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2024 Maserati GranTurismo revealed, twin-turbo V6 or 750-hp EV: 'We're going to let buyers decide'

Maserati is in the midst of a renaissance; it's branching out into new segments with cars like the MC20 and the Grecale. While it's counting on these models to widen its target audience, it's not forgetting about its existing customers and the cars that brought them to the brand. The new, second-generation GranTurismo is a blank-sheet redesign that's evolutionary where it counts and revolutionary where it needs to be. First, the elephant in the room: this is a big, luxurious coupe launched in an era when big, luxurious coupes are disappearing at an alarming rate. What's the point? Min Byung Yoon, Maserati's lead exterior designer, explained the grand tourer (a fast, upscale car designed to quickly and effortlessly drive across a country) is one of the pillars that the company's image is built on, and keeping this tradition alive is important. Customers care more about image and usability than tradition, however, so the new GranTurismo receives several important updates. Maserati will offer the GranTurismo in three different flavors: Modena, Trofeo and Folgore. The first two use a version of the excellent 3.0-liter, twin-turbocharged V6 inaugurated by the MC20 and also found in the Grecale. Known as the Nettuno engine internally, it develops 490 horsepower and 443 pound-feet of torque in the Modena, figures that increase to 550 and 479, respectively, in the Trofeo. It's bolted to an eight-speed automatic transmission in both applications, and it spins the four wheels — the original GranTurismo was rear-wheel-drive. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Andrea Baccino, the chief engineer for the Italian firm's electric powertrains, told me that making all-wheel drive standard across the range is a way to expand the GranTurismo's usability. It's now a viable year-round driver, even if you live somewhere in rural Vermont. The system is rear-biased but variable: it can send up to 100% of the engine's torque to the rear wheels or split it 50/50 between the front and rear axles. The V6 is front-mid-mounted to achieve a 52/48 front-rear weight distribution, and the GranTurismo weighs around 3,957 pounds, which is surprisingly low considering it's not exactly nimble: it measures about 195 inches long, 77 inches wide and 53 inches tall. Hitting 62 mph from a stop takes 3.9 seconds in the Modena and 3.5 seconds in the Trofeo, and top speed checks in at 187 mph and 198 mph, respectively.

Maserati special editions celebrate the end of the V8 at Goodwood

The Goodwood Festival of Speed is ready to cheer anything with pretensions to velocity, equally respectful to new hooligans trying to seize the day and veterans that have had theirs. Maserati's brought both to the 'sceptered isle, sometimes demonstrated in the same body. The house of the trident will start shutting down V8 production next year, bringing an end to 64 years of eight-cylinder Maseratis going back to the 5000 GT of 1959. The Ghibli 334 Ultima and Levante V8 Ultima special editions commemorate the sunset, both powered by the departing twin-turbo 3.8-liter V8 making 572 horsepower and 538 pound-feet of torque. The sedan gets the "334" designation of its top speed in kilometers per hour, known as 206.3 mph in non-metric lands. That's three miles per hour more than the Ghibli Trofeo's top speed as shown on Maserati's retail U.S. site. Performance and aero updates include a new carbon fiber spoiler, special tires made from a new compound, and 21-inch Orione wheels. The sprint to 62 miles per hour drops from 4.3 seconds to 3.9. The automaker calls this car the "current fastest internal combustion engine sedan in the world," and it's going to climb the Goodwood hill. Each special edition gets 103 examples. Maserati hasn't discussed regional allotments nor how to make a reservation. The rest of the Italian showcase in Lord March's back yard revolves around the new. The GrandTurismo Trofeo with a Nettuno V6 will be there, the 542-hp V6 stepping further out of the shadow of the V8. The battery-electric GranTurismo Folgore takes a bow as well, as does the Grecale Folgore. Artsy types will want a look at the GranTurismo Prisma, a one-off based on the Nettuno-powered GranTurismo Trofeo. Revealed a few months ago, this tips a cap to 75 years of the automaker. Artists hand-painted the body with 14 colors that nod to classic Maserati hues, then hand-painted the names of classic models like the Indy, Mistral, and Amaranto, applying more than 8,500 individual characters. Finally, a GranTurismo Folgore and an MC20 Cielo will join the Ghilbli 334 Ultima making a run up the hill. The MC20 Cielo is returning for a second run after a debut jaunt last year.

Maserati readies Modena plant for Alfieri, shelves GranTurismo soon

It is highly likely that the Maserati GranTurismo will soon go the way of the Biturbo. An Australian Maserati executive was quoted as saying that GranTurismo production will end by the end of this year, and Maserati itself has announced that the Modena plant making the GranTurismo will face production line upgrades to prepare for a new model. Glen Sealey, general manager of Maserati's Australia and New Zealand operations, told Carsales that GranTurismo production will cease by the end of 2019, and that dealer stock Down Under will last until mid-2020. The GranTurismo will reportedly be succeeded by the all-new Alfieri coupe, based on a space-frame chassis that will also see a convertible variant added to the lineup. Earlier reports have included the mention of a full-electric Alfieri version produced with Ferrari know-how. Maserati's own statement says that upgrading and renewal of the Modena production lines will begin in the autumn of 2019, meaning that the GranTurismo should remain in production for less than nine months. Maserati also mentioned "a totally new model, a characteristically Maserati sports car" entering pre-series production during the first half of 2020, but according to other reports, it could take until 2022 for the Alfieri to reach customers. If that's true, there'd be quite a gap in the Maserati portfolio. The GranTurismo was launched at the 2007 Geneva Motor Show, though updates have strived to prolong its shelf life. Recent GranTurismo sales in the United States have been modest: after a little more than 2,000 units sold in 2016, sales halved for 2017. Maserati has stated earlier that it wants to reach 100,000 global sales by 2022, with a 15-percent profit margin. Image Credit: Maserati Plants/Manufacturing Rumormill Maserati maserati alfieri