Performance that split the difference between “underwhelming” and “appropriate for an Italian GT car with a six-figure price” has long been a sticking point for Maserati’s GranTurismo. With this face-lifted coupe headed to the Geneva auto show—and 460 hp now on tap from an updated 4.7-liter V-8 engine—the GranTurismo may move the performance needle a bit.
Until now, the most powerful GranTurismo variants available offered 444 hp and 376 lb-ft of torque. (A torque number for the GranTurismo Sport hasn’t yet been released.) So although this new car betters the power output of the recently launched hardcore GranTurismo MC, we expect it to be otherewise a little less brutal and more suitable for the Miami crowd.
A new front fascia is fresher in appearance, and more like that of the GranTurismo MC, with huge air ducts on the bottom; Maserati claims they better direct airflow to the brakes and engine. LED daytime running lamps have also been added. The automaker hasn’t released images of the interior yet, but says that the front and rear seats are new, as is the steering wheel. So long as they’re all slathered in sumptuous Italian leather, we’re sure the change is acceptable and then some.
The new, higher power rating for the engine leaves us assuming that the changes will spread to other Maserati models as well. In particular, we’re expecting the new fascia, upgraded interior, and revised engine to land in the similarly named but otherwise different GranTurismo Convertible Sport, which launched just last July. The new Sport coupe likely will arrive here as a 2013 model.
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