The GranSport Spyder appears well suited for folks who need a car to take them out of town for a three-day weekend in the Hamptons, and who find a Lincoln Town Car too staid but aren't seeking a Formula One entrant. The convertible GranSport Spyder is the same under the hood as its sibling, the GranSport coupe. The convertible does ride a centimeter lower to the ground, and it's fitted with showy, 19-inch alloy wheels.

Maserati GranSport

Specifications
  • Make: Array
  • Model: Maserati GranSport
  • Horsepower: 400@7000
  • Torque: 4500
  • Transmission: 6-Speed Manual

Exterior

With a tail like a right angle, most of the sports car's styling occurs up front, where a silver and red trident logo adorns a crosshatched, mouth-shaped grille. There's a subtle air dam below it. The chrome roll hoops echo the shape of the two-seater's head restraints, and look vaguely like the Gateway Arch in St. Louis.

Interior

Maserati is keen on buyer customization, and the company's catalog offers 10 leather shades for the seats, and multiple hues for the steering wheel, stitching, dashboard and carpeting. The speedometer and other dials are round and rather traditionally styled.

Under the Hood

The 396-horsepower, 4.2-liter V-8 can move the GranSport Spyder from zero to 60 mph in 4.9 seconds, and it can hit 175 mph. The sole transmission is a six-speed sequential manual.

Safety

Self-ventilating antilock disc brakes measure approximately 13 inches in the front and 12 inches in the rear.




Competes with

Cadillac XLR-V, Jaguar XKR convertible, Porsche 911 Turbo S convertible

Drivetrain

396-horsepower, 4.2-liter V-8 engine with six-speed sequential manual transmission; rear-wheel drive

Hits dealerships

March 2006

Price

115732$