Living with a Gran Turismo

Hawk13

Member
Messages
1,471
I've now had my 2017 GT for a few months and have racked up a few thousand miles and thought it might be useful for any prospective buyers to read about my experience and thoughts.

I bought my GT for very specific reasons. I wanted a proper 4 seater that wasn't a saloon (think RS, M car or AMG) or that didn't look like 2 cars had been welded together (think Panamera or AM Rapide). I also wanted good looks, something that made me feel special and that was capable of daily use, touring and also some serious fun. And although not a deal breaker, I wanted a normally aspirated V8.

Step forward the Maserati Gran Turismo - a proper GT car that Mrs H fell in love with before I did!

What I didn't spec was the worst in car entertainment system I have encountered in recent years but lets's gloss over that .....it can be easily ignored by listening to the V8 or replaced with the SM apple play / android auto solution.

So what's it like then? 460bhp, sub 5 second sprint and approaches 190mph ..... I tell everyone 185 but nobody gets it ;)

BUT it is not a supercar or unusable beast ... so please don't expect it to be.

First impressions:

It's a beautiful car from every angle, with only the rear showing any signs of aging and you feel special just walking up to it. Until you go to open it with a key that is from a 1990s Alfa! The only key I have seen that is worse that this is the Mondeo keys Aston used on the DB7. Not to worry, it will be in my pocket anyway ....... oooops, I need it to start the car as there is no start button.

But when you turn the key, you forget about that as the beautiful V8 leaps into life and does a great job of telling your neighbours you have a V8 by opening up the exhaust valves. Perhaps not so good for early morning starts but so much fun in an underground car park :)

In normal mode it cruises along making just enough noise to remind you that you have a V8 but with enough refinement to know you can drive it for more than 30 minutes without getting a headache / backache. And you can (but more of that later). Flick it into sport mode and she really can hustle, with the added bonus (with the MC shift box) of being able to blip the downshifts and make some more noise.

Handling is exactly what you would expect of a GT - slightly too stiff in normal for super civilized touring and slightly to soft in sport mode to be properly aggressive.

Test drive over, deposit paid and I'm back in a week to marvel at my new car and the fact that I am buying a 2 year old car for half it's 6 figure list price. Bargain :)

The next few thousand miles:

It is still beautiful and makes me smile every time I go out. And it really can seat 4 adults in comfort .... my son (who is 6ft2) and I (6ft rugby players build) had the misfortune of having to travel to a family wedding to travel to when the RWC semi final was on and so my wife drive with both of us sat in the back streaming the game. And it was absolutely fine for the 2 hour journey. The boot also swallowed all of our luggage with ease.

Being a GT it is very easy to make progress on either motorways, A roads or backroads - the only real world limitation being driver skill. Well I say that but I also have to call out the Pirelli OEM tyres. Much has been commented on already on this forum I have to agree with most of the negative reviews. They are absolutely great in the warm weather and the dry but when the roads are damp, they do not inspire any confidence and let go far too easily.

I am currently running Pirelli winter tyres (Sottozero 3) which are surprisingly competent below 10c and will now stay on until next March / April when I suspect I will 'invest' the £80 tyre change fee into different tyres.

Maserati have done a great job of mapping the engine - there is good spread of available power and yet I can easily get 23mpg on a run (and probably more with a little self restraint) and 20mpg around town. Flicking into sports mode and kicking the loud peddle halves those numbers but that is still better than other sports cars I have driven.

Final thoughts:

I'm still getting used to the fact that a car this good looking and quick can be used every day (or at least most days).

This is not a cheap car to buy or run .... but equally I don't see it as being that expensive when compared to other cars of similar performance. There are plenty of reputable specialists for servicing every 2 years (very few will do 12500 miles in that time) and fuel economy is surprisingly good.

Currently, I am super happy and there is nothing else on the market at this price point that would make me consider a change. In fact, only the FF gets my admiring glances as a 4 seater and I don't have another £100k spare to drop on one .... and even if I did I'm not sure I could just the expense and would probably keep the GT and look for another bonkers 2 seater.

So buy a Maserati Gran Turismo Sport with MC shift - you will not regret it :)
 

Ewan

Member
Messages
6,757
A fair review. It'll be interesting for you to re-visit this in maybe a year or so, to see what/if any of your opinions have changed. Hopefully it'll still be providing the smiles.
 

Hawk13

Member
Messages
1,471
A fair review. It'll be interesting for you to re-visit this in maybe a year or so, to see what/if any of your opinions have changed. Hopefully it'll still be providing the smiles.

That's the plan - I will keep updating on a periodic basis.
 

elan

Member
Messages
158
I have owned mine for a month and would agree with your review. I am really enjoying mine but find these cars are quite big and not easy to park!

I think your summary could do with some pics of the car! :)
 

Hawk13

Member
Messages
1,471
I have owned mine for a month and would agree with your review. I am really enjoying mine but find these cars are quite big and not easy to park!

I think your summary could do with some pics of the car! :)

It's not only the size but the amount of room needed to open the doors. I am happy using the GT as my everyday car (albeit I commute by train and Vespa) but rarely take into town .... in fact I have just paid a deposit on a small town car (we went with the Polo GTi in the end) for me and Mrs Hawk to stop us using my daughters Yaris as she will be coming home from Australia.
 

FIFTY

Member
Messages
3,100
Nice write up.

I think the key thing and in car entertainment isnt a huge issue when its a Maserati you are talking about

Personally I like using a key over an engine start button and as long as the car has an Aux port or can bluetooth to my phone (even if it requires a small amount of modification) I am happy with it.

Granted the opportunity to stick a DIN style head unit into my 4200 like you can with the 3200 and GS would be favourable as one can keep the car up-to-date with modern tech - I have learned to live with the dinosaur NIT that's fitted into the 4200
 

tasnam

Member
Messages
196
Great review.
Yes. I would like better infotainment system....of course....BUT I have honestly learned I tend to listen to the engine more in this car than my SUV (Radio).
The key thing is a personal issue. Personally zero issue turning a key vs. pushing a button....to me - who the **** cares? All my other cars have key starts.
Yes on the Pirelli tyres! Michelline PS4 Sport are SO MUCH better....
BUT we do need pics!
 

Vince2

Member
Messages
192
18 months into my first GTS ownership I have to say the most pleasing surprise is how it eats up the miles on road trips. Been to Italy twice now and it is so comfortable you can do hours in the seat and just get out like you've been round the corner. I knew it was a 'Grand tourer' but didn't realise how 'Grand' it was. Plus the average mpg while doing between 85-140 is an added bonus.62585
 

tasnam

Member
Messages
196
Wow. Your avatar must show it as darker. My thought was Rossi Trionfale was that it was brighter red....close to Rossi Mondale
 

Ewan

Member
Messages
6,757
I much prefer a key to a push button start. I hate having to use the start buttons in our Range Rovers and then wait for the round gear selector to rise up. But worst of all is the GranSport, which requires both key and start button. Madness!

As for the infotainment, it seems fine to me. It gets Radio 2 and Radio 4 (and sometimes Heart for my youngest daughter) and that’s me done.
 

dickygrace

www.richardgracecars.co.uk
Messages
7,309
Keyless go are a gimmick and that’s all. You end up putting the key in the cup holder and then there’s nowhere for your drink. Or you get stranded at the lights like my father in law did when his wife got out of the car to go to the bank with the key in her bag. My niece went 20 miles from home in the Mini and then realised she’d no key. These things never happen when the key is in the ignition. Then there’s the key hacking theft that’s rife with Mercs and Audis etc.
 

CatmanV2

Member
Messages
48,547
I love keyless start in the jag, as with keyless opening. The fob stays in my pocket <shrug>

C
 

Felonious Crud

Administrator
Staff member
Messages
21,013
I love keyless start in the jag, as with keyless opening. The fob stays in my pocket <shrug>

C

And that’s the point. I don’t want a stupidcar that makes me shrug. I want one that makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. The physicality of putting a key in a hole and turning it (or pushing it in in the case of my Volvo-derived Vantage key) is so much more tactile and engaging.

Anyhoo, nothing to disagree with in that write-up. I had mine for six years and loved it. It took us all over Europe in great style and at whatever speed we fancied, and was joyful. Many happy memories feature our old Grigio Alfieri MC Shift.