My list of desired cars is constantly growing, but there is one that has
been sitting at the top spot for quite some time: A Maserati
Today, I present to you the car that I crave like no other: The 2013 Maserati Gran Turismo Sport.
It seems that professional drivers and experienced motor journalists
love to rip on the Maserati for its lack of performance, low numbers,
heavy weight, and so on.
But I am not either of them, and today I was thankful for that, as all I
wanted to do was to enjoy this vehicle and that's something that
Maserati can deliver like no other car.
It starts with the looks. No matter which angle you look at it from, it
just looks stunning, everybody knows it's a Maserati, it's shape just
screams exclusivity and boyish fun at the same time. Not a lot of cars
achieve that.
Once inside you simply fall in love with the fine leather seats, soft to
touch steering wheel, and general finish of the cabin. Surprisingly
there is plenty of room in the rear, and there is even enough space in
the trunk for a pair of golf bags. One significant let down is the
quality of the navigation head unit. I haven't seen anything that
horrible since 90's Mitsubishi.
But you simply forget about that as you turn the key and hear the
Ferrari Manufactured 4.7L V8 rev up, burble and gently rumble at idle.
Once you I was off the orchestra from the 8 cylinders in the front
accompanied by the bass from the 4 organ pipes of the exhaust in the
rear penetrated my entire body with amazing harmony of acceleration and
gear changes. Despite 1880 kg of kerb weight and only about 454 HP, it
still can still throw quite a punch. It blasts off the line while
throwing the driver in to the seat, brakes are precise and linear while
steering is responsive and predictable.
The car is very easy to drive, and it lets you have a bit of fun too.
Traction control is configured to allow a hint of a wheel spin at corner
exits, but still keeps everything stable and in control, the sport
button tightens steering, suspension and engine response, it also opens a
valve in the exhaust for that extra acoustics and it is indeed
magnificent.
As we entered the ultimate orchestra hall, also known as a tunnel in
central Tokyo, I just had to open the windows and let the car sing, and
it did so with high variety of highs and lows making me feel alive.
No other car brand can deliver sound like that, and without a bit of
noise how can a car generate any kind of emotion in the driver? Just
like a musician becomes part of his music as he feels the instrument
with every cell in the body, a Maserati driver gets absorbed in the
process of driving, enjoying it more than anything in the world.
I don't care that it is slower than its rivals around Nurgburgring, as a
matter of fact, that's a good thing, as the longer it takes the more
the driver gets to enjoy it.
Cost of ownership
1/5
The
4.7L V8 engine is thirsty and it requires maintenance of a true sport
car. Once beyond warranty repair costs can go through the roof.
Practicality
