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2018 Maserati GranTurismo and GranCabrio Star at Goodwood Festival of Speed

by Trackworthy,

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Maserati chose to unveil the 2018 GranTurismo and GranCabrio at one of the most prestigious car culture events in the world. The four-seater coupe made its European premiere two days after it was revealed at the New York Stock Exchange in New York City, and the GranCabrio made its world debut at Goodwood Festival of Speed 2017. Maserati is 70 years of GranTurismo. Alongside the newly introduced GranTurismo and GranCabrio, Maserati tells the story of “70 years of GranTurismo” by displaying a collection of iconic GT cars.

The GranTurismo is a genuinely Italian car concept pioneered by Maserati and remains the purest expression of the Modena based marque. Other Maserati GT models on display at Goodwood included the following:

  • A6 1500: the original GranTurismo model was launched at the 1947 Geneva Motor Show featuring a 1.5-litre six-cylinder in-line engine with 65 hp under a revolutionary body designed by Pininfarina.
  • 3500 GT: the first “mass-produced” Maserati made its debut in 1957, the year Juan Manuel Fangio took the Formula 1 title in his 250F. Its aluminium body was designed by Touring around a 3.5-litre six-cylinder engine with 230 hp.
  • Ghibli SS Coupe: named after a Saharan wind, the 1967 Ghibli was designed by Giugiaro and is considered one of the greatest Italian grand tourers. The Ghibli SS was introduced in 1970 with a larger, 4.9-litre V8 engine with 335 hp.
  • 3200GT: designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro, it returned the GranTurismo concept to its former glory in 1998. The predecessor of the current GranTurismo featured a Twin Turbo 3.2-litre V8 engine with 370 hp.

The restyled and further refined GranTurismo and GranCabrio models also participated in the Goodwood Hillclimb, making their global dynamic debuts in the Supercar Run. The 1.16-mile uphill stage is considered to be the most iconic feature of the Goodwood Festival of Speed.

The GranTurismo is the latest Maserati designed by Pininfarina and since its launch in 2007 it has evolved into one of the most iconic GT cars ever built. The GranCabrio made its debut in the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show as a 2010 model. Both are considered to be the ultimate expression of Maserati’s passion, technology and craftsmanship and each one is unique in the supercar segment thanks to their timeless design and 4-seat interior.

Maserati has produced more than 37,000 GranTurismo and GranCabrio models in the factory of Viale Ciro Menotti in Modena and relaunches the two models for 2018 with an elegant and aerodynamically efficient restyling, refined interiors and a state-of-the art infotainment system. The streamlined range of each model comprises two distinct versions, the Sport and the MC. Both are equipped with the naturally aspirated 4.7-litre V8 engine, which was hand-crafted by Ferrari in Maranello and produces 460 hp at 7,000rpm. A six-speed ZF Automatic Gearbox is attached directly to the V8 powerhouse.

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The car’s new “sharknose” hexagonal grille is inspired by the Alfieri Concept and adds a three-dimensional effect to the frontal view. Together with the new, lower air ducts, the grille helps improve the airflow distribution and reduces aerodynamic drag from 0.33 to 0.32 for the GranTurismo and from 0.35 to 0.33 for the GranCabrio. The rear bumper has also been redesigned with an emphasis on the natural elegance of the iconic GT coupé and cabriolet, featuring a neater design with twofold layout for the Sport and MC versions.

The interior of the GranTurismo and GranCabrio offers unparalleled comfort for four adults thanks to the individual Poltrona Frau leather seats with integrated headrests. For 2018, the interior features a new, high resolution 8.4” capacitive touch screen and refined ergonomics. The state-of-the art infotainment system is compatible with both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone mirroring functions. The lower console is redesigned to accommodate a user-friendly, double rotary dial made of forged aluminium and the repositioned button cluster for the car’s driving modes. The new Maserati double dial clock at the centre of the dashboard and the Harman Kardon Premium Sound system are standard on both Sport and MC versions.

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