Luxury Cars: This past fall, New Yorkers were among the first to welcome the much-anticipated arrival of the all-new Maserati GranTurismo Convertible. After spending a week on display in Grand Central Station and after making its debut in the Columbus Day Parade, the GranTurismo Convertible was well received by a packed house of luxury car enthusiasts at the Maserati Corporate Showroom, located on Park Avenue in New York City.
Like the city of New York, the GranTurismo — and the Maserati brand itself — represents power, style and capability, according to Mark McNabb, President and CEO of Maserati North America. And while the new convertible may have made its debut in NYC, it won’t be long until the rest of the country has its chance to get up close and personal with the luxury sports car. The 56 North American Maserati dealers have already begun accepting preliminary orders for the GranTurismo.
As the first cabriolet to be developed and built at the company’s Italian headquarters, the GranTurismo is the only convertible in its class to offer seating for four adults. The unique cabin design features a spacious rear seatback angle of 22 degrees, providing maximum comfort for two adult passengers.
The GranTurismo comes equipped with a hand-built 4.7 liter V8 433-horsepower engine, can reach a top speed of 176 mph, and is capable of going from 0-60 in just 5.3 seconds. The vehicle’s aerodynamics are accelerated by a racing-style aluminum undertray; and with its standard light alloy 20-inch Maserati wheels, the GranTurismo offers the longest wheelbase in its segment.
Being the fierce, high-speed driving machine that it is, Maserati has taken great lengths to ensure the safety of the driver. Active safety features include an electronically controlled Maserati Stability Program (MSP), a new braking circuit design developed by Brembo, an Electronic Parking Brake (EPB), and a Brake Assist System (BAS), designed to recognize panic braking, thus shortening the stopping distance in emergency situations. The vehicle’s passive safety features include a new Maserati-designed extendable roll bar system, a new generation of dual-stage front airbags, cast aluminum structural supports and stronger lateral door sill sections.
Taking into account that each driver has his or her own preference when it comes to the vehicle’s colors, material and trim, Maserati is offering a wide array of options to customize each GranTurismo accordingly. The Poltrana Frau leather seats and surfaces are available in 10 different colors, contrasting stitching, carpet colors and six interior trim options. The soft-top roof is available in six colors with three interior color options.
If you’re in the market for a high performance coupé that can transform into a sleek and stylish cabriolet in just 24 seconds, the new Maserati GranTurismo might just be right up your alley.
For JustLuxe Christina Stewart
