Maserati GranTurismo news - GranderTurismo - 2008

As attractive as Eva Padberg bathing in a vat of Bird's custard the Maserati GranTurismo may be, but the big coupe has never quite had the bite we were hoping for.

But now Maserati is set to give the GranTurismo a proper set of teeth. At the Geneva show next week, the Modena marque will unveil the GranTurismo S, a sportier, faster, more aggressive edition of the stunning four-seater.

The big news is that the GranTurismo's V8 powerplant has grown: from a mere 4.2 litres to a far more respectable 4.7 litres. In fact, it's a completely fresh unit, politely borrowed from the gorgeous Alfa 8C. It develops 434bhp - a jump of 35bhp over the standard GranTurismo.

There's no word on performance yet, but if you consider the 4.2-litre V8 will haul the GT to 60mph in 5.2 seconds - and that the (admittedly lighter) 8C will hit the same speed in 4.2 seconds - you're looking at some pretty lively performance.

Maserati has replaced the standard ZF six-speed auto gearbox with a faster-shifting paddle-shift 'electro-actuated' box. In truth, we rather liked the old 'box, but a more aggressive transmission should suit the S nicely.

We were never so convinced by the GT's standard brakes, so we're delighted to see that the S gets a brand-new set of Brembo discs cast from iron and aluminium, paired with six-piston mono-bloc callipers.

The GranTurismo S also gets a pair of shiny new oval tailpipes, as well as new alloys and more deeply sculpted sills. On the inside, there's even more leather and alcantara. And a gorgeous model lounging on the front passenger seat if you ask nicely.

No word on prices yet, but expect a sizeable premium over the standard GranTurismo's £78,500 asking price. We'll endeavour to discover exactly how much of a premium in Geneva.