FIRSTDRIVE MASERATI GRANTURISMO SMaserati has given its beautiful GranTurismo a sporting makeover to create the S, and Kyle Fortunecan't believe his ears when he drives it
SPORT BUTTONS are everywhere these days. Even a humble Opel Astra can be had with one. Usually their effect is limited at best; a minor sharpening of the throttle, sometimes ruined suspension and, if you're really lucky, slightly sharper steering.
The Sport button on Maserati's GranTurismo S is different. Very different. Press that little button on the S and the effect is huge. The muted civility of its V8 is completely shattered as two bypass valves in the exhaust allow the eight cylinders to really sing. Sure, Ferraris are loud, but only when you're giving them hell. The GranTurismo S sounds fantastic at ordinary speeds. It's like aural crack-cocaine for car nuts; once you've heard it you'll keep wanting more.
The beautifully melodic, purposeful resonance comes from the new 4.7-litre V8 engine in the GranTurismo S. It's a development of the 4.3-litre unit in the standard car, and its increased capacity sees the power rise to 440bhp at 7,000rpm, with the torque now 490Nm at 4,750rpm. Maserati describes the GranTurismo S as a more sporting, more focused version of its grand tourer, rather than an out-and-out sports car. The figures suggest otherwise. The GranTurismo S is able to sprint to 100km/h in just 4.9 seconds. It is also the fastest production Maserati ever - if you ignore short-run specials like the MC12 - with a top speed of 295km/h. But it's not the performance that makes the S so special, it's undoubtedly that noise.
Orchestrating the mechanical symphony is Maserati's electro-actuated paddle-shift transmission. Replacing the smooth standard automatic of the standard GranTurismo for the two-pedal "manual" might seem like a retrospective step, given Maserati's history of recalcitrant paddle-shift systems, but Maserati has been busy tapping its Ferrari neighbour for its expertise. The result isn't yet perfect, but it's absolutely unrecognisable from Maserati's previous attempts.
There are six shift options varying your control from complete to full auto; even that fully auto mode working decently enough if you smooth its shifts with light throttle lifts when it is swapping ratios. But this is a GranTurismo that's meant to be driven, so if you want to leave the shifting alone, then buy the standard car.
The best mode for the paddle-shifter is found when the dashboard indicator lights up manual with MC-Shift above it in red. Choose it and the shift reduces to 100 milliseconds; so long as you've got over 80 per cent throttle position and over 5,500rpm on the rev counter.
With its significantly elongated paddles, reaching for the next gear is never an issue. That's just as well as the 4.7-litre V8 devours its revs enthusiastically - almost as enthusiastically as fuel, which at 16.6l/100km on the official combined cycle is a bit juicy.
On paper, the increases in the performance between the S and the standard GranTurismo might look relatively modest - the standard car getting to 100km/h in 5.2 seconds and able to reach 284km/h - but the reality is far more dramatic.
The engine in the S feels far keener, with more muscle in the mid-range, yet it's still not savage. Even when you're in that MC-Shift zone with the gearshifts rifling through the S retains its grand touring credentials; it's just the levels are now higher, turning the GranTurismo into a far more convincing driver's car.
Obviously Maserati hasn't just stopped at changing the engine and transmission. The suspension features different springs and dampers, while revised roll bars help reduce body roll by 10 per cent. There's still a good amount of lean in the corners, but that's compensated for by a relatively supple ride for a car that's so sporting. Maserati offers its Skyhook variable damping system as an option, but it has never really impressed, and the standard set-up with the S provides a nice balance between decent body control and ride comfort.
There's plenty of traction and grip, the GranTurismo's near perfect weight distribution making it very neutral in the bends. If you do reach its thresholds it's very benign and controllable, power oversteer possible if you're feeling brave - the GranTurismo is a big car after all.
The larger 20-inch alloys help enhance not just the looks but also the steering response. Even so, the steering remains one of the Maserati's most frustrating aspects.
There is some real weight and feel to the system off centre, but around the straight-ahead it's very quick yet weightless, which can make for edginess at speed. It's not enough though to detract from the overall driving experience which neatly blends the long-legged, continent-crossing ability of the standard GranTurismo with a sharper, more driver-focused appeal.
This is not a car that clicks immediately, but rather grows with familiarity. And once it gets under your skin it's difficult not to be utterly seduced, particularly as it's unquestionably one of the most beautiful cars you can currently buy.
Maserati has sensibly kept the visual tweaks for its sporting flagship subtle; black surrounded headlamps, a re-profiled spoiler at the rear, some red detailing on the badges and twin rather than quad exhaust pipes at the back. Inside it's a shame Maserati didn't go further in sorting out the seats - they still sit too high and offer little in the way of decent support.
It's a small oversight perhaps, and one that's forgivable once you press that Sport button and let your ears revel in the noise. Indeed, you could forgive it a lot more for that noise, but unlike Maseratis of old you no longer have to."It's difficult not to be seduced, especially as it is one of the most beautiful cars you can buy