You’d think there would be little dissidence when it came to the appeal of the Maserati GranTurismo…a 298 kW Ferrari-derived V8 clothed in some of the most sumptuous sheet metal in the business would be most people’s idea of motoring nirvana, but some people always want more, so to appease Megalomaniac and Premier League footballer alike, the Modena firm is preparing to unveil the powered-up GranTurismo S.
Two images of this next iteration of the GranTurismo have leaked on the internet revealing subtle tweaks to the nose, a pair of huge chrome-tipped exhausts jutting from the rear and alloy wheels that look as though they could generate ground level wind shear at speeds above 80 km/h.
Under the bonnet, the GranTurismo S is expected to receive a 4,7-litre in place of the standard model’s 4,2-litre unit. There is no word as yet regarding the origins of this powerplant, but the displacement would suggest that it shares some of its DNA with the 331 kW 4,7-litre unit currently found in the Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione. Power will consequently climb from the 4,2-litre’s 298 kW to a heady 328 kW.
The GranTurismo’s smooth-shifting ZF six-speed automatic will make way for an “Electro-Actuated” dual-clutch unit, possibly mounted on the rear transaxle in a bid to improve weight distribution.
Thus equipped, the GranTurismo S is believed to complete the 0-100 km/h run in 4,9 seconds and come back to a standstill in an eyeball-popping 35 metres. The lattermost act will be courtesy of an uprated Brembo braking system. The top speed has not yet been disclosed, but given the extra 300 kg it lugs around compared to the 8C, we can expect the top whack to be a shade under 300 km/h.
The car, and its crucial statistics, will emerge at next week’s Geneva Show – a fitting venue for this new speedster, given that the standard GranTurismo made its debut at the same venue last year.
