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    Test drove a Maserati Coupe today

    I was at the dealer today and was handed the keys to a Maserati Coupe GranSport so I took it for a test drive.

    Sorry about the quality of the pics, but their were taken with my phone.







    The styling of the GranSport version is more aggressive, with side skirts, and sportier bumpers, 19" wheels, lower ride height, etc. which suits the car very well. Has an elegant yet sporty styling, but for me, Aston Martin is the king of the hill in that respect.


    Found the interior a bit smaller that what you'd expect from looking at the car form the outside. The steering wheel was a great fit to the hand. Rear seats are no bigger than the 997's. The driver's seat was very supportive and sporty, I really liked it.







    In terms of driving dinamics, you can feel its more tailored to a less sporty crowd. The suspensions are fairly compliant, more in line with a sport-sedan. However the character of the car in its handling is sporty, doesn't tend to understeer like sportsedans, its well balanced. The turn radious of the car was a bit of a pain becuase its not too much, so in maneuvering, it would requiere you to do more maneuvers in tighter spaces.

    Now one of the most important things in a sportcar, the steering. This was the biggest downsides that I found, the steering was lacking feel (being used to a -20mm 997) which takes out some of the involment and fun. Maybe if you are used to a less sportier car it would be OK I guess but for me it was to numb.







    The Cambiocorsa secuential tranny was smooth in its shifting, and the paddles work well. In the Grandsport they shifts are supposed t be quicker than the regular Coupe but I found the upshifts to be a bit slow, no neck snapping, but then again I had the car in Normal mode, since it was raining slightly and wasn't my car. Upshifts in normal mode, were about as fast as you would take with a manual, so you would need the Sport mode to bring out the secuential's speed in the shifts.

    Downshifts are automatically rev matched by the secuential tranny, which calls some attention when downshifting to 1st as you slow the car to a stop in a stoplight for example.

    But one thing that threw me off is that when braking before a corner and downshifting, the rear end sometimes tended to loose grip and caused you to miss the apex a bit. Since you can't decice how progresively you can decluth, if you were coming in with the rear to unloaded, then it was hard to judge if the downshift would provoke rear slippage since you had no control over the downshift. In a manual you would prolong the declutching until you felt the rear could take it, so I found myself downshifting like if I were in my 911 manual, and causing me to elongate the turn in because sometimes the rear being unsettled by the downshift and was not ready for the turn in. I suppose this is something you have to get used to and learn how to calibrate to extract the maximum potential. Its not the car's fault, its the driver's. Also the fact that the asfalt was wet would have a lot to do with it, in dry it probably would not be that evident at all.

    The engine had a very nice sound, a powerful V8 growl. You can feel the torque of the V8 but the 400HP didn't feel any faster in accelerations than the 355HP 997S, the extra power probably offset by the heavier weight. Power delivery was a bit slugglish though, it wasn't very instantaneous, its felt like a torque converter automatic car, maybe its due to the "normal" setting of the tranny. For comparison sake, the 997S' throttle is much more agressive, even in normal mode, not to mention sporty.






    All in all a very stylish car and with a personality, but more geared for an older segment of the population than mine.


    Those were some quick, very personal, impressions I liked to share of the experience

    Re: Test drove a Maserati Coupe today

    Your review would indicate that the Maserati is more of a high speed touring car than a sports car. Consiering the parent company this is an appropriate market niche.

    Re: Test drove a Maserati Coupe today

    Quote:


    All in all a very stylish car and with a personality, but more geared for an older segment of the population than mine.






    Had gotten my Maserati Coupe Cambio at 20.... Still to this day one of my favourtie cars...Very roomy and for the price very hard to beat... INMO better than the 997...

    Re: Test drove a Maserati Coupe today

    Ola Carlos,

    Thanks for sharing this interesting experience with us. I've always wondered how the Maserati, which I find a very beautiful car, would compare, driven, to a 911. With this story I feel you give a balanced review.

    Did you present yourself as an interested buyer or was the Maserati dealership actively seeking to acquire new customers? I'm planning to do this one time soon with the Aston Martin V8, although I know upfront the powerplant and driving-feel will be in a different league to my TT.

    Gracias

    Re: Test drove a Maserati Coupe today

    Quote:
    Phil_996 said:
    Ola Carlos,

    Thanks for sharing this interesting experience with us. I've always wondered how the Maserati, which I find a very beautiful car, would compare, driven, to a 911. With this story I feel you give a balanced review.

    Did you present yourself as an interested buyer or was the Maserati dealership actively seeking to acquire new customers? I'm planning to do this one time soon with the Aston Martin V8, although I know upfront the powerplant and driving-feel will be in a different league to my TT.

    Gracias



    Hi Phil!

    The 911 is sportier, handles better, more agile in the bends, with greater feedback and sharpness, has a greater grip to the road. On the other hand, the GranSport was more confortable, larger boot, and with a more attention grabbing stylilng clues and details. The 911 is more driver involving, more engineered, more effective... the Maser was more into styling, larger and more confortable, more exclusive, more into being different.
    To me the GrandSport is not in direct comparison with the 997S, they are too different conceptualised cars, so there is no better car, it depends what you are looking for.
    While the 997S is a Sportcar, more in line with italian mid-engined brothers of the Maser Coupe or more inline with the Aston V8, the Maser is a GrandTourer, more in line with the Jaguar XKR, BMW 6 series, or Aston DB9.

    As to how I got the keys, the Maserati delaership is the same as the Porsche dealership, so I was there because I had to take my car to the shop. While I was waiting, I was handed the keys of the Maser to try it out since I'm good friends with most people at the dealership and they know I appreciate sportcars.

    Re: Test drove a Maserati Coupe today

    Quote:
    connoisseur said:
    Your review would indicate that the Maserati is more of a high speed touring car than a sports car. Consiering the parent company this is an appropriate market niche.



    Exactly, right on the button

    Re: Test drove a Maserati Coupe today

    Thanks Carlos for a great report! I always find the 'picumentary' style more fascinating. Especially interesting to see how it compares vs a 997S with -20mm. Thanks once again!

    Re: Test drove a Maserati Coupe today

    Carlos, it is funny that you drove a Mas yesterday as I did also. I found everything you said to be my thoughts also. I also remember the weight of the car as it felt quite a bit heavier, my friend told me about 300 lbs. My friend also picked up his AM Vantage yesterday and I was able to comare this car, with my Carrera Cabriolet. The Vantage gave you the feeling of weight also but a deeper V8 rumble than the higher revving Maseratti. The car stayed flat thru the one corner I took, it was much better than the Maseratti. I must say that both cars lacked the road feel that Porsche has patented. No car I have driven, even comes close. Porsche feels much more nimble. If I could take the engine sound from the Maseratti, road feel of the 911 and looks of the Vantage, I would love that car.

    Re: Test drove a Maserati Coupe today

    Great review thanks Carlos

    Re: Test drove a Maserati Coupe today

    Quote:
    dan996 said:
    If I could take the engine sound from the Maseratti, road feel of the 911 and looks of the Vantage, I would love that car.



    If only . . . I guess we can only hope for all that and more in the 998.

    Re: Test drove a Maserati Coupe today

    Thanxx Carlos...
    The Maserati Coupe's one of my favourite cars and I think is very good for a daily driver for me...
    I'm looking forward to see the replacement.
    I drove one in Zanussi white a while ago and was impressed + the car looked gorgeous. I'll have this over a Aston any day.

    Thanxx again

    Re: Test drove a Maserati Coupe today

    "If I could take the engine sound from the Maseratti, road feel of the 911 and looks of the Vantage, I would love that car."

    You just described a Ferrari.

    Re: Test drove a Maserati Coupe today

    Actually I didn't or I would have said Ferrari. I like Ferrari engine noise, which is same engine I described before, handling of 911 and looks of Aston Martin Vantage which in my humble looks nothing like a Ferrari.

    Re: Test drove a Maserati Coupe today

    Or... did I just describe the new Audi R8?!

    Re: Test drove a Maserati Coupe today

    great review carlos, thanks! having driven the grand sport ,i agree with all the points you described , and by the way when you drive the car in sport mode,the gear change becomes very fast..

    Re: Test drove a Maserati Coupe today

    Good review mi amor,
    The only point where I disagree with you is the rear seats which IMO are much bigger than the 911.
    It is one of the strong points of the Coupe, you can travel at 4 in it in descent comfort.
    Also a shame that you didn't try with the sport button bc it changes the car.
    I agree with you though, it's a great GT (probably better than a 911) but not as competent, from a sports car point of view.
    On the track, bodyroll is enormous, even the MC Victory special edition.
    The new Coupe which will be out soon further goes in the GT direction, I have some very juicy infos on it but I have to stay tightlipped.
    I can give clues though, think what Porsche did with the 997 when they released it!
    And for S, no surprise on the engine front, think 8C
    And something very new and excellent in the gearbox department and finally, visually, it looks like nothing else on the road, absolutely superb.

    That, plus the Maserati Quattroporte soon to be sold with a proper ZF gearbox, the engine will be more torquey at low end and the whole center console has been redesigned, Maserati's future looks very bright indeed.

    And for sports car fans, althouth, it will be never be a GT3, let alone, a Carrera S, a nice version of the Maser coupe will come later.

    Re: Test drove a Maserati Coupe today

    Quote:
    Fanch said:
    And for S, no surprise on the engine front, think 8C
    And something very new and excellent in the gearbox department and finally, visually, it looks like nothing else on the road, absolutely superb.

    That, plus the Maserati Quattroporte soon to be sold with a proper ZF gearbox, the engine will be more torquey at low end and the whole center console has been redesigned, Maserati's future looks very bright indeed.

    And for sports car fans, althouth, it will be never be a GT3, let alone, a Carrera S, a nice version of the Maser coupe will come later.



    That are great news!

    People, who have already seen the new Coupé, said it looks absolutely stunning. I would appreciate a bright future for Maserati, after Ferrari has spent so much effort to reanimate the brand. Now, after the split-up, it would have been a shame, if all that had been in vain.

    Re: Test drove a Maserati Coupe today

    Quote:
    Fanch said:
    Good review mi amor,
    The only point where I disagree with you is the rear seats which IMO are much bigger than the 911.
    It is one of the strong points of the Coupe, you can travel at 4 in it in descent comfort.
    Also a shame that you didn't try with the sport button bc it changes the car.
    I agree with you though, it's a great GT (probably better than a 911) but not as competent, from a sports car point of view.
    On the track, bodyroll is enormous, even the MC Victory special edition.
    The new Coupe which will be out soon further goes in the GT direction, I have some very juicy infos on it but I have to stay tightlipped.
    I can give clues though, think what Porsche did with the 997 when they released it!
    And for S, no surprise on the engine front, think 8C
    And something very new and excellent in the gearbox department and finally, visually, it looks like nothing else on the road, absolutely superb.

    That, plus the Maserati Quattroporte soon to be sold with a proper ZF gearbox, the engine will be more torquey at low end and the whole center console has been redesigned, Maserati's future looks very bright indeed.

    And for sports car fans, althouth, it will be never be a GT3, let alone, a Carrera S, a nice version of the Maser coupe will come later.



    Good stuff, thanks for the info

     
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