Maserati GranCabrio Sport arrives
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17th January, 2012
The Maserati GranCabrio Sport has arrived in Australia, offering more
performance and more aggressive responses.
“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.”
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With more power, a faster gearshift and an 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 Switzerland's 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 accessable.
With a 285 km/h top speed and a 0-100 km/h sprint of 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 Programme that has provided the power and torque boost has also
lowered the GranCabrio Sport’s fuel consumption by six per cent to 14.5 litres/100 km (combined cycle).
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 characterised by a more-pronounced look. GranCabrio’s distinctive nose continues
with a host of small 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 get into the car. It may
also be raised and lowered on the move up to 30 km/h. 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 graceful car that is 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.
Based on the Maserati GranTurismo coupe, the range of changes made to the car to transform it into the GranCabrio
Sport effectively mean that it is a separate model. Given the 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,
road holding and ride comfort that is provided by the GranTurismo coupe.
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 maximises 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 from $338,000*.
NOTE: * Manufacturer's List Price (MLP) excludes dealer delivery fees and the numerous statutory
charges (commonly known as on-road costs). Additionally, please note that all prices, fees and charges are
subject to change without notice, as are the specifications.
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