Maserati GranTurismo (07 on) - Review

A car as gorgeous as the GranTurismo cries out for power and the standard 4.2-litre V8 engine delivers sufficient urge to satisfy the most demanding driver. The ability to reach the 62mph benchmark rate in just 5.2 seconds means this is agile transport at all times, with plenty of thrust available at the merest dab of the electronic drive-by-wire accelerator. The S models get a more powerful 4.7-litre V8 engine with 433bhp. This drops the 0-62mph time to just 4.9 seconds in the DuoSelect model and feels even more sublime than the smaller unit. The gearbox is disappointing though - it's an automatic on the standard model with a manual model allowing you to change gear via steering wheel paddles. However, it never allows you full control and isn't as enjoyable to use as a manual gearbox. The S has a different system that uses two clutches to offer super-fast changes - hence the name DuoSelect. To confuse matters further there is also an S Automatic model which is fitted with the same gearbox as the standard car.

The use of lightweight material in the GranTurismo design means it has a relatively low kerb weight for such a substantial car. This helps the handling and allows the GranTurismo to reward the enthusiast drive by clinging to the road irrespective of speed. It also sweeps through corners with panache and composure. The car's well-honed chassis guarantees pedigree roadholding at all times, and with such a large amount of engine power available, gadgetry to prevent the rear from squatting under fierce acceleration is just as welcome as an anti-dive feature. This stops the front suspension from pitching down under heavy braking.