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Maserati officials have confirmed the convertible version of the GranTurismo called GranTurismo Spyder will arrive in showrooms by March of next year. And now spy photographers have caught the Maserati GT Spyder testing in the rain.
Maserati is yet to reveal if the car will sport a traditional canvas roof or a new hard-top, but according to most sources it will come with a conventional soft-top in order to keep weight as low as possible. The latest spy shots and renderings below give us a good indication as to what the final styling may look like.
The new Spyder is also expected to be priced from $130,000 in the U.S., pitting it perfectly against rivals like the Mercedes Benz SL, Aston Martin Vantage Roadster, BMW M6 Cabrio, and Jaguar XKR Convertible.
In keeping with its premium status the Spyder will likely come standard with the new 434hp 4.7L V8 engine from the more recent GranTurismo S. This means it will likely get Maserati’s new automatic gearbox (as opposed to the previous automated manual) and a Brembo brake package as standard.
Performance will likely be down on its hard-top sibling, however, as the Spyder will require extra reinforcements due to its missing roof. Remember, the regular GranTurismo already weighs in excess of 1,800kg so the extra weight of this reinforcement plus the automated folding roof system could easily push the drop-top past the two ton barrier.
Novitec, the German tuners are well known for pumping out highly modified Italian speed machines. Their Novitec Tridente line is dedicated exclusively to tuning Maseratis. Now the company’s latest package for the Maserati GranTurismo S shows exactly why. This is just the second tuned Maserati from Novitec’s recently established ‘Novitec Tridente’, which launched its first product back in 2007 in the form of the Quattroporte, and for its second showing the new division has gone all out to make the GranTurismo S even more enticing.
Not content with the Ferrari-built 4.7L V8 engine, Novitec engineers have installed a new supercharger system, which sees output boosted from the standard 440hp (328kW) to almost 600hp (448kW). The modifications have seen a complete overhaul of the powertrain, with a new high-flow exhaust system and ECU upgrade also making the cut.
To make sure all that power gets to the ground consistently, Novitec has also upgraded the suspension with a custom set-up from KW and new NM3 five-spoke alloy wheels measuring 20in up front and 21in in the rear. To cap it all off is a subtle bodykit, which includes a new front spoiler, rear wing, and side skirts, all of which is available in carbon-fiber.
This year is an important one for the German tuner as it marks the company’s 20th anniversary. In celebration of the milestone, Novitec will be building its first complete car – the Tulesto supercar.
Fans of open air cruising have something new to look forward to. The long awaited Maserati Granturismo Spider will make its official debut this upcoming September at the Frankfurt Motor Show. The new convertible from FIAT was designed by Pininfarina and uses the same basic architecture as Maserati’s other sportscars, the Granturismo and the Quattroporte.
Maserati is yet to reveal if the car will sport a traditional canvas roof or a new hard-top, but according to Car and Driver it will come with a conventional cloth top and a price tag of $130,000. This puts it in perfect competition with cars like the Mercedes Benz SL, Aston Martin Vantage Roadster, BMW M6 Cabrio, and Jaguar XKR Convertible.
In keeping with its premium status the Spyder will likely come standard with the new 434hp 4.7L V8 engine from the more recent GranTurismo S. This means it will likely get Maserati’s new automatic gearbox (as opposed to the previous automated manual) and a Brembo brake package as standard.
Performance will likely be down on its hard-top sibling, however, as the Spyder will require extra reinforcements due to its missing roof. Remember, the regular GranTurismo already weighs in excess of 1,800kg so the extra weight of this reinforcement plus the automated folding roof system could easily push the drop-top past the two ton barrier.
