Maserati North America is recalling 1,768 Maserati GranTurismo and GranTurismo Convertible over potential faulty taillights.

According to a NHTSA report, on some models the lamp assembly has not been done properly and might result in brake or tail lamps failure. That results in poor vehicle visibility.

That’s not the end of the world of course, and the fix is free, easy and quick. You just have to pop down at the nearest Maserati dealership and have your car checked.

It’s amazing to think how Italian cars have improved in terms of build quality. In recent years we had all kind of recalls for Japanese and even German cars over very risky and dangerous issues. The Italians however, with the exception of the fiery Ferrari 458, have been very reliable, and now that one of them is being recalled, it’s for some badly made lamps.

Maserati has come up with a limited version of just 12 GranTurismo S models to honor 150th anniversary of Italy’s unification at the Bologna Motor Show.

Available only in the Italian market, the limited edition Masser comes with matt Blue Sebring exterior color and special 20-inch black wheels. Other highlights include carbon fiber front lip, bootlid spoiler, side skirts, wing mirrors, and door handles, as well as polished aluminum calipers and tinted lights.

Meanwhile the interior gets MC Staradale’s carbon fiber trims, Alcantara seats, aluminum pedals and side sills with special logos. Each car also gets a Centocinquantenario (“150th Anniversary”) badge i the center console.

The engine gets no upgrade and has to live with the same 440 hp, which is fine by us as it can take the car from 0 to 100 km/h in 4.9 seconds and up to a to speed of 290.

Maserati North America issued a recall fro 801 2009 Maserati GranTurismos and Quattroportes due to a problem with rear suspension.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) there a defect can cause the rear suspension in those models to fail. Driving on rough roads or over potholes and such increases the chance of failure, which can very well result in total loss of control over the vehicle.

Vehicles involved in this recall are built from July 3, 2008, to September 30, 2008. Dealers will replace the defected parts, install a tie-rod kit and perform a wheel alignment. So if you own a GT or a QP, make sure to visit the nearest dealer ASAP.

“The rear suspension left-side and right-side wheel alignment toe-in tie-rods may fail due to incorrect machining,” said NHTSA in its recalls summary of the problem. “A failed tie-rod could lead to a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.”

via: InsideLine

]]> http://www.motorward.com/2011/08/maserati-granturismo-and-quattroporte-recalled/feed/ 0 http://www.motorward.com/2011/08/maserati-granturismo-sport-pack-for-uk/ http://www.motorward.com/2011/08/maserati-granturismo-sport-pack-for-uk/#comments Wed, 03 Aug 2011 09:42:56 +0000 Arman Barari http://www.motorward.com/?p=24617

Maserati UK released a new Sport Pack for its selling model in the UK, the GranTurismo Automatic S.

The Sport Pack enhances gear changes and exhausts for a more thrilling drive, without any compromise on the GT’s comfort and convenience, and it also adds a couple of styling feature.

In terms of performance, it comes with the super-fast MC Auto Shift software and a revised exhaust system which keeps its bypass valves fully open in Sport mode to provide an even richer sound. Keen drivers have always been nagging about the lack of thrill and drama in the GT. This should solve it.

As for the styling and interior, Sport Pack adds body coloured side skirts and front winglets, a stylish black grille featuring the Maserati Trident logo with red accents, black mesh side grilles, black look headlights, an integrated rear boot lid spoiler and oval exhaust pipes, along with Grigio Mercury Neptune-design alloy wheels to finish off its sportier look.

The 440 HP (323kW) 4.7 liter V8 remains untouched. The price of the Sport Pack is £3,840, which means a brand-new GranTurismo Automatic S fitted with the kit costs £92,480.

Superior Black is Anderson Germany’s idea of a cool Maserati GranTurismo. It’s a bit too black though.

This is one heavy tuning job. They have modified everything they could. Starting with the body, the car gets a matt black wrap to go with its new carrbon fiber body kit, including exterior mirrors, the tailgate and roof ledges, as well as the lateral left and right air inlets and a sporty new bonnet. We particularly liked what they’ve done to the exhausts and created a Ferrari Scuderia effect.

Anderson has blacked-out everything, even the badges. The wheels? yes, they’re black too and comes in size 21-inch with 265 tires in front and 295 rear. Thanks to those exhaust and some ECU trickery, the power has also gone up from 440 to 493 hp.

The interior, however, is where they’ve really spent every dollar. The car gets exclusive air inlets, door knobs, the switch desk in the roof liner, the door sill panels, the steering wheel, the seat regulation levers, the shifting paddles, as well as the radio mask. Carbon fiber, black leather and Alcnatara and red stitching are the dominant features of the cabin.

The tuner has also installed an entertainment system with monitor in the dash board, monitors in the headrests, PS3 player, loud speaker, subwoofer and amplifier. To be honest, that’s a bit too much as well.

DMC, the same guys who have ambitious plans for Ferrari FF, have now come up with the best-looking Maserati GranTurismo ever.

They’ve added just the right amount of kit to this gorgeous Italian diva and managed to create one sweet car. The revised front bumper gets a new spoiler lip that not only looks cool, it also has aerodynamic purposes. The new vented bonnet also adds to the aggressiveness of it!

The wide side skirts DMC has put on this car might seem a bit ungainly, but they complement the absolutely brilliant rear diffuser and the trunk lid spoiler. The best part of the car is the way it looks from behind!

The beauty of this car is more than just skin deep though. DMC has also tweaked the 4.7 liter V8 with a supercharger up to 590 HP (434 kW) @ 7300 rpm and 472 Nm of torque @ 5400 rpm. That’s 150 hp more than the standard. Other technical modifications include progressive sport suspensions in the front and rear axles which lower the car by 30mm and addition of 255/30 R 20 front tyres and 305/30 R 21 wheels at the back.

The interior is garnished with new sport seats and blue Alcantara everywhere you look. You also get aluminium pedals and new ergonomically designed sporty steering wheel.

Brilliant work DMC!

If Robert De Niro and Bradley Cooper are not enough reason for you to go and check out the upcoming Hollywood blockbuster “Limitless”, the cast also includes a gorgeous Maserati GranTurismo!

The makers of the film were looking for a car that satisfies their performance needs, but also be incredibly classy and stylish. Obviously, the Masser GT with its powerful 4.2 litre (405 hp) and 4.7 litre (440 hp) engines and bite the back of your hand pretty looks was the perfect car for the job.

Other Maserati roles in Hollywood worth mentioning include second season of TV series ‘Entourage’ where Vincent Chase and the crew used a silver Quattroporte, 2008 movie ‘Max Payne’ directed by John Moore and starring Mark Wahlberg, a Maserati Spyder Cambiocorsa in 2003 ‘Charlie’s Angels II’ and Eva Longoria’s Spyder down Wisteria Lane in season one of ‘Desperate Housewives’.

To U.S. Vanity Fair journalist Brett Berk, movie star Bradley Cooper said “Oh. Yeah. There’s just one shot in the film where I didn’t drive it. The rest, I was driving. The thing about the Maserati is, it’s a beautiful car [...]. But it’s also the perfect mix of luxury and sport. [...]”

The latest edition of the lovely Maserati Gran Turismo is a track-focused version called the MS Stradale. Unlike the normal Maser GT, this one is tarted and stiffened up and features a unique body kit to be distinguished from other models. It is roughly 60 kg lighter as well, and is more powerful, 450 hp and 540 Nm of torque, so it’s much quicker with a 0 to 100 km/h sprint time of 4.6 seconds and top speed in excess of 300 km/h. On the downside it is less comfortable than the regular GT and will be more expensive as well.

Thanks to the Italians 2010 Paris Motor Show won’t be a boring festival of electric cars! Lamborghini is supposed to unveil two new supercars, and Maserati, well they are bringing this, the GranTurismo MC Stradale. It is a tarted up, track-prepared version of the lovely GranTurismo for those who were constantly nagging it’s way too soft and cuddly!

The MC Stradale looks even better than the standard GT thanks to its magnificent aerodynamic kit consisting of massive front spoiler, side vents, an awesome rear diffuser and a trunk lid wing. As it shows, the MC is inspired by Maser’s race-winning GT4 motorsport models.

Maserati didn’t release full technical specs of the car, but they say it has more power, 336kw or 450 hp, without any compromise on fuel consumption. And it’ll be faster and more agile, without sacrificing the GranTurismo S’s highly praised ride quality. If that’s true, then they have made the best car car in the world!

Stay tuned for more details.

The king of all tuners, Mansory revealed their package for the Maserati GranTurismo and GranTurismo S just in time for the 2010 Paris Motor Show. As ususal, there’s a lot of carbon fiber involved in this program, and again as usual it seems to be designed to please the Nouveau Riche! Specially this color combination is not what you call cool. Apart form the looks, Mansory also tunes the car’s engine.

Thanks to a performance-optimised ECU, an air filter with increased air throughput and a sports exhaust system with two double-suction tail pipes, the Maser’s V8 engine gains an extra 30 hp and 40 Nm of torque. To cope with extra power, Mansory engineers has stiffened up the car’s suspension system and also lowered it by 30mm.

They also provide bespoke wheels for the GT and GTS, in size 20-inch for front and 21-inch for the back with 255/30 R 20 front tyres and 305/30 R 21 tyres for rear. The wheels can also be painted in the same color scheme as the body.

As for the body itself, well the carbon fiber mascara seems to be a bit excessive. At front there’s a new lip spoiler while the grille also gets carbon surrounds. Then there’s thos vertical LED lights and a new two-tone bonnet with slashes in it. Other parts include carbon side skirts which make the car look lower, a carbon rear spoiler and and a rear diffuser.

Inside the cabin, apart from the aluminium pedals and new ergonomically designed sporty steering wheel, you get high quality leather and exceptional craftsmanship, and of course carbon fiber trimming.

German suspension professional H&R released a new kit for the truly awesome Maserati GranCabrio (or GranTurismo Convertible!). Apparently they have realized that the only flaw in the Masser’s celestial design is the gap between the wheels and the arches! So they filled that space using special springs which reduce the ride height by 35 mm. They say it has no impact on ride comfort.

As usual H&R also provides different sets of their special wheel spacers for perfect fitment.

As you know the drop-top version of the amazing Maserati GranTurismo is called the GranCabrio in Europe, but in the U.S. they call it simply GranTurismo Convertible. Don’t know why, maybe GranCabrio doesn’t sound so good with American accent! Anyhow, you can order this beautiful at all Maserati dealers in North America for $135,800 but don’t expect to see it in your garage until Spring.

Make the jump to check out the car’s options list…

• 9 Exterior colors standard with 5 optional hues
• 10 shades of Poltrona Frau leather for the interior
• 6 different soft top colors (Black, Burgundy, Blue, Dark Gray, Beige and Dark Brown)
• 3 wood trim options, Rosewood (standard), Walnut and Wenge (no cost options)
• 20″ Birdcage design wheels
• Skyhook active suspension system
• Rear Park Sensors
• Chromeline exterior trim
• Dual-Twin Sport Exhaust system with chrome outlets
• Bose Surround Sound System
• Red Brake Calipers (5 other colors available as options)

Maserati GranTurismo Convertible is powered by a 4.7 liter V8 with 433 hp and comes with a six-speed automatic gearbox. It features a soft top and has four full seats inside. But the best thing about it is indeed the swell Pininfarina design which looks impossibly pretty from every angle. You have to see it live as the pictures cannot describe it. This design alone worth the MSRP of $135,800, which by the way does not include taxes, title and other fees!

Maserati has unveiled a limited edition of the “GranTurismo S MC (Maserati Corse) Sport Line” during an event at Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi. This special GranTurismo features a White “ice” finishing, and is dedicated to Middle East. It’s limited to only 12 units. Twelve is also the number of world titles which make up the prestigious palmares of the MC12 in the FIA GT International Championship since 2005. There is also another special edition GT MC in the works featuring Matt Bianco Fuji with eye-catching pearlescent nuances, specially for Italy and limited to 11 pieces.

As a test mule, this car holds the record for the ugliest camouflage ever to be put on a car! But now that the cover is gone, we just want to spend hours after hours adoring it! As it turned out the Gran Turismo is much better looking topless! I have seen Angelina Jolie in the same condition (who hasn’t!) and I got to say the Maser is prettier!

This is just a sneak preview before Maserati release the full details on the gorgeous car at the upcoming Frankfurt Motor Show. But one thing is clear, the GranCabrio is a four-seater and features a soft top, so all the rumors about the folding metal roof were just a bunch of gibberish!

The GranCabrio is powered by a 4.7 litre V8, 323 kW engine and is the convertible with the longest wheelbase on the market. This is a swell car, however Maserati seems to be a bit carried away! Check this out from their press release:

The GranCabrio represents the very essence of Maserati in terms of open-top cars. It’s a Maserati in the purest sense of the word: from the unmistakable style by Pininfarina to the spacious interior, from the craftsmanship of each detail to the driving pleasure and performance. The Maserati GranCabrio enriches all five senses in a shared open-air experience, without sacrificing comfort and performance. A dream car designed and built for men and women who love to live life in an understated though sophisticated manner. Like all the made in Maserati open-top convertibles: special cars aimed at refined connoisseurs.

Some say the Maser Spyder will feature a folding hard-top while the others believe it will be 2+2 with a soft-top. And you know what, it doesn’t matter really! because the GranTurismo is a handsome car, either with hard or soft top it’ll maintain its charm and to worry about the weight or handling issues because of the roof is totally pointless, since it’s a GT cruiser not a hardcore sports car. Click here for more details on the Maserati GT Spyder.

Pictures copyright Brenda Priddy

Maserati announced its special customization program, Sport Line, which started with Gran Turismo a while ago and the car was premiered at Bologna Motorshow a few weeks ago. This video is an official release featuring the GT MC kit which honestly makes the car twice as desirable. For more info about the car Click Here

Maserati is starting a new personalization program for all of its lineup,called MC Sport Line which is based on their racing heritage. The first car with this special treatment is the Grand Turismo S they are showing at Bologna autoshow

but will extend to other models by the end of the year. The customization program is totally visual and no performance mod is included for the time being but might be available in future. It features all new carbon fiber front and rear spoilers and also very nicely designed side skirts. 20″ rims are the same design but comes in glossy black finish which make a beautiful contrast to the white paintjob. Also lower upgraded suspension plays its part in the appearance.

The interior of the Maserati GranTurismo MC Sport Line features carbon fiber door sills and carbon fiber door panels, dashboard and central tunnel.

[View with PicLens]

images from : autoblog.it

Maserati GranTurismo MC corse is a GT Racer based on The great GranTurismo, to compete in FIA GT3 series, now there are rumors that maserati is actually planing to make a street-legal version of it as a stripped out light-weight sport GT, something like Ferrari Scuderia or Porsche 911 GT3 RS. Ofcourse you can’t call that GT anymore!

Maserati did a Corse version of its hardcore super car MC12 when actually it was pulled outta market, which with its million Euro price tag was nothing more desirable over original car, but Granturismo is in a totally different league, It is the perfect car you can drive to a trackday event, Enjoy a racing experience then drive back home peacefully. Whatever, the look of this car is simply enough reason to buy one, rest doesn’t matter!