Maserati GranSport

[anjum]

Guys

Did you see the review of the GranSport on TG? Seemed pretty good to me. I need a practicle car - to use every day - with the occasional child in the back - seems like a great option.

I have a deposit on a Conti GT - but am talking to HR Owens right now about getting into one.

What do you guys reckon (and clearly after last week - this will need a Tubi style exhaust)???

Does anyone own one? Anyone driven one?

Cheers

Anjum

[dazren]

McNab has one.

DAZ

[mr_tony]

anjum said:

What do you guys reckon (and clearly after last week - this will need a Tubi style exhaust)???

:thumbsup:

anjum said:

Does anyone own one? Anyone driven one? Cheers Anjum

As Daz says McNab has one - seach on this forum and you'll find his glowing words!

Theres better room in the Gransport for the kids than the bentley, it'll got a lot further on a tank of fuel than the bentley too - make more noise with a tubi and look a darn site sexier too! Who needs a Conti GT anyway

[Twin Turbo]

Mmmmmmm was rather nice, wasn't it?

Like Mr Hammond, the only thing I'm not keen on is the "space age tweed" material on the dash. Nothing a good specialist trimmer couldn't fix (unless Maserati offer "personalisation"

I do like 'em in blue, too.

And even the standard exhaust didn't sound too bad, even better when the valves open up in sport mode

[propaganda]

Is it a Tubi that is fitted to the Gransport? Sounds good to me in sport mode.

[maserati3200gt]

propaganda said:

Is it a Tubi that is fitted to the Gransport? Sounds good to me in sport mode.

I think it is. Either way the sound is similar if im incorrect.

[McNab]

maserati3200gt said:

Either way the sound is similar if im incorrect.

Agree 100% - it's great in sport mode - not too much and not too tame! I think it's a factory silencer though, with its dual personality (quieter in normal mode when you want to be unnoticeable).

The high tech fabric is a bit of a puzzle at first. I chose the easy option - dark grey with black leather and black exterior, but I'll be a bit more daring with my next one and go for a silver car with burgundy leather and silver fabric. I really do like the fabric - it's different, and sets off the interior beautifully. Then again, if you feel very rich you can have the full leather interior in any colours you want!

I was hugely impressed with the build quality - far better than I expected, and virtually equal to Porsche (best in the world). There was a small problem when new - a slight distortion in one corner of the windscreen, and I thought nothing of it. But when my dealer's service manager saw it he insisted on changing the screen under warranty - great service (Graypaul Edinburgh).

Running has been entirely fault-free, and I'm highly impressed with the performance. All you would ever want with a road car, and excellent handling to match. I particularly like the steering, and the eagerness of the engine is superb. Very light delicate throttle, exactly as I like it.

It took me a couple of weeks to learn the subtleties of the paddle shift - just how much of a blip to give it on the down change, and how to get a seamless upchange. You can do two pedals with one foot when changing down under heavy braking, because the pedals are ideally placed - huge fun! Maybe the brakes feel a little grabby at slow speed, but they don't half work when you use them hard. And you soon get used to the grabbiness too.

I particularly like the appearance of the car - understated, but an absolute thoroughbred. It doesn't upset people who hate flash cars (they have no idea what it is), but enthusiasts appreciate it. Nice.

Definitely one of the most satisfying drives I've ever had!





>> Edited by McNab on Tuesday 28th June 00:25

[anjum]

[redacted]

[mr_tony]

anjum said:

Price list (which arrived this morning!!!) says Technical Cloth Areas in Leather (Colour Upon Request) £1,680. I've been playing on the Maserati site - on the car configurator - and now the QP has come into play. B*gger! Anjum

QP is awesome machine - Nick and I ran our 3200's in convoy with a German QP whilst on the Autobahn earlier this year - he kept up with us no problem! And probably the most beautiful saloon in the world at the moment bar none

[Twin Turbo]

McNab, Sir, your GranSport is stunning

[McNab]

Thank you TT.

I have to admit I rather like it too, and consider myself lucky to own it!

Ian.

[360stimo]

anjum said:

Guys Did you see the review of the GranSport on TG? Seemed pretty good to me. I need a practicle car - to use every day - with the occasional child in the back - seems like a great option. I have a deposit on a Conti GT - but am talking to HR Owens right now about getting into one. What do you guys reckon (and clearly after last week - this will need a Tubi style exhaust)??? Does anyone own one? Anyone driven one? Cheers Anjum

Thought it looked fantastic !

[sjp63]

The blue car on TG looked great. What irritates me though is the comments out the chalk and cheese comparison between the 02 Coupe they last tested and the GS. The TG magazine rates the Coupe at 7/20 and the GS at 14/20, so twice as good. TG have a thing against CC because they never bother to try to learn to use it properly. What was that crap on TG about you cant park it? It rolls forward and it drives its self backward. What utter rubbish!

Would I swap my 04 cc for a GS - Yes! Do I like the GS interior - No!, Do I think the GS is twice as good as the Coupe - of course it isnt, that sort of leap would take a complete redesign.

Has TG had its day? - I think so....

[exint2]

They absolutely hated the 2002 CC gearbox, but by 04 there had been 2 major software revisions and it was much improved.

the 02 handling was also aparently a bit "iffy" - though I never found it particually so but from '03 a full stabilit y control package was included (02 only had TC)

so by thier ratings I suppose a 04 /05 Coupe should get an 11/20

They did also sleight the interior which is just bollox because the fit / finish and sheer class of the interior is probably the best part about the car...

I drove a GS last week and it is a very very good car, if I had the cash I would order one tomorrow (with leather replacing the very strange Technocloth)

[chris_crossley]

I would take the GS as standard. The Techno cloth is just part of the design. Still think that 3200GT, Coupe are a good drive. The problem with TG is that they have the car for a day. It takes a week at least to get used to these cars. They have quirks that make driving them FUN . If you want reliable dullness that granny car drive buy a porker.

[r555wrs]

Guys,

As I have mentioned on here a few times, I use my GS as a daily driver from Essex into the City and am very happy with it, other than bits falling off and not working!!! Engineering-wise, the car is sound.

It did take a little getting used to re the flappy paddles especially in stop, start traffic. I did wonder what I had let myself in for @ the start and hankered after my manual 996. But once used to it, I would not change it at all now.

I have now done 4,500 miles in it and am very happy. I must say, that you do have mash the accelerator and rev the nuts off it to fly, it does not have that instant pick up like the 996, but then again it is a short block V8 so that accounts for the perceptible lack of torque.

I will try and post some photos, as I put £8K's worth of personalisation on it. Kept the fabric interior though, am very happy with the contrast it gives the car.

Re exhaust sound, it could be louder. It does sound nice in sport mode but not really that loud. It does have a "factory" Tubi, but I am planning to get the aftermarket Tubi, although this will not allow to "switch" the exhaust when you shift modes.

One other point to make, I only ever drive the car in "sport" mode. I did try with sport "off" and hated it, hated the lag on the gear change.

Any questions happily answered.

Stuart

[propaganda]

I thought the GranSport looked great on TG, I have a 4200CC and I now am considering a GS.

Clarkson is a tosser... He has obviously never really tried the paddle shift gearbox properly, I don't suppose many journalists do. I think they consider themselves "driving gods" and when they can't master it in 5 minutes they conclude that it "must be rubbish" It takes a few weeks to become very comfortable with paddle shift. Of course the double declutching heel and toe do-ci-do brigade dont much care for F1/CC either as they can't use their skills. Apparently when TG/Clarkson slated the F1 shift in the Vanquish Aston Martin had a number of cancellations. TG is entertainment but should not be taken too seriously especially with all the "it's bad but it's really good" stuff.

[guydw]

I'd have a GS tommorrow, I saw one the other day and thought it was stunning.

[g_attrill]

My boss got a GranSport a month or two back, looks very nice, the wheels are lovely. His came with 6,000 or so on the clock and with the funny silvery fabric.

Problem 1: Becker sat-nav fitted but fouled against the carbon dash surround so the front panel couldn't pop off. Just a niggle that precluded loading a CF card and removing it for security. Spacers fitted but it now sits proud of the dash and looks very odd.

Problem 2: Threw fault and went into limp-mode that required stopping and restarting the car. Sent to garage, seems that the computer was just reset rather than fixed because it has happened several times since, and today it went into limp-home mode permanently, so he has to drive 2+ hours like that.

Otherwise it runs very well and sounds fantastic, he said the reverse gear is tricky to master but the gearbox itself is very nice.

Gareth

[nightmare]

Unless Im much mistaken isn't this fabric weave the same as the seat inserts in the RS models of Skodas now? I had an Octavia RS for a week or so (bloody great car) and it had that stuff in the seats? think its great!