2008 Maserati GranTurismo
2008 Maserati GranTurismo – Click above for high-res image gallery When we review a car, at some point we take it out to find a secluded location for a photo shoot. Anyone who does drive by usually keeps on going without asking any questions. Not so with a gleaming Nero black Maserati GranTurismo and a "Where are my sunglasses?" yellow Corvette Z06 sitting side by side. This was the scenario that transpired when fellow Autoblogger Chris Shunk swung by the Ann Arbor office for a joint photo shoot of our respective review vehicles. Corvettes, even screaming yellow Z06s, are pretty commonplace in Michigan. Maseratis, however, are anything but. The GranTurismo sashayed onto the world's automotive stage in March 2007 at the Geneva Motor Show looking right at home in the company of the models who always adorn the displays of Italian marques at such events. Read on to find out what Maserati's latest coupe is like to live with. %Gallery-28570% Photos Copyright ©2008 Sam Abuelsamid / Weblogs, Inc. If ever there were a car with a perfectly appropriate name, it is the Maserati GranTurismo. This coupe truly defines grand touring motoring of the Italian kind. The latest entry from the trident brand has one of the most voluptuous shapes on the road today, bar none. This is the second generation coupe from Maserati since the brand begun its product renaissance earlier this decade, the first being the less sexy and unimaginatively named Maserati Coupé. The GT had a rather inauspicious start in the attention grabbing department as I picked it up from a suburban Detroit Ferrari-Maserati dealer and set out for a meeting in nearby Birmingham. For those unfamiliar with Detroit's northern suburbs, Birmingham is one of the wealthiest communities in Michigan and the downtown area typically bristles with Bentleys, Mercedes and Ferraris. In this environment, even a car as visually enticing as this has a tough time standing out. Such was not the case when we rolled back into Ann Arbor's less lofty tax bracket. If one had to describe a GranTurismo in human terms, perhaps the best comparison would be the magnificent Sophia Loren. Like Ms. Loren, the GranTurismo has been endowed with curves in all the right places and the kind of classic nose that no Beverly hills plastic surgeon would let go untouched. From the driver's seat, the arches over the front wheels are clearly visible on both sides just as in a Corvette, but unlike the brawny American, the hood dips down completely out of sight. Although they don't sway like Sophia's, the Maserati's lovely hips are visible in the mirrors with a slight tip of the head. That nose, prominently marked by the brand's chrome trident, dips low to the ground giving the GT an almost sinister stance when viewed in the rear view mirror. On the inside, the GranTurismo is swathed in black and tan leather with a pleasantly thick steering wheel. The front seat backs are surprisingly hard, however, almost feeling …
Full Review
2008 Maserati GranTurismo – Click above for high-res image gallery When we review a car, at some point we take it out to find a secluded location for a photo shoot. Anyone who does drive by usually keeps on going without asking any questions. Not so with a gleaming Nero black Maserati GranTurismo and a "Where are my sunglasses?" yellow Corvette Z06 sitting side by side. This was the scenario that transpired when fellow Autoblogger Chris Shunk swung by the Ann Arbor office for a joint photo shoot of our respective review vehicles. Corvettes, even screaming yellow Z06s, are pretty commonplace in Michigan. Maseratis, however, are anything but. The GranTurismo sashayed onto the world's automotive stage in March 2007 at the Geneva Motor Show looking right at home in the company of the models who always adorn the displays of Italian marques at such events. Read on to find out what Maserati's latest coupe is like to live with. %Gallery-28570% Photos Copyright ©2008 Sam Abuelsamid / Weblogs, Inc. If ever there were a car with a perfectly appropriate name, it is the Maserati GranTurismo. This coupe truly defines grand touring motoring of the Italian kind. The latest entry from the trident brand has one of the most voluptuous shapes on the road today, bar none. This is the second generation coupe from Maserati since the brand begun its product renaissance earlier this decade, the first being the less sexy and unimaginatively named Maserati Coupé. The GT had a rather inauspicious start in the attention grabbing department as I picked it up from a suburban Detroit Ferrari-Maserati dealer and set out for a meeting in nearby Birmingham. For those unfamiliar with Detroit's northern suburbs, Birmingham is one of the wealthiest communities in Michigan and the downtown area typically bristles with Bentleys, Mercedes and Ferraris. In this environment, even a car as visually enticing as this has a tough time standing out. Such was not the case when we rolled back into Ann Arbor's less lofty tax bracket. If one had to describe a GranTurismo in human terms, perhaps the best comparison would be the magnificent Sophia Loren. Like Ms. Loren, the GranTurismo has been endowed with curves in all the right places and the kind of classic nose that no Beverly hills plastic surgeon would let go untouched. From the driver's seat, the arches over the front wheels are clearly visible on both sides just as in a Corvette, but unlike the brawny American, the hood dips down completely out of sight. Although they don't sway like Sophia's, the Maserati's lovely hips are visible in the mirrors with a slight tip of the head. That nose, prominently marked by the brand's chrome trident, dips low to the ground giving the GT an almost sinister stance when viewed in the rear view mirror. On the inside, the GranTurismo is swathed in black and tan leather with a pleasantly thick steering wheel. The front seat backs are surprisingly hard, however, almost feeling …
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Retail Price
$110,000 - $110,000
MSRP / Window Sticker Price
| Engine | 4.2L V-8 |
| MPG | Up to 13 city / 19 highway |
| Seating | 4 Passengers |
| Transmission | 6-spd auto w/OD |
| Power | 405 @ 7100 rpm |
| Drivetrain | rear-wheel |
| Curb Weight | 4,145 lbs |
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