Maserati is preparing a Spyder version of the new Maserati GranTurismo, essentially a short-wheel-based cabriolet of the car. It will make it’s public debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September 2007. Engine and transmission will likely be the same, and you’d be happy to know it will come with a proper automatic instead of a computer controlled manual clutch which is seen as some to be too unrefined for a luxury car.
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A proper automatic, no matter how refined it is, can never be as fun as the clucthless manual (SMG, tiptronic, etc). IMHO.
No offense, but semi auto manual gearboxes (clutchless, AMT, SMG etc.) associated with fun???
A proper manual is fun…it increases driver involvement. Automated manuals are derived from racing where its purpose is to reduce time taken to shift gears not to increase driving pleasure.
Besides, in road cars, proper autos are smoother, more refined than automated manuals and in some cases just as fast.
Anyway, back to the topic, that is one gorgeous car.
Shortened wheelbase? Hope they don't shorten it too much, it will make the car lose some of it's elegance. Transmissions, I like the manual ones better, even better if it's a column shift, they're so fun and cool to use in my opinion, too bad not many cars have column shifts.
excuse me clutchless manual is fun?
its crap. all clutchless manuals with their flappy pedal dickies are crap
proper blokes, drive proper manuals.
sad that this car's market is targeted at rich luxurious GT cars.
wish it came with a manual.
but i must say
looks absolutely stunning.
if want to go luxury, smooth,
old torque converter of auto is the smoothest, if lazy relax driving this is it,
performance trade off …never mind,
anyway its fast when the lockup engaged,
Why would you want a manual for this car?
You want driver involvement you go buy a Lotus, Ferrari or a Porsche.
This is a GT. Its for relaxed high speed driving. Modern auto gearboxes are more responsive and more willing to shift to the demand of the right foot. If you have that much power and torque, you only need a few gears.
7 Speed gearboxes? bah, just give me 1000ft-lbs of torque and I'd be happy for 1 gear gearbox…er….(must as well be direct drive, screw the gearbox and save more weight and less things to break :p ).
Maser coupes have always been more of a sports car than a GT cruiser unlike the Jag XK which is more GT less sports car.
So, a manual wouldn't be out of place in this car…a proper stick shift manual that is, not the Cambiocorsa automated manual which is a bit crap.
Having being given the chance to drive a 05' Quattroporte, I've always been curious how a smaller coupe version would be like. Guess the wait won't be long now.
Steering feel and R&H are excelent. and yeah the tranny is a semi auto (same as in most Ferraris these days)
Driver involvement? Plenty. Not isolated like on some luxo barges
silverfish
Maser coupes more sports cars than Grand Tourer ? IMHO the early 3500GT , the gorgeous original Ghibli (not the old BMW 3 series look-alike), the Khamsin, even the rear engined Bora have all been made for covering long distances fast and in relative comfort- the raison d'etre for a Gran Turismo. To paraphrase the the Cathay airline ad- you arrive in better shape in a GT (than a sports car). Compared to its rivals, Maseratis appear to be one step behind (the Ghibli has live rear axle when its main competitor, the Daytona has full independent suspension) . Yet in its time it outsells the Daytona. Why? Probably it just looks fabulous, although in performance and handling wise loses to the Daytona.
One thing I agree with you 100%- the new Maserati Gran Turismo is hell of a great looking Grand Tourer. ;)
The Maser Gran Turismo makes a 6 series look ungainly and a SL brutish.
style : just can't beat the Italians
I test drove a manual Spyder, but eventually bought a Cambio-corsa version, it's far, far better for a daily drive. Anyone who says that flappy paddles are crap, clearly has never owned a performance car and has gleaned all of their 'knowledge' from Top Gear!
I used to think that manual was the only way too, but the noise you get from a 'downshift blip' on the so called 'crap' paddle change gears is simply divine.
I would guess that at least half of the posters above have never even driven a Maser with the different gearbox options, and are regurgitating the opinions of the motoring press (who do a few miles and give their 'expert' opinion). I would suggest if you haven't tried either, or both options, get to your local Ferrari dealers in your best suit and take one for a test. Better still, go and buy one, drive it for a few months or years, and then give your opinion, at the very least it will make more informative reading!
By the way, from an owner, the Sypder is a great car and much better for a daily driver than any Lotus or Ferrari, but servicing and the bits that fall off every week are the things that let it down. If you can cope with a cuddy box that pings open every time you go over a bump, a handbrake that only occassionally works and electrics that leave a little to be desired, against that amazing exhaust note and near perfection for performance on a long drive, then a Maser is definately worth a look.
I, for one, wouldn't buy a Maserati straight Auto, my next car will be a 'crap' flappy paddle change Ferrari or another Maser….