What can you vary on a GS?

[TrM5]

On a gransport?

What are the variable settings for suspension, exhaust, gearchange??

ie what can you control.

Or is it basically 2 settings - SPORT and non SPORT affecting all 3 elements?

Is throttle response variable ? (as in BMW)

I have been scrutinising videos on youtube of gransports and can see no real 'snappy' gearchange setup as per the SMG on the BMW which allows you to really quicken up the change speed.

thanks guys

 

[Parisien]

We don't copy Beemers on this forum TrM5........way too chavvy thing to be at.....


P

 

[CatmanV2]

On a gransport?

What are the variable settings for suspension, exhaust, gearchange??

ie what can you control.

Or is it basically 2 settings - SPORT and non SPORT affecting all 3 elements?

Is throttle response variable ? (as in BMW)

I have been scrutinising videos on youtube of gransports and can see no real 'snappy' gearchange setup as per the SMG on the BMW which allows you to really quicken up the change speed.

thanks guys

Sport mode stiffens the dampers, increases the throttle response and also changes the gear box settings. So at wide throttle and high revs (over 4.5k IIRC) you'll get much (IMHO) faster gearshift. Also, as I understand it, the box will not shift up if you hit the red line.

Make sense?

C

 

[mjheathcote]

Higher than 4500rpm, its when over 7000rpm, so virtually when red lined!

Gear-shifting is "faster" if requested
with the accelerator pedal pressed
down to the floor and when exceeding
about 7.000 r.p.m. Under these
conditions, even on dry roadbeds, the
driving wheels could start to skid
(particularly in low gears).
DOWN
shifts with the accelerator
pedal released, will have a braking
effect approaching the skidding limit
of the driving wheels on dry asphalt.
Under sporty driving conditions with
gearshifts at high engine speed rates,
double-clutching when down-shifting
is performed automatically.

That is how the FD DBW module speeds up shifts, it tricks the gearbox ECU thinking it is changing gear over 7000rpm.

 

[Emtee]

MSP can be turned off. Much better on a track.

 

[CatmanV2]

Interesting, Mike. Mine seems to certainly be more agressive at > 4500, but it could be that use of 'and'

"Gear-shifting is "faster" if requested
with the accelerator pedal pressed
down to the floor and gear shifting is faster when exceeding
about 7.000 r.p.m"

*Might* have been a better way of putting, or I could simply be wrong.

C

 

[TrM5]

I'm confused!! (it doesn't take much )

my general impression is that the gearbox ECU is reactive and predictive of what you want as a driver in the driving style you are using.

the youtube videos I have seen onboard GS's just look a smidge sluggish on the gearchanges even when "pressing on".

I'm moving away from the prospect of buying a QP now (too big for my garage) and thinking either 4200 or GS.

I could go for a manual 4200 but I think the CC box will make it more of an event to drive as it will only be a dry days and special occasions toy.

What I'm hoping from the GS is that it feels genuinely taught and 'hardcore' - maybe I'm trying to make the car something its not, but my problem is that I'm always so busy with work that I just so rarely get the chance to get the time to travel hours and hours to test such a rarely available car.

I'm rambling...............!

 

[richard_masa_4200]

The CC is definitely not like a BMW or VW shift. I have driven both. The main difference being the snap of the gear change at low revs. You will feel more lag in the GS at low speed and revs, but with the FD DBW module fitted it will be more violent a gear change while being snappy at high revs and the loud pedal on the floor. Throttle response is also tweaked.

 

[richard_masa_4200]

If you have skyhook suspension you can adjust the ride height manually There is also a lot of adjustment for camber, toe in/out etc

 

[TrM5]

thanks

what does the DBW cost to install?

Also - how do I test for clutchslip on a CC? I'm going to look at a 4200 without records of when the clutch was replaced or a clutch wear reading.

 

[hodroyd]

Drive the 4200, from rest pull away aggresively, if you hear a groaning type of noise, you more than likely have a small amount of clutch slip, or it could be release bearing wear, if you don't hear anything the clutch is maybe OK. get the car inspected at an independent specialist, you will find a list on here, it will cost between £200 -300 and it's well worth it before you hand over any coin..!!

 

[richard_masa_4200]

In AUD the DBW cost me about $2000 supplied and fitted. I got it directly from FD.

 

[TrM5]

Well after trying for several months now, I finally got chance to turn speculation into reality and drive a GS in earnest yesterday.

So I'd kind of convinced myself in advance that a GS would be the model for me, because I want a toy for weekends and special occasions, and it will fit in my garage, has 4 seats for when I take the kids out, could handle a continental tour and its something that can be taken to small shows in the summer.....

In some ways it was better than I'd hoped and in others not so good - my impressions:

1) Superb engine! Sooo free revving and responsive, with more torque than I expected and oodles of drivability
2) Lovely interior - especially the steering wheel and the nice buttons for start/sport etc
3) Nice steering - pointy but no tramlining
4) The CC system - this was my big concern with all the negative reviews from Top Gear etc but I thought it was excellent! Once I got used to co-ordinating my right foot with my fingers, I found it relaxed in town and 'fantastic' when caning it!!

on the not so good side:

5) Good Noise - or rather lack of it?? Even in sport mode with the windows open, there seemed to be no real soundtrack from the exhaust system - I couldn't really tell any difference between sport and non sport modes so maybe the valves were defective? or it had a non-GS system fitted? I was disappointed with this - I expected snorting and rarting!!
6) Harsh ride - I was surprised that out of sport mode, the car hated even minor potholes - banging over them.
7) Tyre noise - it was running on Conti Sports. These are actually my favourite tyres on my M cars - but there was a lot of tyre noise in the cabin which I fear would be annoying on long journeys (eg a tour around Europe!)
8) lack of downforce/felt skittish/snappy on the limit? - I'm no downforce expert, but my understanding was that these are heavy cars so I expected some overall stability and solidity in its handling, but at licence endangering speeds, it reminded me of a TVR a little in that it felt light and a bit skittish.

Now having driven one, I wonder if a 'normal' 4200 CC would feel more my mind of car on 6) and 7) running on 18s and with a softer suspension set up.

If the answer to 5) is an aftermarket system or exhaust mods, then this also applies equally to a 4200 and a GS.

BUT having said all that - 1) and 4) make me wonder if a QP genuinely IS a great daily drive and I should ditch the whole 2 car idea and just get one of those instead!!!!

I think I need to drive a 4200 and a QP before I can make any decisions........this could take some time!!!

 

[BennyD]

That's the best approach; take your time and find the best car for you. The GS is an improved evolution of the 4200 and is, by most accounts, a better car. I wouldn't worry about the soundtrack as we can do a lot to improve that especially with the GS back boxes. They can feel a bit skittish but that all adds to the impression of it being a sporty drivers car, which it is. I wouldn't worry about the tyre noise; if you get the exhaust done you won't hear it!

 

[CatmanV2]

5) I'm no expert on the GS, but the 4200 is a bit low on the soundtrack as well, until you really wind it up. So there's a good excuse.
6) My 4200 is also a bit banging over UK roads. Non-sport helps, but it's certainly not going to feel like a 147, for example (Mrs Catman's vehicle of choice)
7) I have Falken 453s. They don't seem to me to be any more noisy than any other car I've driven. Sure others who have more experience will comment
8) Define 'on the limit' I've heard this about the 4200 before. I had mine at 146 at Bruntingthorpe, and it didn't feel skittish at all. Agreed that was in a straight line, but.... You can get the back end bouncing on ripples and stuff but I can't see downforce helping with that at normal road speeds.

HTH

C

 

[hodroyd]

Having owned and driven both the 4200 and the GS I can comment as follows:
4200 I had did have a very aggresive CC box, the gearshifts on full throttle were instant. It was a facelift and as such had the software upgrades. The suspension in "Sport" was hard, most of the Masers are, but they need that to perform the way they do, some benefit from having the suspension lowered from standard factory.
GS I have sits a little better on the road, the CC box is just as good as the 4200 but not quite as fast, as I have not had chance to really push it yet due to the weather. "Sport" setting is again hard as it should be. The sound with the GS, having valved rear boxes should be noticeable, It is very noticeable in mine, but I have a Larini system, put it in "Sport" and you can hear the car a mile away on full burn. Again you can drop the suspension from factory settings quite easily..!!
Tyres: I have driven on Continentals and they are noisier than say Pirelli which I prefer now. They have to be correctly inflated to get the best from both the cars..!!
Maserati have a learning system built in to the ECU, which adapts eventually to the driving style of it's regular driver, it will need a few journeys to get to your peak performance.
I hope this helps..??

 

[safrane]

The standard 4200 does as you state run a little softer due to the tyres ams wheel size...also the alloys are less prone to damage as the wider side walls cushions the ride in the 4200

 

[mjheathcote]

Our roads are just not suitable for super low profile tyres, and the 19" rims fall into that category unfortunately.
Interestingly even on track, the Trofeo cars ran 18" rims not 19".

 

[hodroyd]

Yes the profiles on the standard 19" GS wheels are slightly lower than the standard 4200 18" wheels..!!

 

[Emtee]

To be fair, you're not comparing like with like there Mike. The Trofeo runs much stiffer suspension and ARB, so the tyres need to perform a very different task.