Italian automaker, Maserati, is getting ready for the inaugural season of the Trofeo JBF RAK Middle East, a one-make racing series that will feature 12 races spread across the Middle East competed by 16 cars of the same kind. For this race, Maserati has announced the use of the new GranTurismo MC Trofeo JBF RAK Race Car, which will be used by the racers while being maintained and managed by Maserati themselves for the entire 12-race calendar. For the GranTurismo MC Trofeo JBF RAK Race Car, Maserati is outfitting the rear-wheel drive race car with a 4.7-liter V8 engine that produces 488 horsepower.
The season is set to kick off on November 11, 2011 and will feature races in venues across the Middle East, including the Yas Marinas F1 circuit in Abu Dhabi, the Bahrain International Circuit in Bahrain, the Dubai Autodrome in Dubai, and the Losail Ciruit in Qatar. Those interested in driving the GranTurismo MC Trofeo JBF RAK Race Car will have to fork over an entry fee of $135,000 to $145,000, which, in addition to driving the car, will also come with logistical management of the car, technical assistance at the circuit, a Maserati Trofeo race suit, and VIP hospitality for driver and guests.
It’s hard to find that kind of money lying around, but if we did have the funds for it, we’d jump at the opportunity to be part of this new Maserati racing series.
The current Maserati line-up includes the Quattroporte, the GranTurismo, and the GranCabrio, but things are about to get a little more populated with addition of a new sedan and a new SUV. The company has already begun developing these models and we should start see the fruits of their labor sometime in 2012, with the last model - the SUV - arriving in 2014. Before that, a new generation Quattroporte will be coming off of the production block, followed by a smaller model that will take on the likes of the BMW 5-Series.
Both sedans are being designed by Pininfarina and the Fiat Auto Centro Stile as we speak and they will be offered with either a 400-hp MultiAir-equipped, turbocharged version of the Pentastar V-6 or a 300 HP V6 turbo-diesel. The engines will be mated to a ZF eight-speed automatic gearbox that will help improve fuel consumption.
The new SUV arriving in 2014 - earlier said to be 2012 - will be the first one landing on the Maserati lineup and will be based on the Grand Cherokee platform. Sergio Marchionne, CEO of Chrysler Group and Fiat, has already confirmed that the new model will be fitted with a "rock and roll engine" from Ferrari, possibly in both V8 and V12 variants. The company has already invested $750 million for its production.
Maserati has revealed an impressive video that shows their entire line-up in action. The GranTurismo MC Stradale, the GranCabrio, the GranTurismo, and the Quattroporte are all presented showing off their stuff and tempting all of us to choose their favorite Maserati model. We couldn’t make that decision, so we’ll leave it up to you to decide which model would be the best for a perfect summer drive.
We’re big fans of Maserati anyway, but now that the company has brought the GranTurismo MC to the American market, we have many more reasons to appreciate it. We have to remind you that the MC will be the fastest model ever offered by Maserati over in the States, so if you want a pretty cool car in your garage this might be the perfect time to start saving. And save that cash fast, as we’d bet money the car will only be offered in limited numbers.
Maserati unveiled the GranTurismo MC Stradale at the 2010 Paris Auto Show, but the company is now bringing the North American version of the car to the New York Auto Show. It’s not exactly the street-legal machine found with the Stradale nameplate, though. This is the Maserati Corse (MC) which means we have a racing setup with no hopes to take it out on the streets. Eliminate the Stradale wording, add a new transmission and two rear seats, and you get a car that will only be sold on the US and Canadian market, strictly for track use.
The new GranTurismo MC will be the fastest production car Maserati has ever sold in the US market. It is powered by a 4.7-liter all-alloy V8 engine that delivers 443 HP at 7000rpm and and a peak torque of 376 lbs-ft at 4750rpm. This translates into enough power to sprint the car from 0 to 60 mph in 4.9 seconds and hit a top speed of 185 mph. The MC version comes with a automatic gearbox instead of the Race Shift transmission that was used for the Stradale version.
Hit the jump to read more about the 2012 Maserati GranTurismo MC.
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A car’s elegance should be kept even after applying a tuning package, and that is exactly what tuner, Wheelsandmore, believe and achieve for all of their tuning programs. For example, their new package for the Maserati Granturismo offers a hint of an exterior package, as well as a little more power as a minimalistic approach to making the sports car that much more appealing.
For the engine, the tuner is offering an ecu upgrade combined with a new handmade stainless steel exhaust system with valve flaps. The result is a total of 447 HP and 500 lb-ft of torque.
The performance is further upgraded with the special forged, lightweight 20" 6Sporz wheels with Dunlop Sportmaxx GT tires, 265/30/20 at the front and 325/30/20 at the rear.
The package for the Maserati GranTurismo is rounded off with a Street Comfort coilover kit made by KW suspensions in Germany. This kit can also be used for cars with a serial skyhook suspension.
