The first generation of Maserati GranTurismo (Tipo M145) was unveiled at the 2007 Geneva Motor Show, and was built between 2007 and December 2019. The GranTurismo set a record for the most quickly developed car in the auto industry, going from design to production stage in just nine months. The reason being that the proposed replacement for the Maserati Coupé looked like it was going to be too expensive to manufacture by Maserati, and FIAT Chrysler Automobiles' Ferrari...
The first generation of Maserati GranTurismo (Tipo M145) was unveiled at the 2007 Geneva Motor Show, and was built between 2007 and December 2019. The GranTurismo set a record for the most quickly developed car in the auto industry, going from design to production stage in just nine months. The reason being that the proposed replacement for the Maserati Coupé looked like it was going to be too expensive to manufacture by Maserati, and FIAT Chrysler Automobiles’ Ferrari division needed a small car in its range and so it was launched as the Ferrari California instead, leaving Maserati without a coupe. A total of 28,805 GranTurismo coupe were produced.
The model was initially equipped with a 4.2-litre (4,244 cc (259.0 cu in)) V8 engine developed in conjunction with Ferrari. The engine generates a maximum power output of 405 PS (298 kW; 399 hp) and is equipped with a 6-speed ZF automatic transmission. The 2+2 body was derived from the Maserati M139 platform, also shared with the Maserati Quattroporte V, with double-wishbone front suspension and a multilink rear suspension. The grand tourer emphasises comfort in harmony with speed and driver-enjoyment. The GranTurismo has a drag coefficient of 0.33.
The better equipped S variant was unveiled at the 2008 Geneva Motor Show[8] and features the enlarged 4.7-litre (4,691 cc (286.3 cu in)) V8 engine shared with the Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione, rated at 440 PS (324 kW; 434 hp) at 7,000 rpm and 490 N⋅m (361 lbf⋅ft) of torque at 4,750 rpm. At the time of its introduction, it was the most powerful road-legal Maserati offered for sale (excluding the homologation special MC12). The engine is mated to the 6-speed automated manual built by Graziano Trasmissioni and shared with the Ferrari F430.[9] With the transaxle layout weight distribution improved to 47% front and 53% rear. The standard suspension set-up is fixed-setting steel dampers, with the Skyhook adaptive suspension available as an option along with a new exhaust system, and upgraded Brembo brakes. The seats were also offered with various leather and Alcantara trim options. The upgrades were made to make the car more powerful and more appealing to the buyers while increasing performance, with acceleration from 0–100 km/h (0–62 mph) happening in 4.9 seconds and a maximum speed of 295 km/h (183 mph). Aside from the power upgrades, the car featured new side skirts, unique 20-inch wheels unavailable on the standard car, a small boot lip spoiler, and black headlight clusters in place of the original silver. The variant was available in the North American market only for MY2009 with only 300 units offered for sale.