Maserati GranTurismo 2018

It has been a decade since Maserati released its GranTurismo, and it goes without saying that the GT world has moved on significantly since the car’s debut. Maserati has attempted to keep pace by adding power and sticking various unfortunate plastic bits to the machine’s fundamentally lovely Pininfarina-designed form, while teasing us with the delayed sex-bomb Alfieri. Recently, the FCA unit unveiled a refreshed version of the venerable GT in front of the New York Stock Exchange, and then it pulled the wraps from the droptop variant at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. If it’s not the show stopper the GranTurismo was at launch, it’s at least free of that godawful dark grin that has been plaguing Sport and MC versions of the car for years.

The GT variant that Maserati showed off at the stock exchange was the higher-performance MC Stradale, which will be joined by a heavier Sport model. All GranTurismo models feature the last living iteration of the wonderful naturally aspirated Ferrari-Maserati V-8, which offers 460 horsepower at 7000 rpm and 384 lb-ft of torque at 4750 rpm, In this era of 10-speed automatics, the GranTurismo offers only a six-speed ZF unit bolted directly to the engine, having dispensed with the previous car’s optional MC Shift single-clutch automated transaxle.

According to Maserati, the Alfieri inspired the GT’s new nose. It features a hexagonal grille and gaping cheek ducts, which might take on a slightly more restrained form on the as-yet-unseen Sport. The company claims the new face helps reduce the Cd from 0.33 to 0.32. The rear bumper has also been redone. Modena says the Sport coupe will hit 62 mph in 4.8 seconds and do 186 mph, which is notably 1 mph better than Joe Walsh’s old car. MC coupe customers can expect 187 at the top end while shaving a tenth off the Sport’s zero-to-62-mph run.

Inside, customers are treated to four seats upholstered in Poltrona Frau leather, while an Alcantara-and-leather interior treatment is optional. The new GT also features a revised infotainment system, offering an 8.4-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto functionality, as well as a Harman/Kardon premium sound system.

At launch, the GranTurismo was roughly competitive within its segment. These days, even a base 911 Carrera will embarrass the sporty MC during stoplight drags, as will a hulking Mercedes-AMG S63 cabriolet. The car has been successful by Maserati standards—the Modenese factory has produced more than 37,000 GranTurismos over the past decade—but it requires an owner who prizes exclusivity over performance. Finally, it does have one ace up its tailored sleeve: if you’d like a new car with a naturally aspirated Italian V-8, it’s now the only game in town.