Maserati unveils a masterpiece

Maserati's stunning GranTurismo S auto and Quattroporte GT S will both be launched in Auckland tomorrow.

Italian stallion Maserati will uncover its two latest models at a New Zealand launch party in Auckland tomorrow night.

The GranTurismo S automatic and the Quattroporte GT S both share the same engine, a 4.7-litre V8 delivering 323kW at 7000rpm and 490Nm of torque at 4750rpm.

But the carmaker has for the first time given the GranTurismo S a six-speed ZF automatic gearbox to complement the existing sequential gearbox.

The Quattroporte also runs a sequential unit.

The automatic variant shares the same 295km/h top speed and is only fractionally slower to 100km/h, says Maserati, thanks to a software package that minimises power transmission loss.

"The Maserati GranTurismo S automatic is quite possibly the ultimate expression of a Maserati coupe as it brings together for the first time all the facets of the unique Maserati legend," says Edward Butler, general manager for Maserati in Australia and New Zealand.

"On one hand it has the sumptuous luxury which, thanks to the Maserati personalisation programme, means that every Maserati is unique to its owner.

"On the other it is within a hair's breadth of offering the aggressive performance of the fastest production Maserati of all time both in terms of straight line performance and chassis response. Given its breadth of abilities, a level of exclusivity and that it is the pinnacle of the Maserati legend, we are certain that it will account for the majority of GranTurismos sold in New Zealand."

The new gearbox gets four function modes: Normal for cruising, Sport for a sportier response, Ice for low grip conditions, and Manual via steering wheel paddles.

The automatic model gets Maserati's Skyhook shock absorber system as standard.

It adjusts the damping to suit the ride and works with car's stability programme and calibration of the gearbox.

The carmaker says its engineers have integrated the Skyhook suspension and transmission control systems so that the driver feels even less movement through during gear changes.

In Sport, the on-board computer reduces gear shift times by 40 per cent.

The S automatic continues the style of the GranTurismo range.

The headlights styling is an addition to the protective front bumper, a stylistic element that has long distinguished Maserati coupes.