Unveiled six months ago at the Geneva Motor Show, the Maserati GranTurismo is a car whose place in motoring history is guaranteed as one of the quickest selling Maseratis of all time with the production for 2007 and most of 2008 already sold ahead of deliveries starting. This week in Frankfurt the GranTurismo has taken centre stage on the Trident's spacious and refined stand with two models on show - in the now very familiar Maserati blue and silver colours.

Style and dimensions of the GranTurismo blend into a thoroughbred and sporty car body — masterfully designed by Pininfarina — well-proportioned, elegant and never over the top. The GranTurismo is suitable for everyday use, with excellent handling, a very sporty feel and a thrilling drive. It is also a car which pays attention to comfort, materials, details, with large interior space and a capacity of up to four adult people, which is greater than the average for the segment. The rear seats have been designed to accommodate two adults comfortably even on long journeys, which makes the vehicle a perfect example of Maserati’s concept of a great touring car.

A high-performance sports car, exciting to drive, the GranTurismo has a V8 4.2 engine with 405 hp at 7,100 rpm and a maximum torque of 460 Nm at 4,750 km/h, of which 75% is already achievable at 2,500 revs. Its maximum speed is 285 km/h, and it accelerates from 0-100 in 5.2 seconds. Weight distribution is 49% on the front, 51% at the rear.
 

The gearbox is automatic with self-adjusting controls which adapt the gear change to the driving style and conditions. The GranTurismo is 192.17 in long with a wheel base of 2942 mm. The sports car's standard wheel rims are 19-inch, with massive 20-inch ones available as optional extras.

The fuel economy on the GranTurismo has been improved even further – with a 3% reduction compared to the Quattroporte Automatic (which had already achieved savings of 9% compared to the earlier model). As usual for Maserati cars, the possibilities for customization are endless, with a wide selection of materials to choose from, including Poltrona Frau Leather and various types of wood, as well as numerous colour schemes.

Maserati’s Gran Turismo tradition began in 1947, at the Geneva Motor Show, where Maserati unveiled its first A6 Gran Turismo, styled by Pininfarina. It was the first Maserati road car and 58 units were produced. Ten years later, in 1957, again at the Geneva Motor Show. Maserati unveiled its first standard Gran Turismo, the 3500 GT. This was the car that turned Maserati into a road car manufacturer: from then on production of road cars took priority over that of racing models. A total of 1,983 units of the 3500GT were produced over seven years. The name Maserati GranTurismo is no coincidence. Once again, the Maserati-Pininfarina partnership has produced an exciting car whose construction, unique and inimitable style sets it apart from the competition.