Archive for May, 2008

Followup: More Photos of the Bellagio Fastback and A8 GCS


The reborn Carrozzeria Touring made a big splash at Villa d’Este. As the featured marque of the Concorso d’Eleganza this year, the fathers of the classic Superleggera construction method took the wraps off two stunning coachbuilt Maseratis. While we wait for Touring to release more information on the swoopy A8 GCS sportscar and Bellagio Fastback, the Carrozzeria has graced us with a few new images of the two cars.




[source: AutoBlog]

Gran Turismo S: Now Accepting Orders


When the Maserati GranTurismo was unveiled at the 2007 Geneva Auto Salon it was an instant success. The gorgeous bodywork, styled by Pininfarina, was the obvious reason crowds flocked to the Maserati stand to admire the new Italian beauty – and once they were there, they found much more. The signature Maserati V8 engine, a fine leather-clad interior which is both sumptuously elegant and sporting, and – what sets it apart from the cars which aspire to be its rivals – two full-size rear seats.


Remarkably, Maserati found a way to repeat the success for the 2008 Geneva Show, which saw the debut of the GranTurismo S. A version of the car aimed squarely at driving enthusiasts, it was the undoubted star of the show; for the second year, the Maserati stand was on the ‘must see’ list for visitors.

With the engine uprated to 4.7 liters, producing 433 hp, the GranTurismo S can sprint to 62mph in 4.9 sec and accelerate on to 183mph, given an autobahn or a racetrack. Bringing proceedings to a halt are the Maserati-exclusive dual-cast brakes, first seen on the Quattroporte Sport GT S. These brakes, developed in conjunction with Brembo, feature cast iron rotors for strength and heat dissipation cast as one piece with aluminum hubs to reduce unsprung weight.


The GranTurismo S also sees the return of the paddle-shift manual transmission, improved and refined for smoother and faster shifts. Integrated into the rear axle and differential assembly in a transaxle layout, this setup gives the GranTurismo S an even more aggressive rear weight bias for even better balance, handling and grip under both acceleration and braking. The new MC-Shift software in the automated manual transmission can change gears in just 100 milliseconds at wide open throttle, while also retaining a fully automatic mode for cruising town. To make the most of the rear weight bias and extra horsepower, lowered and specially tuned suspension increases handling precision and reduces body roll by 10%.


The GranTurismo S has some exterior and interior enhancements, too. New side-skirts and an integral rear spoiler improve aerodynamic efficiency in addition to giving the car a more sporty, aggressive look – and the look is further enhanced by the new seven-spoke 20” wheel rims incorporating a subtle Trident pattern. Inside the surprisingly spacious cabin the seats feature horizontal piping, while the dashboard can be finished in AluTex, a new woven aluminum trim.


The GranTurismo S is a high-performance coupe aimed squarely at the driving enthusiast. Designed for a very particular clientele, it will be produced in very limited numbers and will be sold for one model year only. Deliveries of the 2009 GranTurismo S are expected to begin in late fall or early winter, but Maserati expects the car to sell out long before then. Each car will be built to order, and the order book for the GranTurismo S is now open at authorized Maserati dealerships; if the GranTurismo S appeals to your inner enthusiast then the word from inside the factory is this: don’t delay!

A ground-breaking coupe, enhanced with new engine, transmission and suspension, and with more sporty styling – no wonder the driving cognoscenti mobbed the Maserati stand at the Geneva show. Visit or call us today to find out how to turn their dreams into your reality, and put a limited edition Maserati GranTurismo S in your garage.

Cars & Coffee 2008: May 3rd Recap

This past weekend’s cars & coffee had (barely) better weather, but a bigger turnout and a small group of us drove down to the autocross at Valleyfair afterwards. Cool cars included a Ferrari 360 and Testarossa, a Caterham Super 7, Noble M400, a bunch of Mitsu Evos, Porsche 911s, a couple of Maseratis, and about 40 others.

Here is another video that Matt Desmond put together:

The next cars & coffee is scheduled for June 7th.