Maserati GranTurismo Convertible Sport (slideshow)
Maserati plans to unveil a Sport version of the 2012 GranTurismo convertible at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show. The suped up version of the Italian convertible offers more horsepower and borrows technology from the GranTurismo MC Stradale, yet also is 6 percent more fuel efficient than the non-sport model.
Liane Yvkoff
Liane Yvkoff is a freelance writer who blogs about cars for CNET Car Tech. E-mail Liane.
The 2012 Maserati GranTurismo Convertible S will use the same 4.7-liter V8 engine that powers the entire Maserati lineup, but will deliver more horsepower than the 2011 GranTurismo Convertible model.
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2012 Maserati GranTurismo Convertible Sport top angle
At 450 horsepower, the new model has 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.
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2012 Maserati GranTurismo Convertible Sport side angle
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.
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2012 Maserati GranTurismo Convertible Sport rear
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.
