(Thu 06 Mar 08)

More details about the Maserati GranTurismo S, which we previewed last week and which is now on display at the Geneva Show.

As we mentioned before, the engine is an enlarged version of the V8 found in the non-S GranTurismo. It now measures 4.7 litres and produces a maximum of 440bhp, giving the S a top speed of 184mph (the highest of any production Maserati) and a 0-62mph time of 4.9 seconds.

If you're going that fast, it means you're using MC-Shift, which comes into play at engine speeds above 5500rpm and throttle openings of more than 80%. When the six-speed manual (but electronically controlled) gearbox is in MC-Shift mode, there is a slight overlap between the actions of the gears and the clutch; one pair of gears releases as the clutch opens, and the next is already starting to mesh as the clutch re-engages.

It sounds rather brutal, but the upshot is that upward changes interrupt the car's acceleration by just 0.1 seconds - a big improvement over similar systems in which the changes feel like they're taking forever.

More Geneva 2008 Stories

Maserati Gallery
Maserati Road Tests

Previous: Volvo Ocean Race Editions                                     Next: Nissan GT-R Prices