Maserati GranTurismo

Maserati’s best car for a decade, the GranTurismo does exactly what you hope for; immaculately-styled bodywork and an absolutely fabulous GT. Seating for four, an inspirational interior and relaxed handling balance make this a bargain for a bit under £80k.

• Comfort

  There was a time when driving a Maserati meant desperate posture at the wheel and a tendency to tramline that could happily fling you straight into a ditch. No more. Despite nearly 400bhp at a fairly high 7,100rpm, the GT manages to feel relaxed, composed and utterly comfy over distance. Good seats, relaxed but accurate steering, and ability to soak up bumps without sacrificing too much feel.

  

• Performance

  Fast but not devastating, despite a good-looking set of on-paper figures. Just the one engine tune until the full specification of the GT-S is released, but it's a well-judged compromise. The GranTurismo is powered by a Ferrari-derived 4.2-litre V8 with just under 400bhp, the full whack arriving late-ish in the rev-range. The sprint to 62mph arrives in just 5.2 and the top speed is 177mph, even with the added handicap of the slow-ish paddle-override automatic gearbox.

  

• Cool

  Sub-zero. So cool even the nitrogen has frozen solid.

  

• Quality

  On first test at least, the GT is way, way better than even the later generations of the 4200GT, which means unrecognisable from the creaky and badly finished 3200. Seats made from special leather designed to look better as it wears, fantastic fit'n'finish, proper technology including a 30Gb hard drive and decent sat-nav. The GranTurismo feels like Maserati has got the quality message.

  

• Handling

  Understand that the GranTurismo has been created to use every day and you'll soon appreciate the fact that it hasn't been wound down on track-attack springing and rock-solid dampers. There's a huge amount of grip available here with either the computer-controlled ‘Skyhook' suspension or the steel-spring option, it's just that to get the broader-brush ability the extremes of sense have necessarily been censored. Try the GT-S if you need faster, harder and stronger.

  

• Practicality

  Four people can happily arrange themselves in the GranTurismo, even with a six-footer seated behind a similarly-proportioned lump in one of the front seats. Headroom may be a touch compromised, but certainly nothing that would prevent you from taking a 2-hour journey. Take that, Jaguar XKR and BMW M6.

  

• Running costs

  Group 20 insurance, 345g/km and high servicing mean that the GT remains in the ‘Italian exotica' bracket for running costs. Be scared people, this isn't a VW Golf 1.4. Residuals are pretty solid so far - they'll get better if the quality stands up.