Maserati Granturismo S Automatic (2009) CAR review

Maserati’s Granturismo has always tugged at our heartstrings, but it’s been hamstrung by an incomplete line-up of engines and transmissions. Not any more. We’ve just driven the final model to complete the Granturismo range – the new S Automatic. That means the marriage of the enlarged 4.7-litre V8 to the full torque converter auto gearbox.

What it does at a stroke is produce the most persuasive Granturismo yet. Those epic looks (is there a finer-looking GT on sale today?) are now joined by a drivetrain worthy of the car’s eponymous title. It’s a continent crosser par excellence, cruising when you want to gobble up the motorway miles, proving a dab hand at criss-crossing mountain switchbacks when you head off the beaten track.

Maserati Granturismo S Automatic: the lowdown

Take one enlarged 4.7-litre V8 from the existing GT S and the beautiful Alfa Romeo 8C. Add in the latest six-speed slusher from ZF and you create Maser’s newest – and last – addition to the Granturismo coupe range. There will be a coupé-cab version later in the year, but the Auto S is the last of the plain coupés. The car’s always been a slightly softer sports GT rather than a maximum-attack sports car, so it should work well... in principle.

Consider the technical changes deployed by Maserati. Ditching the robotised manual from the Granturismo means losing the transaxle. The ZF ’box is attached to the mid-front mounted engine, changing the front:rear weight distribution slightly, from 47:53 to an even more balanced 49:51. That's a remarkable achievement for a car with a 4.7-litre V8 slung up front, the long, long snout enabling the engine to be mounted well behind the front axle line.

We’re already familiar with the 4.7. It produces 434bhp and 361lb ft of torque – a useful 35bhp and 22lb ft boost over the regular GT’s 4.2. End result? Maserati is pitching the Granturismo S Automatic at the Merc CL600, Jaguar XKR, Aston Martin DB9 and Bentley Continental GT. Read the rest of our review to see if they’ve pulled it off.

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