The 2008 Maserati GranTurismo, a two-door coupe to complement the Quattroporte sedan, is yet another Italian beauty, this one penned by Pininfarina's Jason Castriota.
Successor to Maserati's Guigiaro-designed coupe and spyder, the upcoming GT is built on a shortened version of the Quattroporte's chassis. The GranTurismo is powered by a 405-horsepower version of the same Ferrari-sourced 4.2-liter V8 found across the Maserati range. In a nod toward the crucially important American market, where Maserati hopes to achieve significant sales gains with the GT, power is sent to the rear wheels through the ZF-built six-speed automatic transmission that just became available in the Quattroporte. With a platform converted from the rear-transaxle configuration necessary for the automated manual gearbox to the front-mounted automatic transmission, the GranTurismo should provide enough rear-seat space to make it something more than a cramped 2+2. Nevertheless, we expect a weight distribution of 49 percent front/51 percent rear, which should ensure excellent maneuverability. Meanwhile the GranTurismo's suspension will be similar in configuration to the Quattroporte's double-wishbone setup, but it'll be supplemented by Maserati's Skyhook active damping system. Throughout the rest of the car, extensive use of carbon composites and aluminum should provide the GT with an exhilarating power-to-weight ratio. Maserati hopes the GT will help alter the misperception that its cars are prohibitively expensive. Prices should begin somewhere around $110,000, putting the GT Coupe in good position to steal business from Porsche's 911 and the Mercedes-Benz SL. A hardtop convertible version of the GT, powered by a larger-bore version of the 4.2 and delivering around 470 hp, should arrive later in the year, and a Competizione model is sure to follow.What Edmunds.com says
A gorgeous coupe with a Ferrari engine and a reasonable price. What more do you need?
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