The single biggest problem with GT cars is that they may be 'Grand' but they're often not much cop at 'Touring'. They occupy the ground towards the top end of the dream list, which tends to induce manufacturers to spend all their time making them 'really handle'.

Consequently, you get a car that goes sweetly and handles like a kart, but which has no room inside and a ride that feels like someone forgot to take the transport blocks out of the suspension.

Maserati seems to have chucked this thinking out of the window with the GranTurismo. The first thing that strikes you is that it's really comfortable. I'm not talking Citroen levels here, but for a car riding on liquorice-profile 20-inch alloys it manages to absorb an awful lot the road throws its way.

Admittedly, our car came with the optional Skyhook suspension (£1,721), but even so, it's impressive stuff. Certainly BMW could profit from studying what Maserati has achieved here.

The fully automatic gearbox suits all this as well, even though the sporty paddles behind the steering wheel are destined for redundancy. Even in 'manual' mode, the car still changes up and down automatically, so I can't see the point in doing it yourself.

This lack of control does disappoint slightly, but the flipside is that you get smooth gear changes, in total contrast to the old clutchless manual in the Coupe. War and Peace could've been read in the time it took to change gear.

So, it rides well, but does it handle? Actually, yes. The chassis and steering both have plenty of feel and precision in them, retaining a sharpness that belies the comfort-first ethos running through the DNA of this car. It's comfy enough to give four adults a pain-free few hours, yet there's still a smidge in it for the driver.

Sadly, it is just a smidge - there's something about it that stops short of the totally heart-fluttering thrill so many great Italians have made a legend out of. There's passion here, sure - you only have to glimpse the fantastic red leather interior to get that - but there's a slightly standoffish attitude too.

There are no foibles, no quirks, no pieces of inexplicable engineering or design that smack of eccentricity but which owners will determinedly categorise as touches of genius. Too much to respect and not quite enough to love. Unfair criticism? Of course, but it speaks volumes for how far Maserati has come. No more excuses needed. This is a proper GT. That's Grown-up Tourer.

Piers Ward

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