If you’ve been meaning to acquire that Maserati GranTurismo S for a while, but just haven’t got around to it, then Maserati has given you a reason to hold off a little bit longer.
The Italian marque has shown a few images of its new GranTurismo Sport, slightly ahead of its official release at next month’s Geneva Motor Show, and revealed that it will be replacing the current S model.
The Sport receives a revised version of the GranTurismo’s 4,7-liter V8, which now produces 339 kW. That should be good enough to achieve a sub five-second 0-100 km/h sprint.
Channelling that power through to the wheels will be a choice of either its six-speed torque converter automatic gearbox, or a sequential manual transaxle unit with steering-mounted shift paddles. The old-style auto comes standard, while the sequential shifter will require a tick box and an uptick in the asking price.
The new Sport distinguishes itself from the soon to be obsolete S with a new front spoiler, which is said to have been designed to maximise brake and engine airflow to optimise cooling. A new front headlight cluster has also been fitted, while the rear receives a slightly reworked grouping and some darker detailing.
Inside, a pair of new seats and a new steering wheel will remind you that you are driving a Sport and not a S. European sales start in September, with the first locally available examples probably due in early 2013.
