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Back to January 2012 Motorsports News Archive
| 18-01-2012 at 08:00: Grancabrio Sport Arrives | |
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“The Maserati GranCabrio Sport represents Maserati’s technology at its finest,” says Glen Sealey, General Manager of Maserati in Australia and New Zealand. “It is faster, yet uses less fuel; it is significantly more responsive, yet boasts lower emissions; it is sharper and more responsive yet is as comfortable and refined to drive as would be expected of a Maserati, not to mention, it is even better looking. In short, the GranCabrio Sport may have arrived just in time for summer, its natural habitat, but its breadth of abilities, the sharpness of its skills and its elegant, yet aggressive styling means that the pleasure of driving a Maserati GranCabrio Sport is a true year-round experience.” With more power, a faster gearshift and a distinctively aggressive look, the GranCabrio Sport has given Maserati a harder-edged convertible to sit alongside the GranTurismo S and the Quattroporte Sport GT S as the performance flagships of their respective ranges. Unveiled at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show, the GranCabrio Sport combines an upgraded 4.7-litre V8 engine with eight extra kilowatts, lifting engine output to 331 kW, torque is boosted by 20 Nm to 510 Nm and fuel economy is boosted by friction reducing technology, while the faster MC Auto Shift transmission enables full use of this new performance is more accessible. With a 285 km/h top speed and a 0-100 km/h sprint of just 5.2 seconds, the GranCabrio Sport is brimming with performance and luxury refinements both inside the cabin and underneath its award-winning body panels. As well as added power, torque and responsiveness, the Friction Reduction Program that has provided the power and torque boost has also lowered the GranCabrio Sport’s fuel consumption by six percent to a combined total of 14.5 litres/100 km. Its six-speed transmission includes a super-fast MC Auto Shift mode and has been developed for the GranCabrio Sport directly from the transmission in the Quattroporte Sport GT S. The handling has been enhanced for greater speed, too, with an upgrade and revision of the Skyhook active-suspension system and the adoption of a more-responsive brake package. Visually, the GranCabrio Sport is characterized by a more-pronounced dynamic look. This look begins with the GranCabrio’s distinctive nose and continues with a host of small, perfectly integrated changes throughout the body and the interior. The hood of the Maserati GranCabrio and GranCabrio Sport is an engineering masterpiece. A frame with five cross bars and no less than three different protection groups of layers mean that it does not balloon at speed, remaining stiff and flap free. It folds down in just 20 seconds, a fully automatic process that may be initiated not just from inside the car but also from the outside, so that on a hot day the roof may be opened without having to sit or even get into the car. It may also be raised and lowered on the move up to 30 kmh. Yet, for all this technology its shape all but mirrors that of the GranTurismo coupe, which means that roof up or roof down, the GranCabrio is a beautiful and graceful car that is attractive and balanced from every angle, and, at just 65 kg, its weight has a minimal affect on the performance of the car. The hood has even been developed with local conditions in mind – the cold and wet weather testing was done on the South Island of New Zealand, so the GranCabrio can cope with even the worst of Kiwi weather. New Zealand also provided the conditions for the snow and ice calibration of the GranCabrio’s stability control system. Although broadly based on the Maserati GranTurismo coupe, the range of changes made to the car to transform it into the GranCabrio effectively mean that it is a new model. Given the magnificent styling of the GranTurismo, it is no surprise that, other than the hood and its associated features, the majority of the changes to the GranCabrio are under the skin. These ensure full maintenance of body rigidity and integrity – a significant task on a four seat convertible with the one of the longest wheelbases in its class – and enable the GranCabrio to offer the same fine combination of handling, roadholding and ride comfort that is provided by the GranTurismo. In addition to the hood, other features have been carefully and selectively changed or enhanced for the GranCabrio to provide the optimum roof down experience. These include a ventilation system that adapts to the different requirements of roof up or roof down motoring and a unique audio system that alters the sound balance depending on the position of the roof. A new security system maximizes personal security at all times and Maserati has even provided a bespoke fitted luggage system for the boot and rear seat of the GranCabrio. The Maserati GranCabrio Sport is available now in Australia with a recommended retail price of $338,000 excluding statutory charges, dealer costs and delivery and $320,000 in New Zealand excluding dealer costs and delivery. |
The summer months are here and with time to spare Maserati have unleashed the GranCabrio Sport in Australia and New Zealand. The new GranCabrio Sport offers more performance, more aggressive responses and a sharper look.
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