Maserati GranTurismo: Difference between revisions

Maserati GranTurismo
Overview
Manufacturer	Maserati (Fiat Chrysler Automobiles)
Production	2007– December 2019[1][2]
Assembly	Italy: Modena
Designer	Jason Castriota at Pininfarina[2][3]
Body and chassis
Class	Grand tourer (S)
Body style	2-door 2+2 coupé 2-door 2+2 convertible
Layout	Front-mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive
Platform	Maserati M139
Related	Maserati Quattroporte V Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione Alfa Romeo Pandion
Powertrain
Engine	4.2 L Ferrari/Maserati F136 U V8 4.7 L Ferrari/Maserati F136 Y V8
Transmission	6-speed ZF 6HP26 automatic 6-speed MC-Shift automated manual
Dimensions
Wheelbase	2,942 mm (115.8 in)
Length	4,881 mm (192.2 in)
Width	1,847 mm (72.7 in) 1,915 mm (75 in) (from 2012)
Height	1,353 mm (53.3 in)
Curb weight	1,880 kg (4,140 lb) (European version)
Chronology
Predecessor	Maserati Coupé
Successor	Maserati Alfieri

The Maserati GranTurismo and GranCabrio (Tipo M145) are a series of a grand tourers produced by the Italian automobile manufacturer Maserati from 2007 to 2019. They succeeded the 2-door V8 grand tourers offered by the company, the Maserati Coupé and Spyder. The model was initially equipped with a 4.2-litre (4,244 cc (259.0 cu in)) V8 engine developed in conjunction with Ferrari. The GranTurismo platform was derived from Maserati M139 platform of Maserati Quattroporte V, with double-wishbone front and rear suspension. The grand tourer emphasizes comfort in harmony with speed and driver-enjoyment.

The GranTurismo set a record for the most quickly developed car in the auto industry, going from design to production stage in just nine months. The reason being that Ferrari, after selling off Maserati to the Fiat Chrysler Group, took the designs of the proposed replacement of the Maserati Coupé and after some modifications, launched it as the Ferrari California.^[2]

A total of 28,805 GranTurismos and 11,715 units of the convertible were produced.^[4] The final production example of the GranTurismo, called Zéda, was presented painted in a gradient of blue, black and white colours.^[1]

Unveiled at the 2007 Geneva Motor Show, the GranTurismo has a drag coefficient of 0.33.^[5] The model was initially equipped with a 4.2-litre (4,244 cc (259.0 cu in)) V8 engine developed in conjunction with Ferrari. The engine generates a maximum power output of 405 PS (298 kW; 399 hp) and is equipped with a 6-speed ZF automatic transmission. The 2+2 body has been derived from the Maserati M139 platform, also shared with the Maserati Quattroporte V, with double-wishbone front suspension and a multilink rear suspension. The grand tourer emphasises comfort in harmony with speed and driver-enjoyment.

The better equipped S variant was unveiled at the 2008 Geneva Motor Show^[6] and features the enlarged 4.7-litre (4,691 cc (286.3 cu in)) V8 engine shared with the Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione, rated at 440 PS (324 kW; 434 hp) at 7,000 rpm and 490 N⋅m (361 lbf⋅ft) of torque at 4,750 rpm. At the time of its introduction, it was the most powerful road legal Maserati offered for sale (excluding the homologation special MC12). The engine is mated to the 6-speed sequential semi-automatic transmission shared with the Ferrari F430.^[7] With the transaxle layout weight distribution improved to 47% front and 53% rear. The standard suspension set-up is fixed-setting steel dampers, with the Skyhook adaptive suspension available as an option along with a new exhaust system, and upgraded Brembo brakes. The seats were also offered with various leather and Alcantara trim options. The upgrades were made to make the car more powerful and more appealing to the buyers while increasing performance, with acceleration from 0–100 km/h (0–62 mph) happening in 4.9 seconds and a maximum speed of 295 km/h (183 mph). Aside from the power upgrades, the car featured new sideskirts, unique 20-inch wheels unavailable on the standard car, a small boot lip spoiler and black headlight clusters in place of the original silver. The variant was available in the North American market only for MY2009 with only 300 units offered for sale.

The GranTurismo MC is the racing version of the GranTurismo S developed to compete in the FIA GT4 European Cup and is based on the Maserati MC concept. The car included a 6-point racing harness, 120 L (32 US gal; 26 imp gal) fuel tank, 380 mm (15.0 in) front and 326 mm (12.8 in) rear brake discs with 6-piston callipers at the front and 4-piston callipers at the rear, 18-inch racing wheels with 305/645/18 front and 305/680/18 rear tires, carbon fibre body work and lexan windows throughout along with a race interior. All the weight saving measures lower the weight to about 3,000 lb (1,361 kg). The car shares the 4.7-litre V8 engine from the GranTurismo S but is tuned to generate a maximum power output of 450 PS (331 kW; 444 hp) along with the 6-speed sequential transmission.

The GranTurismo MC was unveiled at the Paul Ricard Circuit in France. It went on sale in October, 2009 through the Maserati Corse programme. 15 GranTurismo MC racecars were developed, homologated for the European Cup and National Endurance Series, one of which was taken to be raced by GT motorsport organization Cool Victory in Dubai in January, 2010.^[8][9]

GranTurismo MC Sport Line

Introduced in 2008, the GranTurismo MC Sport Line is a customisation programme based on the GranTurismo MC concept. Changes include front and rear carbon-fibre spoilers, carbon fibre mirror housings and door handles, 20-inch wheels, carbon fibre interior (steering wheel rim, paddle shifters, instrument panel, dashboard, door panels), stiffer springs, shock absorbers and anti-roll bars with custom Maserati Stability Programme software and 10 mm (0.4 in) lower height than GranTurismo S. The programme was initially offered for the GranTurismo S only, with the product line expanded to all GranTurismo variants and eventually all Maserati vehicles in 2009.

Replacing both the GranTurismo S and S Automatic, the Granturismo Sport was unveiled in March 2012 at the Geneva Motor Show.^[10][11] The revised 4.7L engine is rated at 460 PS (338 kW; 454 hp). The Sport features a unique MC Stradale inspired front fascia, new headlights and new, sportier steering wheel and seats. The ZF six-speed automatic gearbox is now standard, while the six-speed sequential transaxle is available as an option. The latter has steering column mounted paddle shifters, a feature that's optional with the automatic gearbox. New redesigned front bumper and air splitter lowers drag coefficient from Cd=0.33 to 0.32.^[12]

Maserati GranTurismo MC Stradale (with optional carbon fibre hood)

Rear view

Carbon fibre seats of the MC Stradale

In September, 2010, Maserati announced plans to unveil a new version of the GranTurismo - the MC Stradale - at the 2010 Paris Motor Show. The strictly two-seat MC Stradale is more powerful than the GranTurismo at 450 PS (331 kW; 444 hp), friction reduction accounts for the increase, says Maserati, due to the strategic use of “diamond-like coating", an antifriction technology derived from Formula 1, on wear parts such as the cams and followers. It is also 110 kg lighter (1,670 kg dry weight) from the GranTurismo, and more aerodynamic than any previous GranTurismo model - all with the same fuel consumption as the regular GranTurismo.^[13] In addition to two air intakes in the bonnet, the MC Stradale also receives a new front splitter and rear air dam for better aerodynamics, downforce, and improved cooling of carbon ceramic brakes and engine. The body modifications make the car 48 mm (2 in) longer.^[14]

The MC Race Shift 6-speed robotised manual gearbox (which shares its electronics and some of its hardware from the Ferrari 599 GTO) usually operates in an "auto" mode, but the driver can switch this to 'sport' or 'race' (shifting happening in 60 milliseconds in 'race' mode), which affects gearbox operations, suspension, traction control, and even the sound of the engine. The MC Stradale is the first GranTurismo to break the 300 km/h (186 mph) barrier, with a claimed top speed of 303 km/h (188 mph).^[15]

The push for the Maserati GranTurismo MC Stradale came from existing Maserati customers who wanted a road-legal super sports car that looked and felt like the GT4, GTD and Trofeo race cars. It has been confirmed by the Maserati head office that only 497 units of 2-seater MC Stradales were built in total from 2011–2013 in the world, Europe: 225 units, China: 45 units, Hong Kong: 12, Taiwan: 23 units, Japan: 33 units, Oceania: 15 units and 144 units in other countries.^{[citation needed]}

US market MC's do not have the "Stradale" part of the name, and they are sold with a fully automatic six-speed transmission rather than the one available in the rest of the world. US market cars also do not come with carbon fibre lightweight seats like the rest of the world.^[16]

The MC Stradale's suspension is 8% stiffer and the car rides slightly lower than the GranTurismo S following feedback from racing drivers who appreciated the better grip and intuitive driving feel of the lower profile. Pirelli has custom-designed extra-wide 20-inch P Zero Corsa tyres to fit new flow-formed alloy wheels.

The Brembo braking system with carbon ceramic discs weighs around 60% less than the traditional system with steel discs. The front is equipped with 380 x 34 mm ventilated discs, operated by a 6 piston caliper. The rear discs measure 360 x 32 mm with four piston calipers. The stopping distance is 33 m at 100 km/h (62 mph) with an average deceleration of 1.2g.

At the 2013 Geneva Motor Show, an update to the GranTurismo MC Stradale was unveiled. It features an updated 4.7 L (4,691 cc) V8 engine rated at 460 PS (454 hp; 338 kW) at 7,000 rpm and 520 N⋅m (384 lbf⋅ft) of torque at 4,750 rpm, as well as the MC Race Shift 6-speed robotized manual gearbox which shifts in 60 milliseconds in 'race' mode. The top speed is 303 km/h (188 mph). All models were built at the historic factory in viale Ciro Menotti in Modena.^{[17][additional citation(s) needed]}

The GranCabrio (GranTurismo Convertible in the United States and Canada)^[18] is a convertible version of the GranTurismo S Automatic, equipped with a canvas folding roof. The GranCabrio retains the four seat configuration of the GranTurismo coupé, and is thus Maserati's first ever four-seater convertible.^[19]

The GranCabrio was unveiled at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show,^[20] with production beginning in 2010. It is built in the Viale Ciro Menotti Maserati factory. European sales were to begin in February 2010, with the United States receiving its first cars a month later. Planned sales for 2010 were 2,100 units, of which two thirds were intended to go stateside.^[19]

The GranCabrio is powered by the same 4.7-litre V8 engine (rated at 440 PS (324 kW; 434 hp) at 7,000 rpm and 490 N⋅m (361 lb⋅ft) at 4,750 rpm) that is fitted to the GranTurismo S Automatic.

At the 2011 Geneva Motor Show, Maserati unveiled a new version of the GranCabrio, with an enhanced level of performance and handling. This version also has the 4.7-litre V8, coupled with the ZF six-speed automatic transmission and fitted with the slightly uprated 450 PS (331 kW; 444 hp) version of the V8 engine, with 510 N⋅m (380 lb⋅ft) torque.^[21] To hint at the car's more sporting nature, the headlights have black surrounds and other details such as the bars in the grille are also finished in black. There are also larger sideskirts as well as tiny winglets on the lower front corners. New front bumper and air splitter substantially lower drag coefficient from original Cd=0.35 to 0.33.^[22]

The Fendi is a version of the GranCabrio designed by Silvia Venturini Fendi.

It was unveiled at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show.^[23][24]

The GranCabrio MC four-seater open-top is 48 mm (1.9 in) longer than GranCabrio with front end inspired directly by MC Stradale and equipped with much improved aerodynamics compared to standard models. Power comes from 4.7 L 90° V8 delivering 460 PS (338 kW; 454 hp) and 520 N⋅m (384 lb⋅ft) of torque. Top speed is 289 km/h (180 mph) and acceleration from 0–100 km/h (62 mph) happens in 4.9 seconds. The only transmission is a MC Auto Shift, 6-speed ZF automatic. Wheels are 20 inch MC Design units. It premiered on 27 September 2012 at the Paris Motor Show.

The architecture of the GranTurismo and GranCabrio derives from the M139 platform of the fifth generation Quattroporte, shortened about 12 cm (4.7 in) in the wheelbase and 8 cm (3.1 in) in the rear overhang. Like on the Quattroporte the engine is pushed back beyond the front wheel's centerline, inside the wheelbase—in the front mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout. This confers a 49%/51% front/rear weight distribution to automatic transmission cars. "MC SportShift" sequential transmission variants have a further rear-biased 47%/53% weight distribution, due to the gearbox mounted at the rear with the differential—in the transaxle layout.

The chassis is made of stamped and boxed steel sections, and is complemented by two aluminium subframes: one at the front supporting the engine and providing suspension attaching points, and a tubular one at the rear supporting both suspension and differential (or the entire transmission in transaxle cars). Structural body panels are steel, the bonnet is aluminium and the boot lid is a single sheet moulding compound piece.

The suspension system consists of unequal length control arms with forged aluminium arms and cast aluminium uprights, coil springs and anti-roll bars on both axles. Dampers are either fixed-rate and set up for handling or "Skyhook" adaptive. The Skyhook system uses aluminium-bodied gas dampers, allowing automatic and continuous damping rate adjustment by means of proportioning valves.

The engines are from Ferrari/Maserati F136 V8 family.

Depending on the model two transmission are available on the GranTurismo and GranCabrio: a conventional torque converter 6-speed automatic or a 6-speed automated manual gearbox.

As on the Quattroporte, the automatic transmission is a 6HP26 unit supplied by ZF. This transmission includes Auto Normal Mode, Auto Sports Mode, Auto ICE Mode, and Manual Mode. Auto Normal mode shifts gears automatically at low rpm to achieve the most comfortable ride and at higher rpm when driving style becomes more sporty. AutoSport Mode changes gears 40% faster than in Normal Mode, downshifts when lifting off as a corner approaches; then it activates the stability control, stiffening Skyhook suspension, and opening exhaust valves when the engine is over 3,000 rpm (in the GranTurismo S Automatic). Auto ICE mode is for low-grip conditions; it reduces maximum torque at the wheel, prevents 1st gear starts, and only allows gear changes below 1,000 rpm.

The automated manual transmission includes Manual Normal and Manual Sport, Manual Sport with MC-Shift, Auto Normal, Auto Sport, Auto ICE modes.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Maserati GranTurismo and Maserati GranCabrio.

• Pininfarina pages: Maserati GranTurismo, Maserati GranCabrio
• Maserati pages: GC, GCS, GT, GTS, GTSA, GT Sport, GTMC, GTMCS, GTMCC
• Maserati GranCabrio Car of the Year 2010