Monday 1st March 2004

Maserati GranSport

Can you picture your grandmother at the wheel?

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Maserati are at Geneva this year and have dreamt up a sportier looking version of their coupe to grab some headlines.

The new Maserati GranSport gets another 10bhp taking power to 400bhp. The engineers have achieved this via some friction reduction and some work on the intake manifolds and valve seats. It's a 4244cc, dry sumped version of the version of the Maser V8.

The engine combines with a sports exhaust system designed to give enthusiasts the appropriate deep, full-bodied rumble. Thanks to an electronically controlled pneumatic valve system, even more can be heard from the exhaust by pressing the "Sport" button on the central console!

The Maserati GranSport uses the Cambiocorsa six-speed electro-hydraulic transmission in which the gears are changed using paddles mounted behind the steering wheel.

Slight improvements have been made to the aerodynamics compared with the standard car. A 10mm lower ride height, new bumpers and some fancy grilles also serve to give the car a slightly more purposeful look. 19" wheels complete the effect.

Inside more cow hide and carbon are slapped about to give the required ambience.

[chris_crossley]

I like it.

Just the side sills are a bit duff and it could do with boomerang rear lights.

[kenyon]

Its going to give the 360 a run for its money... Its really nice.....

[Flasher]

Superb.

[chris_n]

Like that a lot. Is a weight loss programme part of the spec? I know these cars are never going to be the ultimate in lightweights but I think a little bit of weight loss to go with the slight increase in power would make a pretty awesome package.

[hoganscrogan]

Still makes me sad to see the non-boomerang rear lights, from cool to bland

[Beasty]

Looks good to me, although I agree with the comments about the side sills and rear lights.

Also, why do they persist with the paddle shift, what the hell is wrong with changing gear all of a sudden? I just don't see why it is fitted as standard to what is supposed to be the "sports" model.

[sport300]

cool!but,... sideskirts very "johnny".

[robertuk]

I have always enjoyed the front of the recent cars.
Its a shame not many people know the marque .
(We passed a 3200GT months ago and I was
the only person able to identify the make/model !)

The rear lights remind me of a Honda or Rover from years ago.

Very sporty and quite distinctive. Would love to own one. As I would be the only one on my road with one !

[danger mouse]

So it's not just me then....

[Flasher]

Which is why I wanted one with the boomerang lights...




much better..

[rico]

The Ferrari guy in HROwen said the Boomerang lights were changed due to regulations in the US, and due to the UK market being quite small they didn't bother making the Boomerangs just for the UK and/or Europe.

Real shame as they looked great!

[Andrew Richmond]

I read somewhere that the new Coupe and Spyder (early 06?)may go back to the boomerangs.....Great news!

[forrestgump]

A bit like 25's rearlights?

source: shop.mg-rover.org

[Bodo]

Flasher said:

Which is why I wanted one with the boomerang lights... much better..

Flasher, the boomerang lights are really one of the styling features that make the 3200 attractive. The later ones aren't that exciting, but I understand that they were a requirement for the North-American market.

Anyway, I've watched your car consuming behaviour since I've joined PH, (the Tivs, the Maser with the auto-box) and after insistent calculations, I have to anticipate the arrival of the first ever ordered-from-a-person-under-50, handbuilt, last-off-the-line Bristol Blenheim in the Flasher household in 2008.

[shnozz]

Flasher said:

Which is why I wanted one with the boomerang lights... much better..

shut up you tart - they just wouldnt give you more than £30k for your T350.

[flasher]

shnozz said:

Flasher said: Which is why I wanted one with the boomerang lights... much better.. shut up you tart - they just wouldnt give you more than £30k for your T350.

get back on the paupers forum Peter Andre.

[shnozz]

isnt it about the equity rather than purchase cost?

[flasher]

shnozz said:

isnt it about the equity rather than purchase cost?

not really, especially in your case if you only intend to use it as a garden ornament

[Waveboy14]

Always preferred the boomerang lights too. Shame that the American public has no taste (reason for changing the rear, not regulations), but hey ... that's no surprise
(Sorry if I offended any American!)

Peter

[afm]

Funny, being an American and living in N. America you'd think I would meet a lot of these "people who do not prefer the boomerang lights" of the original Maser coupe. I do not. I don't think it's just the crowd I hang with - I have a DB7 Vantage coupe, most of my (car) friends own Esprit's. They also think the sad excuse for tailights are, well, sad. I'd have to guess it was regulations killed the boomerang lights, not taste.

Then again, the DB9 get's a type of 'boomerang' tail light treatment, so maybe I'm wrong after all?