Maserati 5000GT series

When the Maserati GranTurismo made its debut in early 2007, George W. Bush lived in the White House, the iPhone hadn’t launched, and Chrysler had yet to crash on Fiat’s couch. A decade is a long time.It’s a different world, even at Maserati. New Ghibli, Levante SUV, and Quattroporte models have increased the brand’s sales more than tenfold: Roughly 42,000 new Maseratis will be sold this year. But unlike those other models, the GranTurismo contains nary a trace of Chrysler. It remains very much a product of the old, pre-FCA Maserati and is still built on a shortened, two-door version of the platform used for the previous-generation Quattroporte, a car we remember fondly.While the untrained eye might not see much difference between the 2008 GranTurismo and the 2018 GranTurismo, there have been many small changes over the years. The 2018 model has new bumpers at both ends that help lower the drag coefficient to ensure that this Maserati (in coupe form) can reach at least 185 mph. Spec it right, Maserati hints, and you’ll hit the European magic number of 300 km/h, which is 186 mph. There are new headlights, an 8.4-inch touchscreen infotainment system shared with the Ghibli and some Chrysler products, the latest generation of Pirelli P Zero footwear, and a new analog clock.

The sole engine is still the 454-hp 4.7-liter V-8, which traces its gestation to the belly of the 1999 Ferrari 360 Modena and has been screaming ever since. A six-speed automatic is the only gearbox available. Switching to the latest eight-speed automatic was something Maserati didn’t want to spend on.