Maserati Barcelona has presented the new generation of the GranTurismo, an iconic model from the Italian brand that comes completely renovated and, for the first time, with a 100% electric variant, which will be offered later. Cars Gallery, official dealer of Maserati Barcelona of QUADIS, the largest network of dealers and official workshops in Spain, organized the premiere in Catalonia on the 20th for specialized press and customers at Masía Can Magí in Sant Cugat del Vallès. David Blanchart, Sales Manager at Maserati Barcelona, and Andrea Moia, Iberia Marketing
Developed in the Maserati Innovation Lab, the GranTurismo is 100% Made in Italy and represents “Italian luxury performance”, a concept typical of all Maserati models. This vehicle takes the transalpine manufacturer into the future as it will be the first car in the brand's centenary history to adopt a 100% electric propulsion system; solution that will be available for pre-orders in the coming months and will soon also be offered in other Maseratis such as the Grecale SUV.
During the event, the representatives of the firm from Modena in Spain briefly reviewed the importance of this vehicle concept throughout the history of the brand founded in Bologna, as well as the main features of the new GranTurismo.
The vehicle is available in three Modena and Trofeo versions, both equipped with the Nettuno engine, a 3-liter Biturbo V6 gasoline, with 490 and 550 HP, respectively, in addition to the aforementioned emission-free variant, which will yield 760 HP. Both in the internal combustion variants and in the most innovative electric solution, the new GranTurismo embodies the classic characteristics of a luxury GT: the comfort of a saloon to travel and the high performance of a sports car to enjoy the journey.
The GranTurismo costs in Spain from 202,900 euros for the Modena, and from 253,000 for the Trophy. The Folgore, whose powertrain will consist of three electric motors, does not yet have an official price.
Elisa Weltert, General Manager of Maserati South of Europe, recently stated that: "The entire Maserati Iberia team enthusiastically celebrates the return of an icon for the company, completely renovated in terms of technology and design, to meet the customer's needs for Maserati And for those who act as forerunners, as trailblazers, and who constantly seek to lead the way, looking to the future, the 100% electric Folgore version will take the GranTurismo experience to a new level.”
It all started with an Italian term, granturismo, which over time became international. A concept that combines elegance and sportiness, which expresses the values of the brand and the DNA of luxury performance, speed and driving pleasure. A granturismo (or GT for short) is a high-performance car also suitable for covering long distances and long journeys in comfort.
In March 1947, at the Geneva Motor Show, the first Granturismo car in history was presented: the Maserati Tipo A6 1500 Gran Turismo. With a revolutionary spirit, it was the forerunner of a type of car never seen before and that would go on to definitively influence the evolution of the automobile industry, creating its own segment.
The history of the Maserati A6 1500 was named after Alfieri, one of the founding brothers of the brand, and because of the number of cylinders of that engine capable of reaching 150 km/h. Alfieri Maserati had the idea of mounting a competition engine in a "street" sedan to combine power and performance with comfort and space in the same car to be able to travel in style.
Bodied by Pininfarina, the A6 1500 marked a milestone in the history of Maserati despite the relatively low number of units that were manufactured during the four years it was in production, until 1950: 58 units. Its importance lies in the fact that on this basis, the first mass-produced Maserati GranTurismo was created in 1957: the 3500 GT.
Signed by the Touring Superleggera body from Milan, the 3500 GT was a coupe with a 3.5-liter 6-cylinder engine that reached 220 hp in its version with a Weber carburetor and 235 in the variant with an indirect injection system. In a short time, this model became, due to its elegance and sportiness, one of the favorites of celebrities, actors and businessmen in Italy, making the brand with the trident a benchmark in the promising granturismo market.
After the GT concept took off, Maserati has continued to bring cult names to this automotive category, such as the Sebring (1962), the Mistral (1963), the Ghibli (1966) or the Bora (1971). More than 25 years later, in 1998, Maserati surprised and fell in love again with the launch of the precious 3200 GT, the first of a new generation of cars from the firm. The first generation of the GranTurismo was launched in 2007, followed by the GranCabrio variant in 2009. Until the cessation of production of both, in 2019, they accumulated more than 40,000 units.
