German Car Zone

The assignment was simple: pop out to a World Class Driving event hosted by the publisher of MotorTrend and Automobile magazines and sample five of the most exciting cars on the road. Oh yes, and take out a GranTurismo S to see what it feels like driving back to back with whatever is at the event. Really, on some days nothing can go too wrong. We drove out in the new GranTurismo S and marveled again at its massive torque, impeccable balance, license-endangering quickness and, given that it was not yet seven in the morning, its ability to calmly ferry one between two points with both composure and alacrity when taken out of Sport mode. We did not know which cars the good folks at World Class Driving had brought with them, but it turned out the lineup was delicious: Ford GT, Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera, Ferrari 599 GTB, Mercedes SLR McLaren, Callaway C16 and... a Maserati GranTurismo!



Because they tend to purchase cars with a performance orientation, World Class Driving has a GranTurismo S on order, but it will not arrive for some time and in the meantime they are getting excellent feedback on the 4.2 liter GranTurismo automatic. Considering the array of supercars present, that seemed quite a compliment for a car with a more balanced grand touring soul. After an interesting classroom session, the staff got us out on the street in a follow-the leader format. The route consisted of public roads in northern New Jersey, with each person getting equal half-hour shifts as a driver and a passenger in every car, before a return to the home base for lunch.

The curvaceous Ford GT was first up on the menu, and it is everything one craves in an all-out supercar. It is visceral and exciting, if a little scary because there are no electronic driver aids. None. And it has 550bhp from its supercharged V8. Reaction to all inputs is instantaneous and the throttle mimics a velvet hammer to the small of the back while the low race-tuned suspension packs some astonishing grip on twisty roads. One thing unique to the Ford was its genuine manual gearbox and clutch pedal, a heavy but fast unit. It is incredibly good fun, but not a relaxing car, and definitely one to give great respect to. The homage to Ford's GT40 is itself essentially a track car, and the spartan but purposeful interior suggests that, especially in contrast with the luxury of a Maserati.



Next up was the Mercedes SLR McLaren, the most costly car we would drive at almost $500,000. Like the Ford GT it is now out of production. The SLR's design is unusual, its focus unclear, but speed is a good part of it. The interior build quality and ergonomics turn out to be excellent. Despite the massively long hood and the low, body-hugging seats into which one straps after negotiating the butterfly doors, the SLR is not an awkward car. Its 600bhp supercharged V8 and automatic transmission suggest massive thrust, and we discovered that it really will spin its rear wheels in the first three gears, even if the driver hadn’t intended on calling up that much thrust. This car really is all about its power, ultimately controlled by superb and exotic brakes which only work best once carefully warmed up. The steering and handling are just twitchy enough to keep occupants fully aware of all that supercharged power, and one result is that we never really tested it in anything but a straight line. The SLR's luxury and presence are almost completely lost in the tension created by its overwhelming power.



From the enviably ridiculous to the near-perfect, we switched to the Ferrari 599 GTB. Its superb interior is, just like that of the Maserati, swathed in Poltrona Frau leather, but the 599 favors carbon fiber trim and firmer seats. The 612bhp V12 is subdued when ignited, and remains so even up to redline. Silky smooth and eminently powerful, the 599GTB is surprisingly quiet where vintage Ferraris were known for their full voice. It does everything just about perfectly, and is, perhaps, too perfect. The rapid and smooth action of its paddle-shift gearbox and the marvelous red LEDs embedded in the steering wheel to tell the driver when to use those paddles gives a palpable feeling of driving a sports racer. Its handling is astounding, the big aluminum car feeling pinned to the road through any corner, the carbon ceramic brakes seeming to need no warmth to work, and one proceeds to incredible speeds without effort or drama. It's worth the $300,000 and long waiting list if one needs to win the Cannonball Run, but it is all curiously unengaging, so perhaps not the car for cruising cross country exploring Route 66.



Into the Gallardo Superleggera we went, and its raison d'etre was obvious. It's a $250,000 party car. In bright orange and with a raucous exhaust note from the 530bhp V10 it almost refuses to drive slow, and it defies everyone else not to look. The eGear paddle shift transmission changes gears with a violent whump that laughs at finesse. The alloy Lamborghini is engagingly fun to drive. It would be foolish not to pay it close attention as the substantial rear-weight bias, the very taut suspension and the extremely grabby carbon ceramic brakes mean that the howlingly fast car demands constant respect. On twisty roads we were locking up inside front brakes and catching rear slides with all the driver aids turned on. Under hard acceleration one driver's hat flew off his head; under braking his passenger's glasses flew off. It's a memorable car, but not one we could imagine choosing to drive every day. Entertaining, but also ultimately exhausting.



On to the ultra-rare Callaway C16. It starts life as a Corvette, but Reeves Callaway supercharges it to 630bhp and adds a raft of custom-made accessories that tweak the style and dynamics. The C16 is essentially an American interpretation of a bespoke 599 GTB, even cribbing a few 599 styling cues, and it is stunningly fast. It is probably not quite as good as the 599 GTB at any one thing, but then again it costs less at just under $200,000. The C16 is nonetheless very, very fast, but despite the speed it ultimately feels rather remote. In fact, it goes one further by having an automatic transmission, although the removable targa roof was a nice touch despite the warmth of this summer day. It's an interesting enhancement of the Corvette, and perhaps not quite alive beneath the driver, and a little unrefined – especially under full throttle when all one hears is the whine of the supercharger. It's rare and yet with its GM roots somehow not really exclusive.



Finally, we got into the GranTurismo. Throughout the day we had been asking other attendees what they thought of Maserati's new coupe. It has a 'mere' 400bhp from its efficient V8, but no one driving it on the road had the slightest difficulty keeping up with the exotics. The consensus was that the sexily styled GranTurismo was a breath of freshly conditioned air in what turned out to be a savagely hot and humid day, and this example, resplendent in its Grigio Granito paintwork, hands down won the beauty contest. Engaging to drive, its ZF automatic transmission with paddle shifters and optimal balance proved that even in very fast company, brute power is not everything as the Maserati stuck to the road with aplomb. The GranTurismo became the car to which people flocked when they wanted a less intense but fun drive, and it was the only one present with four seats. It was pegged by our fellow auto enthusiasts as the true daily driver with accessible performance and authentic luxury. This is of course what we had hoped to hear, but it was great to hear it anyway! Especially since, as one practical attendee mentioned, "at $120,000 it’s reasonably priced and gives you every reason to want to drive it whenever you can; it's a real winner and I want one!"



The performance to match the super exotics on the road, but the comfort and luxury to make the GranTurismo a daily driver, not just a weekend or track toy: it lives up to its name as the definition of a true gran turismo.

And what of the GranTurismo S we drove to and from the event? It got very admiring looks, and one lucky attendee got a short test drive after the event and was immediately sold – she said her order is as good as in... as soon as she makes the hardest decision and picks her colors. Even after driving well over a million dollars of exotic machinery there was no doubt that the S had the best exhaust note of them all –an impressive result when compared to the best V8, V10 and V12 engines from America, Germany and Italy.


Maserati Monthly: Communique - GranTurismo Comparo


Obviously biased in favor of Maserati, but I thought it was interesting to read.


M

Well the GT S is a gorgeous car but there's three cars in there i'd never take the Mas over them,btw love the rims on the SLR