurismo easy to position on challenging roads, though a touch more slack at motorway speeds might enhance its long-distance comfort. At the high cruising speeds it's capable of (Maserati claims a 177mph maximum), it's quiet and supple, the refinement good and the suspension managing the tricky juggling act of providing excellent body and wheel control with cosseting comfort.

Should I call the bank manager?

Let's face it, if you're in the position to be looking at dropping around £80,000 on a GranTurismo, then you're more than likely to have the means to buy it without troubling the bank. However, if you're dipping into the options list then you might have to have a word for some additional funds. For the ultimate GranTurismo you'll need £2,350 for the gorgeous wheels on the car pictured here, around £1,700 for the Skyhook damping system, £423 if you want the brake callipers anything other than grey, a £1,300 Comfort Pack. Bespoke luggage adds around £2,500 and if you want a colour other than those in Maserati's brochure then add another £1,763 to that. It's not cheap then, but it feels special enough to warrant the outlay.

Summary

Maserati has finally delivered a car that not only looks sensational, but can be seriously considered alongside its contemporaries as a genuine competitor. There are a few hangover niggles that hark back to the bad old days at the Italian firm, but they're now insignificant, minor quibbles rather than dominant, defining frustrations. If you're after a big four seat GT then Maserati's GranTurismo is a very desirable choice indeed.

Kyle Fortune