Maserati to show GranTurismo Convertible Sport at Geneva
At the 2011 Geneva Motor Show, Maserati will debut a Sport model of the 2012 GranTurismo Convertible that's faster, yet more fuel-efficient.
Maserati has released photos of the 2012 GranTurismo Convertible Sport model it plans to debut at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show next month. The new droptop has a top speed of 177 mph and uses the same 4.7-liter V-8 engine that powers the entire Maserati lineup. With 450 horsepower, it offers 17 more horsepower than the current GranTurismo Convertible, and 10 more horsepower than the GranTurismo S, but with 6 percent better fuel economy, according to Maserati. The fuel efficiency gain comes from the carmaker's Friction Reduction Program, which, if it's the same as used in the EU version of the GranTurismo MC Stradale, uses "Diamond-Like Carbon Coating" on the camshaft lobes and a few other tweaks. The 2011 Maserati GranTurismo Convertible is rated at 12 mpg in the city and 20 mpg on the highway.
The carmaker also optimized the new cabriolet's ZF six-speed automatic transmission using MC Auto Shift software based on the Quattroporte Sport GT S. What that should mean to the driver is better gearshift response and driving experience.
Appropriately, the 2012 Maserati GranTurismo Sport will go on sale this summer and will be available in a new color, Rosso Trionfale, which was inspired by the Italian national colors used on 1950s racing Maseratis. The GranTruismo MC Stradale will also be headed to the U.S., according to a Maserati spokesperson, and the date will be announced this quarter.
