Maserati GranTurismo S Gets New 4.7L Engine

If there has been one criticism towards Maserati's latest coupe, the

GranTurismo,

it's that the beautiful two-door grand tourer is a bit too

soft, and that it isn't as fast as it could have been. OK, that's two

complaints. To satisfy customers who want a little more performance,

Maserati is unveiling the GranTurismo S, a sportier version to compete

with the likes of the Aston Martin V8 Vantage, BMW M6, and Porsche 911.

Maserati's

modifications have resulted in a bit of a one-two punch to sweeten the

GranTurismo's dynamics. The 4.2-litre V8 engine has been swapped out in

favour of the one used in the Alfa Romeo 8C (which, incidentally is

built by Maserati) that stands at 4.7 litres, although its output is

slightly detuned from the Alfa to 440 horsepower. This should help to

drop the GranTurismo's 0-100 km/h time to well under five seconds.

And

here's where things get interesting. Where the Quattroporte Automatic

and the standard GranTurismo both feature six-speed ZF automatics that

are mounted right behind the engine, the transmission in the S model is

completely different in type and layout. Like the old Coupe/Spyder, the

S features a six-speed transaxle located at the rear of the vehicle for

improved balance and weight distribution. It's electronically linked to

the gearshift lever.

Visually, Maserati has kept the

differences between regular and S models very subtle. To provide extra

stopping power, the GranTurismo S gains new six-piston Brembo front

calipers, new alloy wheels, and as an extra decadent touch to its

occupants, the S gets upholstery that is a combination of Alcantara and

Poltrona Frau leather.