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After revealing details on their latest creation, the Maserati GranTurismo MC, the Italian automaker has released the first video of the GT racer stretching its legs at the Paul Ricard circuit, in Le Castellet, France.
The new model is an offshoot of the Maserati GranTurismo MC Concept introduced last September in Monza and is based on the Maserati GranTurismo S road version, with electro-actuated gearbox system.
Weren’t able to get your hands on a Maserati MC12? Well fear not Italian race fans because a new competition Maserati is on the track. Maserati unveiled today the GranTurismo MC, which is the production version of the Maserati GranTurismo MC Concept. Although this won’t set any Nurburgring lap records like the MC12, the track-only MC should provide good competition in the FIA’s GT4 class.
Maserati didn’t reveal horsepower figures, but oddly enough it was able to give estimated total weight as well as estimated power to weight ratios. According to those figures, the 4.7-liter V8 engine is making greater than 412 hp.
This seems like a suspiciously low starting point considering the same engine makes 440 hp in GranTurismo S.
The GranTurismo MC will go on sale starting in October at a price of €135,000 (about $180,000 at the current exchange rates).
Press release after the jump.
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Maserati first unveiled the GranTurismo back in 2007 at the Geneva Motor Show. The car was then launched with a 4.2 liter V8 engine mated to a automatic gearbox with self-adjusting controls which adapt the gear change to the driving style and conditions.
Two years later the company unveils the GranTurismo S Automatic. What’s new about this car is the combination of the automatic transmission with a 4.7 liter V8 engine that delivers 440 HP at 7000 rpm and a peak torque of 490Nm at 4.750 rpm.
Thanks to the combination of the 4.7l V8 engine and the smoothness of the ZF 6-speed automatic gearbox, the Maserati GranTurismo S Automatic stresses the original granturismo concept while at the same time offering peak performance.
The Maserati GranTurismo S Automatic features some marked stylistic differences which make it immediately recognisable: the new under-door mini-skirts featuring a prominent shape, which enhances the dynamism of its profile and the new 20" wheel rims with "Trident" design, which recall the strength and elegance of the car.
Press release after the jump.
Full story
At the Detroit Auto Show Maserati showed off the Quattroporte Sport GTS, which increased the power in V8 4.7-liter engine by 3 hp for a 433 hp grand total. The GTS package also gave a new shift pattern to the automatic transmission. Now it’s time for the GranTurismo to get the GTS packaging (looks like someone forgot the rules of alphabet soup), making it the first time a fully-automatic transmission will be offered in the car.
The bigger news coming from the Italian automaker will be what is being considered a third model in its lineup called the Spyder. It should should have seating for four, and may be ready for public viewing as soon as the Frankfurt Auto Show in September. The Spyder will be heavily based on the GranTurismo but is being considered its own model by Maserati.
We like matte black cars especially on an exotic Italian, and it looks like we’re not the only ones.
Design house Italia Independent used a Maserati GranTurismo to gain attention at last year’s Pitti Uomo fashion expo to gain attention for its clothing featuring "natural" colors. Because having one cool Italian in an ultra-cool paintjob wasn’t enough, they also painted a Fiat 500 and Vespa scooter in the lack-luster finish to complete the effect.
