Grand touring with Maserati

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Sadly I had to hand the keys back and return to reality

Few cars turn heads like a Maserati Granturismo.

Even a decade on from its launch, the Pininfarina-styled lines have lost none of their power to enthrall. The Gran Turismo is a four-seat grand tourer designed to cover large distances in comfort and style.

It has been refreshed for 2018, with a restyled exterior and interior and some new technology. The old 4.2 litre engine has been replaced by a more powerful 4.7 litre V8 which, as before, is sourced from Ferrari.

The range has been simplified, with just two models – “entry level” Sport and top spec MC. The Sport will set you back around £93,000 and the MC model I drove had a price tag £80 shy of £110,000.

That’s not cheap, and nor will the car break 20mpg. However, your outlay does buy a lot more exclusivity than in other sports cars available for similar money, such as the Audi R8 and Porsche 911.

The engine produces a healthy 454bhp, which will take the Granturismo from 0-62mph in 4.8 seconds and on to a top speed of 185mph.

It does so with a magnificent yowl that can’t fail to put a smile on your face.

There is traction control but it’s still easy to get the Granturismo out of shape if you’re not careful. On a wet A82 beside Loch Lomond I managed to accidentally fishtail the rear end.

On drier roads the grip is prodigious and you would need a track to explore its limits – although the suspension is softer than on a hardcore sports car. The Maserati has two jobs to do: to thrill drivers and transport them in comfort.

Unlike one of its most direct rivals, the BMW 6 Series, which has rear seats suitable only for small children, the Granturismo is a proper four-seater with room for adults in the back. Boot space is a modest 260 litres though, so if you do travel with four people they’ll need to keep luggage to a minimum.

The inside of the Granturismo is, as you’d expect, quite a special place. Virtually every inch is covered with soft leather or fine wood. An 8.4in touchscreen has been added in the 2018 version of the car, along with a high end Harman Kardon stereo.

Cruising along the shores of Loch Lomond and then Loch Long it was all too easy to drift into a fantasy where I was a millionaire on my way to my luxury retreat in the Highlands. Sadly, an hour or two later I had to hand the keys back and return to reality.

jmckeown@thecourier.co.uk