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Maserati’s GranTurismo is the luxury coupe you forgot existed

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2018 Maserati GranTurismo
Image used with permission by copyright holder
The Maserati GranTurismo has been in production for 10 years, making it positively ancient by industry standards. The GranTurismo has gone so long without major updates that you’d be forgiven for forgetting this big luxury coupe even existed.

So it’s probably a good thing that Maserati chose to unveil the 2018 GranTurismo at a location where many of its customers already congregate: the New York Stock Exchange. Despite being billed as an updated model, the 2018 GranTurismo is not dramatically different from the 2017 model. It will solider on as Maserati continues to wallow in indecision over a replacement.

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The GranTurismo probably wouldn’t have lasted this long if it didn’t look this good. A decade on, the muscular bodywork, sculpted by Italian design house Pininfarina, is still eye catching. For 2018, the GranTurismo gets a new grille inspired by the well-received Maserati Alfieri concept. It lowers aerodynamic drag slightly, but doesn’t really change the look of the car.

Maserati’s infotainment upgrades are a bit more substantial. The 2018 GranTurismo gets an updated system based around an 8.4-inch touchscreen, with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility. Likely the same system used in numerous other Fiat Chrysler Automobiles models, it should help bring the GranTurismo up to speed. Maserati also added an aluminum rotary knob to control infotainment functions, as well as a new Harman Kardon audio system.

In the U.S., the 2018 GranTurismo will be offered in Sport and MC (Maserati Corse) guises, both with a 4.7-liter V8 Ferrari-built V8 that carries over unchanged from the 2017 model. It sends 460 horsepower and 383 pound-feet of torque to the rear wheels through a six-speed automatic transmission.

The GranTurismo Sport will do 0 to 62 mph in 4.8 seconds, and reach a top speed of 186 mph, according to Maserati. Thanks to its lighter weight, the GranTurismo MC can do 0 to 62 mph in 4.7 seconds, and tops out at 187 mph. All performance figures represent slight improvements over the 2017 model, Maserati claims.

Expect the Maserati GranCabrio convertible to get the same tweaks as the 2018 GranTurismo coupe in the near future, but what Maserati really needs to do is replace both models. The GranTurismo may still look as good as the day it debuted, but time has moved on. However, it’s unclear when a successor will arrive. In the meantime, Maserati will rely largely on sales of the new Levante SUV, as well as the aging Ghibli and Quattroporte sedans, to stay afloat.

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Stephen Edelstein
Stephen Edelstein
Contributing Editor
Stephen is a freelance automotive journalist covering all things cars. He likes anything with four wheels, from classic cars…
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