It’s been a while since we last reported on a Maserati GranTurismo S, but this latest version has certainly got our attention. This is no ordinary GranTurismo S; this model has been given some expert attention by Diamond Black Exteriors - aka DBX - to spice it up.
In actuality, all the tuner really did was come up with a phenomenal exterior package, but that was enough to transform the Maserati from sexy to sexy as hell. The exterior package’s most recognizable feature is a very cool satin orange foil wrap with carbon fiber displayed on the hood, mirrors, door handles, and grille. The roof was then wrapped in matte black with an Orange Maserati Crown decal, while the headlights were tinted in iron and the taillights in medium smoke. The GranTurismo S now sits on a new set of 22" Foose Wheels with an orange and black crown on the center cups and color-matched satin orange brake calipers.
The Maserati GranTurismo S won’t go any faster, still powered by a 440 HP 4.7 liter V8 engine, but the sound will be a little richer coming out of the new custom axle black exhaust system.
Hit the jump to watch a video of the Maserati GranTurismo S by DBX.
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We already know that the Maserati Quattroporte will be getting a smaller engine in order to reduce fuel consumption, which is something that is quite a trend nowadays. But while the Quattroporte’s competitors, such as the Audi A8 and the Porsche Panamera 4, are making their vehicles longer, Maserati says that their sedan "will not get any bigger."
"Even though our rivals – such as the new Audi A8 – are getting longer, we have to keep it as a sporty alternative," said Fiat design boss Lorenzo Ramaciotti. The new model will be unveiled in 2012 and will be offered with a four-wheel drive system and stop-start technology, that will also help to reduce fuel consumption. Maserati’s goal is to reduce fuel consumption by about 15 percent. Under the hood Maserati will place downsized V6 and V8 engines, as well as an eight-speed ZF automatic gearbox (also offered in the BMW 7-Series).
UPDATE 12/22/2011: Good old faithful, Marchettino, has managed to catch a prototype for the next generation Quattroporte out and about on the road. So far, it doesn’t look like much will be changed for the exterior of the luxury vehicle, except for maybe a few tweaks on the vehicle’s front end. The Quattroporte is expected to be unveiled in March 2012 at the Geneva Motor Show. Hit the jump for the video.
Hit the jump to read more about the next generation Maserati Quattroporte.
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The Maserati GranTurismo S Limited Edition isn’t the only exclusive Maserati that has come out this week. Joining the sports car in the fold is this luxurious Maserati GranCabrio Sport Poltrona Frau.
We understand your curiosity about the Poltrona Frau name because we’ve never heard of it either until now. Turns out, Poltrona Frau is an Italian interior and furniture design and leather upholstery company that has had a partnership with Maserati since 2001. To celebrate the 10th year anniversary of the two companies’ partnership, Poltrona Frau customized the GranCabrio Sport’s interior with a special leather treatment that touches on soft, luxurious comfort. As if the GranCabrio Sport needed any more luxurious touch-ups.
On top of the finely-dressed interior, the GranCabrio Sport also has a minor performance improvement from the standard version, courtesy of a faster and more fuel efficient MC Auto Shift transmission. As a result, the GranCabrio Sport’s 4.7-liter V8 engine now produces 450 horsepower, an increase of 10 ponies from the standard model. The result is 0-62 mph acceleration time of 5.2 seconds with a top speed of 177 mph.
Italy has been celebrating the 150th anniversary of its unification all throughout 2011. In the past 11 months, a number of Italian automakers have paid homage to this special year, including Ferrari, which christened their 2011 Formula One race car as the "150° Italia". Ferrari’s biggest rival, Lamborghini, also paid tribute to the occasion with the release of the 2011 Lamborghini Gallardo Tricolore. At the 2011 Bologna Motor Show, Maserati unveiled their celebratory vehicle in the form of the GranTurismo S Limited Edition.
The most unique feature of this special edition car is the Sebring Blue paint finish, but it also comes with certain carbon fiber elements to make it stand out. Elements such as the front and rear spoilers, the side mirrors, and the door handles highlight the blue finish, while polished aluminum calipers, side skirts, headlights, and a new set of 20" alloy wheels round out the exterior details of the special edition GranTurismo S.
As for the interior, Maserati added a carbon trim for the instrumentation, particularly on the center console and dashboard. Additionally, there’s also a tradition commemorative plaque that highlights its tribute to Italy’s 150th unification anniversary, complete with the official number of the model.
On the technical side, Maserati has yet to announce whether the GranTurismo S Limited Edition received performance modifications. Nevertheless, the sports car still carries a pretty impressive 4.7-liter V8 engine that produces 440 horsepower, mated to an electro-actuated MC-Shift manual transmission. This setup is good enough to post a 0-62 mph time of just 4.9 seconds with a top speed of 183 mph.
Maserati will only be releasing 12 models of the GranTurismo S Limited Edition, which means that you’re going to have to strike early to score one.
Now that Maserati has unveiled the Kubang concept at the Frankfurt Motor Show everyone knows that the production version is just around the corner. The only question is: will it keep the Kubang name? Apparently no! It has been reported that the company has just filed a patent application in Europe for the name "Cinqueporte" - that of course will be used for a five-door car.
That make us believe that the future SUV will carry the "Cinqueporte" moniker - unless of course Maserati has something else planned that has managed to keep to itself until now. A very strange choice we might add considering the SUV will be built in the US at Chrysler’s Jefferson North plant in Detroit, MI.
The SUV will be built on a Jeep Grand Cherokee platform and will be powered by a 4.7-liter V-8 unit capable of about 450-hp, coupled with ZF’s eight-speed automatic transmission. For Europe Maserati will also be offering a VM Motori’s 3.0-liter V-6 with power increased to over 300 HP. The Maserati SUV will be launched on the market in 2013.
