Test drive the Maserati Granturismo Modena: the rebirth of an icon

The Maserati Granturismo is an Italian icon, which has seduced lovers of sportiness and elegance for over 10 years. But how can it renew itself without betraying its heritage?

This is the challenge taken up by the new Granturismo, here in the Modena version, which retains the charm and character of its predecessor, while adding a touch of modernity and technology.

In this test drive, we'll discover the strengths of this new generation, which promises to turn heads and move hearts. Design, luxury, engine, behavior... we'll share with you our experience behind the wheel. See our video test at the end of the article!

Design: you can't change an Italian mamma's recipe

Let's go back a few years. The Granturismo, unveiled in 2007, was designed by the renowned Italian coachbuilder Pininfarina. At the time, Pininfarina was the recipient of numerous awards, having succeeded in offering a coupe sports car with 4 real seats and a real trunk. As a result, almost 30,000 examples of the coupé were produced between 2007 and 2019... a great success.

Why start from scratch when you already have an iconic design? Created by the Maserati Centro Stile, the design of the new Granturismo is easily identifiable, though modernized with, most visibly, new front and rear lights.

Then, for those in the know, the bumper takes up the wide mouth of the old Granturismo Phase 1, while the side air intakes are more in keeping with the Phase 3 design. At the rear, 4 exhaust outletslike the very first Granturimo 4.2L from 2007, rather than the twin tailpipes of the MC20, or the two oval twin tailpipes of the Granturismo 4.7L from 2009.

In short, it's an evolution that combines modernism with a few nods to the past. Sober, elegant, never ostentatious.

Luxury on board, port and starboard

This had already been felt on previous generations of MaseratiGhibli, Quattroporte and Levante, to name but a few, where the Italian brand made a great leap forward in terms of finishes and, more specifically, choice of materials and assembly. A new milestone has been reached with the new Grecale and here Granturismo models.

At the same time, it's the minimum you'd expect from a brand that tends to position its new models more towards luxury than premium...

It's true that the configuration of the model we tested, with its black/charcoal interior, isn't the one that best showcases the vehicle, but believe me, there's not much to criticize in terms of materials.

Yes, maybe one or two things, like the shiny black buttons on the steering wheel, but also on the forward, reverse, park and neutral buttons, which quickly get dirty and slippery (like your smartphone screen), or the turn signal noise, which seems to be the same as on the Alfa Romeo Tonale... but frankly, that's just quibbling, and making me look like a motoring journalist.

For the rest, generous equipment with air-conditioned seats, a digital rearview mirror (inaugurated with the MC20), a head-up display, digital screens everywhere (speedometer, infotainment, climate control), 360° cameras, sensors everywhere for driving aids, a rearview mirror equipped with a screen linked to a rear camera, and even the little Maserati clock is now high-tech.

Of course, with all this luxury, all this equipment, 4 seats, and almost 5 meters in length, it shows on the scales, since it weighs almost 1.8 tonnes. That's still 100 kg less than the previous generation.

A V6 engine that sings on demand

Well acquainted with the naturally-aspirated V8 of the previous-generation Maserati Granturismo, I wasn't expecting much from the 3.0L V6 Nettuno engine. Having listened to the engine several times, with the car at a standstill, on different occasions, I already had a certain judgment regarding its sound.

Once the engine is up to temperature, I mash the accelerator pedal for the first time, more to get a good feeling of acceleration than a melody in my ears...

It's a double whammy.

Firstly, even though it's "only" 50bhp more powerful than the 440bhp naturally-aspirated V8, the pleasure is instantaneous. It grows strong all the time! Thanks to the twin-turbo, the engine delivers 490 hp and 600 Nm at just 3,000 rpm, whereas the naturally-aspirated engine required 7,000 rpm. Bluffing.

The second: the sound of the engine in the cabin is exciting enough to keep you coming back for more. It also knows how to make itself completely forgotten when driving slowly, with "economical" driving. But as soon as power is called for, the engine starts to roar, and the pleasure is equal to the task. 0 to 100 km/h is claimed here in 3.9 sec, compared with 4.9 sec with the V8. 1 sec more for 50 hp more and 100 kg less.

I'll be honest, it's not worth the music of the V8, which is a work of art, deserving its place in the Pantheon of atmospheric engines. Capable of offering a musical range from 0 to 7000 rpm. With this new V6 is like comparing a vinyl record with a high-definition streaming platform.

Skidding... under control!

The new Granturismo is based on an advanced Giorgio platform, sometimes called Giorgio Evo, sometimes Giorgio Sport. It may not ring a bell, but this platform has received a great deal of praise from the motoring press and drivers alike. It is used in particular on the Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrioglio, GTA and GTAm.

It also works wonders on this Granturismo. It offers both great driving pleasure, with dynamism and precision, and very safe handling. The 490 hp are perfectly controllable, and you'd think it could handle a lot more power.

With a choice of "comfort", "gt" and "sport" driving modes, it can go from Dr Jekyll to Mr Hyde on demand.

Who's the Granturismo for?

You've come to the end of this essay and now the most important question is: Who is this new Maserati Granturismo for?

Are you looking for an exclusive car with an elegant, timeless design, 4 real seats, luxury on board, and a versatile driving style that combines comfort and sportiness? Then this Granturismo is for you.

Because yes, there's not much competition out there. Ferrari has replaced the GTC4 with the Purosangue, an SUV... Porsche doesn't have a car with 4 real seats, unless you go for an SUV. At Mercedes, the AMG GT is also not comparable... We'll have to wait for a CLE AMG to have a real alternative.

All in all, the new Maserati Granturismo finds itself in competing with 2 models: a BMW Serie 8 coupé, and a Bentley Continental GTwith a price positioning somewhere in between!

Model	Engine	0 to 100 km/h	Price
BMW Serie 8 coupé	4.4L V8 530 hp	3.9 sec	140 000 €
Maserati Granturismo Modena	3.0L V6 490 hp	3.9 sec	180 000 €
Bentley Continental GT	4.0L V8 540 hp	3.9 sec	230 000 €

The bride is therefore very beautiful, but there is an important shadow in the picture... the ecological malus. In France, this new Granturismo is subject to a €50,000 malus in 2023, rising to €60,000 in 2024. The starting price then rises to €230,000.

We can take comfort in the fact that all competing models are also affected by the malus... but it would have been nice if Maserati had anticipated this with a plug-in hybrid solution, as a German competitor has recently offered on its flagship SUV.

Nevertheless, if you don't like SUVs, and are looking for a luxury car with 4 real seats, in addition to all the qualities mentioned in this test, the Granturismo is the best choice available to you.

Watch and listen to the video test below!

Thanks to Trident Maserati La Roche sur Yon for the loan of the car, and Philippe Beaugé for his availability!