Is that a CRT television in the dash?
A whole decade has passed since Italian carmaker Maserati first rolled out the GranTurismo and GranCabrio, touring cars that continue to capture the imagination of Trident fans the world over. You probably didn’t realise that ten years had gone by since these cars were introduced until we said so, proof that good design can create timeless desire.
Beautiful though they may be, with 10-years under their belts, the Maserati twins were well deserving of a facelift (since a full-model replacement might be some way off). As such, both cars received a minor nip/tuck for the 2018 model year, with both cars making a grand debut at this years’ Goodwood Festival of Speed.
The biggest change (no, really) is the new grille, which is now hexagonal, bearing a resemblance to the Alfieri concept from 2014. There are also some subtle aerodynamic changes (except for the bonnet scoop on the GT, that’s pretty obvious) that have reduced drag, too. The model lineup has also seen changes, and now only offers ‘Sport’ and ‘MC’ trim levels for both the coupe and the cabriolet.
The mechanicals remain largely the same, with a 4.7-litre naturally-aspirated V8, developed together with Ferrari, capable of 343kW and 520Nm (in MC spec, at least). Both cars come as standard with a six-speed ZF automatic transmission, and rear-wheel drive is the only way the power is going down to the road. The Sport models manage the century sprint in just 4.8-seconds, while the MC saves 0.1-seconds on top of that. It’s the same story with the top speeds, with the Sport tops out at 299km/h, while the MC will keep hurtling on to 301km/h.
Inside, the Maserati sports cars now gain an 8.4-inch infotainment screen, which comes out of the box with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. This updated system pairs with a Harman/Kardon sound system, and lives within a redesigned centre console replete with rotary dials to dial-in (get it) better control over the infotainment system on the move. This is a particularly welcome move to bring the two cars into the 21st century, though the way the screen has been integrated into the centre console doesn’t look particularly… integrated.
It has been confirmed that the updated GranTurismo and GranCabrio will arrive on our shores by early 2018, while pricing and exact specs will be confirmed closer to its date of introduction.
For more information on Maserati, check out our Showroom.
