The Maserati GranSport’s beautiful shape has been developed in the wind tunnel and uses muscular aerodynamic forms to improve the airflow over the car, ensuring a balance of vertical loads between the front and rear axles. The result is that the Maserati GranSport has a drag factor of 0.33, one of the very best in its category. The enhanced dynamic characteristics along with improved front-wheel driveability make it very easy to handle. GranSport owners will be able to enjoy the performance of the vehicle with complete confidence.

The aerodynamic changes include the development of new bumpers. At the front a very pronounced lower spoiler with side bars integrates elegantly into the body itself, while the boot lid has been given a discrete but efficient spoiler lip.

Altogether the new aerodynamic features, combined with a 10 mm reduction in ride height, result in a two-point improvement in the drag factor over the standard Coupé delivering real benefits for the driver. The Maserati GranSport offers a truly blistering drive thanks to its direct, precise steering and excellent stability at high speeds.

The traditional Maserati elegance is there too in the classic chrome grille reminiscent of the Quattroporte. The grilles over the air vents on the rear bumper are chrome, too. The Maserati GranSport’s sporty stance is completed with new 19" wheels inspired by those used on the cars in the Maserati Trofeo Championship, with the spokes forming a very attractive Trident.

The Maserati GranSport’s normally aspirated 4244cc V8 engine has all the character of the most advanced racing engines with dry sump lubrication and twin overhead camshafts per cylinder bank and four-valves-per-cylinder hydraulic tappets. The intake cams also feature variable phase timing.

Maximum power delivery has been upped from the original 390hp to 400hp after special development to reduce internal friction, along with work on the intake manifolds and valve seats. The engine combines with a sports exhaust system that is instantly recognisable, thanks to the unique design of its twin chrome tailpipes, designed to give enthusiasts that unmistakeable deep, full-bodied rumble. Thanks to an electronically controlled pneumatic valve system, even more can be heard from the exhaust by pressing the "Sport" button on the central console.

The Maserati GranSport uses the Cambiocorsa six-speed electro-hydraulic transmission in which the gears are changed using paddles mounted behind the steering wheel, further enhancing the car’s sporting heritage. The Cambiocorsa system allows drivers to choose between various gear shifting modes (Normal, Sport, Automatic and Low Grip) using software developed specifically for the GranSport. In Sport mode the GranSport offers 35 per cent quicker gear changes than the Coupé and boasts automatic heeling-and-toeing to make dropping down a gear even faster. Thanks to the new Cambiocorsa software, the Maserati GranSport can sprint over a kilometre from standstill in 23 seconds flat.

The gear shift ratios are unique to the car too with the adoption of a sixth gear that is five per cent longer than the Coupé, which, in combination with its more powerful engine and improved aerodynamics, allows the Maserati GranSport to improve on the already blistering speeds of the Coupé, reaching a top speed of 290 Km/h where legally permitted.

The Cambiocorsa system has two modes, in common with the Spyder and Coupé range. Normal mode offers a dynamic GT driving experience, while with a touch of the Sport button on the central console the true power of the car comes to life. Sport mode delivers much faster gear changes, a deeper exhaust sound and less intervention by the MSP stability and traction control system. The Skyhook suspension system, which offers continuous damping control, is also affected by the driver’s choice of Normal or Sport modes. For more comfort-oriented driving, there is even an Auto mode so that the driver can sit back and enjoy the thrilling experience of driving a Maserati. However, the Sport function can still be activated in this mode.

The Maserati GranSport boasts all of the excellent technological and safety features offered by the Maserati range of GTs, but with some very important refinements. The car has the same sophisticated set-up as the Coupé Cambiocorsa: a Transaxle layout with the gearbox rear-mounted in unit with the differential, stability and traction control (MSP) integrating ABS, ASR, MSR and EBD functions, which the driver can deactivate if desired, and the Skyhook adaptive damping system which instantly adapts the damper calibrations to suit the driving and road conditions and allows the driver to choose between two different settings (Normal and Sport).

The suspension has been lowered by 10 mm and along with new 19" wheels and tyres (front 235/35 19", rear 265/30 19"), characterised by a smaller slip angle, has lowered the centre of gravity and hardened the set-up of Maserati GranSport, making it even more agile and responsive.

The Brembo brakes with alloy titanium-coloured four-piston callipers and large ventilated cross-drilled discs (front 330 mm; rear 310 mm), further enhance the dynamic characteristics of the car.

The GranSport’s interior reflects its dynamic personality in terms of aesthetics and functionality, yet exudes the elegant good taste and luxurious comfort of a Maserati GT. The dashboard, body-hugging seats, tunnel, thick-rimmed steering wheel, and innovative choice of materials (leather, carbon fibre, alloy, high tech fabric) all combine to create a truly sporty ambience.

The Maserati GranSport’s dashboard boasts special trim and central console options. The upper part of the dash is trimmed in leather, while the central area, framed by car-coloured piping, is trimmed in a high-tech fabric originally developed for nautical use and available in Nero (Black), Grigio Nickel (Nickel Grey) or Blu Metal (Metal Blue). This is a double-layered material which combines form and function, being non-slip and extremely hard wearing, ideal for trimming the central area of sports seats and the lower rim of the steering wheel.

The front seats provide high levels of lateral support ensuring maximum driver contact with the car for perfect control. They were developed with the help of Maserati test drivers using strict ergonomic principles to combine sporty characteristics and excellent seat comfort for perfect, long distance driving. This is why the seats are also fully power adjustable and can be supplied with a heating option and memorised settings on the driver’s side.

The carbon fibre, leather-trimmed tunnel separates the two front seats. It contains the Cambiocorsa control selector and the secondary commands, set into an elegant chrome surround.

The main controls including the blue Start button are grouped together on the central console near the driver. The climate control and CD player buttons are also set in a carbon feature on the central console.

Customers of the Maserati GranSport will appreciate the craftsmanship involved in hand-making the three-spoke steering wheel with a moulded rim (trimmed in perforated leather, carbon and technical fabric) to offer improved ergonomic grip. All of the car’s functions are arranged on the instrument binnacle which boasts sporty white graphics on a Maserati navy blue background..

The Maserati GranSport is available in six colours from the current Maserati range which can be combined with various interior options. Owners can choose from the classic Giallo Granturismo (GT Yellow) and Rosso Mondiale (World Championship Red) or, alternatively between the metallic Nero Carbonio (Carbon Black), Blu Mediterraneo (Mediterranean Blue) and Grigio Touring (Touring Grey). The sixth colour choice recently added to the range is Bianco Fuji (Fuji White), an original pearl white with the unusual depth typical of three-coat pearlescent paints.

This is the starting point from which the Officine Alfieri Maserati programme can be used to include a vast array of other personalisation options including non-standard interior trim leather colours and fabric as well as technical or comfort-oriented features, such as: Xenon headlights, Mercury Grey and Ball-Polished rims for the wheels, carbon interior and exterior components, GPS and GSM telephone module controlled from the radio unit, and a six-disc CD Changer, to mention but a few.

For further information please contact:

Al Clarke - Head of Communication Ferrari UK
Tel: 01784 486 612 - Fax: 01784 486 279 - Mob: 07899 843073
E-mail: al.clarke@ferrari.co.uk

Silvia Pini - Media Relations Manager Ferrari UK
Tel: 01784 486607 - Fax: 01784 486279 - Mob: 07764 157270
E-mail: silvia.pini@ferrari.co.uk