Maserati GranTurismo Trofeo: 'I test drove a £200,000 Maserati - it is very quick and easy to love'
You thought Maserati had gone quiet? Think again, says Steve Teale as he got behind the wheel of the sleek and impressive Maserati GranTurismo Trofeo and a snip at £212,000!
So where has Maserati been in recent years? While Porsche, McLaren, Ferrari and co have been busy, this Italian brand might have been addormentato (asleep).
But this supercar brand is in business and one of its key creations is the GranTurismo, a model with a heritage stretching back almost 80 years.
Iconic, say Maserati. It’s an over-used word but it might just be appropriate here and it is proof that this Italian purveyor of motoring exotica, far from snoozing has actually been quietly productive.
This is a coupe which stands comparisons with some of the beefiest and most elegant cars on the road and it is a car with heritage. GranTurismo marks a new chapter in a story that began with the Maserati A6 1500, a beautiful beast launched in 1946.
Today’s version is just as sleek. Unlike some of its rivals, it hasn’t kept the same name all the way through but this model is now established as the GranTurismo.
It first appeared in 2007, was deleted in 2019 and then returned with force in 2022. It is said to combine the high performance typical of a sports car with comfort suitable for long distances.
It is tested here as a 3.0 litre V6 which sounds as good as it looks. Critics say the V8 sounds better but the rumbling roar of this smaller engine still takes some beating.
This is a Trofeo (trophy) version. The price: £212,000. There’s no getting away from the steep cost but GranTurismo have sold in plentiful numbers over the years, yet still manage to turn heads if you’re lucky enough to spot one.
It is smart, understated but very capable. It is quick, firm and easy to love.
This model is taking the House of the Trident forward into the future: it is the first car in the brand’s history to adopt a 100 per cent electric powertrain in some models but tested here we have a petrol version.
Maserati say from a style point of view it represents an ideal balance between beauty and functionality, without ostentation.
Some Maseratis are wondrous works of art (the MC20 for example with its incredible doors) but this model is elegant in a quieter way. It still has a sportily long bonnet and a roof line which drops dynamically.
It might be modest compared to the flashier MC20 but this is a refined model with plenty of spark including the option of Devil Orange paint (that would be my choice).
It is a car built for speed, there’s no getting away from that, yet it is still happy trundling through town. It comes with Sport and Corsa modes, which means it is a highly capable sports car.
The V6 Nettuno engine is available in two versions, one which emits 490bhp and the Trofeo version which is 550bhp.
Alternatively, the GranTurismo Folgore (it means lightning in Italian) adopts a 100 per cent electric battery-based powertrain.
In the cabin, GranTurismo is equipped with Innovative systems, including the Maserati Intelligent Assistant (MIA) Multimedia system, the latest infotainment, a comfort display that brings together the main functions in an integrated touchscreen interface, a digital clock, the Heads-up Display (available as an option) and the exceptional Sonus faber Audio system.
The GranTurismo also offers an “all-round sound experience”, guaranteed by the iconic signature sound of the Maserati engine, even in the electric version thanks to innovative work by engineers at the Maserati Innovation Lab.
It feels like a taut and compact car but it is actually almost five metres long with a decent boot of 310 litres.
Recently, Maserati said it was thrilled to announce that the GranTurismo Trofeo and GranTurismo Folgore have each won Car and Driver’s coveted 2025 Editors’ Choice Awards in the ‘Luxury Sports Car’ and ‘Electric Luxury Sports Car’ categories, respectively.
While much of the motoring world is focusing heavily on electric, Maserati is keeping its options open. Maserati wants to focus on its future product portfolio through what its customers say and desire.
That’s according to the brand’s new North European boss, Mariangela Del Vecchio, who expressed her thoughts about what the brand wants to achieve for its new electric models.
She believes that the brand needs to have a combination of internal-combustion engined vehicles and EVs as the company focuses on a more sustainable future.
Maserati’s electric range of vehicles are badged ‘Folgore’, with nearly every model in the firm’s line-up now coming with a battery-powered option.
Speaking about the brand’s electric portfolio, Del Vecchio – who was appointed Maserati’s North European boss in November 2024 – said: “We are more driven about what the consumers are saying and we’ve tried to meet the customers’ desires because we are Maserati. We are a desirable and iconic brand that combines both the past and the future through ICE vehicles and electromobility.”
She added: “The EVs in our range will help the brand to increase the share of electric vehicles in the market, and this will be the first full year in which we will have a full range of electric vehicles. Our cars are from specific segments with specific customers, so it’s not about big volumes of sales, it’s more to meet the customers wishes.”
Maserati GranTurismo Trofeo: £212,000. GranTurismo starts at £125,355; 2,992cc V6 engine with an eight-speed automatic transmission and generating 550bhp; Top speed 199mph and 0 to 60mph in 3.5 seconds; Emissions 227g/km; 28.5mpg; Three years’ warranty, unlimited mileage