Refreshed 2018 Maserati GranTurismo Gains Alfieri-Inspired Face

Maserati CEO Reid Bigland arrived to ring the closing bell of the New York Stock Exchange on June 27 in the refreshed 2018 GranTurismo.

The Italian grand tourer's revised design looks more like it enjoyed a weekend at a spa than took a trip to the plastic surgeon. Maserati adds a new front fascia with a hexagonal grille, instead of the existing model's oval-shaped opening. There are also more conventional ducts in the corners that no longer sweep underneath the splitter. The company claims the nose's updated design takes inspiration from the much-lauded Alfieri concept, and it doesn't seem to fit the GranTurismo nearly as well (see comparison above). However, the tweaks have the benefit of reducing aerodynamic drag from 0.33 to 0.32.

Inside, the GranTurismo now features an 8.4-inch infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto support. Music should sound good through the Harman Kardon Premium Sound system. The buttons for controlling the driving modes are now on the lower central console near the gearshift. Customers can pick from seats with Poltrona Frau leather or with a combination of Alcantara and leather upholstery.

Unfortunately, the 2018 GranTurismo sticks with the same Ferrari-built 4.7-liter V8 as years past. It continues to produce 460 horsepower (343 kilowatts) and 384 pound-feet (520 Newton-meters) of torque. A six-speed automatic gearbox sends the power to the rear wheels. The GranTurismo Sport base model can get to 62 miles per hour (100 kilometers per hour) in 4.8 seconds, and the lighter MC need 4.7 seconds to reach that speed. As a reference for how much the GranTurismo has changed over the years, the 2013 model needed 4.7 seconds to reach 62 mph with an automated manual and did it in 4.8 seconds with the full automatic gearbox.