Anyone consider a Maserati Granturismo before buying an XKR? The Maserati Granturismo has caught my attention. I'm always looking at different cars and my XKR always comes back saying why. I like the sound of the Maserati and it looks similar to the XKR. The Maserati has the Italian racing heritage but at a price; however, has much less torque/power than the XKR. I think the XKR is better value. Anyone else look at the Maserati Granturismo in a coupe or convertible?

 

The Maserati is simply gorgeous, inside and out. Interestingly, several months ago I attended a charity function where there was a raffle in which you could win the use of a Gran Tourisimo or a Ferrari California for a weekend, and they had both cars on display. The Ferrari just couldn't match the sensuous, elegant looks of the Maserati (granted the California isn't the most beautiful Ferrari ever and its rear end just doesn't do it for me). I believe that the Maserati is purposely kept at a step below the Ferrari in terms of power so as not to "crowd" its sister company's sales. After all is said and done, however, I don't think the XKR gives up anything to either and is gorgeous in its own right.

 

Compare the cost of servicing the Maser to the Jag and you'll get your head straight again right quick.

I know, my neck is still sore

I also was drawn by the incredible screaming banshee sound but especially for the bigger back seat. I hope the next Gen XK/XKR has at least equal interior dimensions as the Granturismo.

 

I must say first; I generally LOVE Italian exotic designs. BUT, I do not particularly like the Maserati GT design. I see one often, a white one, in my area and it just does not seem right to me. The body shell design does not appear complete, missing trim details that I would admire on other Italian exotics. I actually pointed at the car one day and told my wife that the car looks like a kit-car, simply because it does not appear fully detailed and finished.

I actually was tempted to call over to the driver at a stop sign and suggest to him that he should purchase some wheel spacers to bring the wheels out, more in line with the fenders. As they were, they just did not look right. (I kept my mouth shut)

So, needless to say, I would not consider one.

Albert

 

I considered a GT twice and each time I bought an XKR (07 first, then an 11 XKR175). I polled every non-enthusiast that I know before buying each car, and every single person said that the Jaguar looked more special, especially the coupe version from the rear.

There are many Maseratis in my town, but only very few XKs. The Maser actually blends in when it's not accelerating. The noise is gorgeous, but the car itself (although beautiful) is a bit "safe" and boring.

In pictures, both cars look great. In the flesh, the complexity of the Jaguar shape (again, especially the coupe) reveals itself, despite the lack of overtly styled creases and body lines.

 

Great looking car...

Believe it or not, virtually all of the Maserati interior is vinyl. Only the seat tops, steering wheel and few other pieces are leather. The interior is quite fragile. Look at used for sale car pictures and you'll rips here and there.

Parts are way out there in price, along with very few indy's that car work on them. My mechanic I used when I had an Alfa said they they can't really do much with any modern Maserati. They do a lot of service on the older stuff.

That being said, a friend of mine had a Qporte Automatico and it ran flawless for the 3 years he owned it.

It's hard to justify the price of the GT when considering the sum of its parts. Sure looks cool and would love to drive one. Qporte wasn't raw as I was expecting and earlier 02-05 GT's did not drive as nice I had hoped.

 

Thanks everyone for your replies. The bottom line is the Maserati GT is over priced (vinyl seats, etc.). Thanks for reassuring me what a wonder GT the Jaguar XKR is. I'll pass on the Maserati and save some money. The sound of the Italian Maserati and Ferrari is music to the ears; however, the XKR is close behind on the sound and is a gorgeous well performing GT at a fantastic price.

 

Maserati is also down on the power from the factory, but a few add-on's and there's like 60+ hp available to make it more like a Ferrari. As Ferrari manufactures Maserati engines, but it is not a "Ferrari" engine. Ferrari has the flat plane crank, different firing order and other differences.

I am excited for the Ghibli to come to market. Could be a competitive car in its class. Will give the next generation a XF a battle for sure.

 

I have the same dilemma. You really cant help but to notice the growl that the Masser puts out, its brilliant! But aside from the XK fitting my budget better, the looks won me over. I just think the lines on the XK are ...better!
I'd love to drive a Maserati to get to know the differences, but I have no regrets! :-)

 

I'd love to drive the current one to. The 2002 I drove just wasn't very exciting at all.

 

About the "growl".

I always liked Italian engine sounds but, I prefer them to be quiet when I want them to be and screaming when I want them to scream. I used to have a V12 Lamborghini with custom, straight exhaust pipes. It had very muted sounds under 3000 RPM and screamed out beautiful sounds to high heavens when opened up above that.

The other day I was stuck in heavy, stop and go traffic and kept hearing these really offensive sounds. Turned out to be a Maserati GT about 3 cars ahead of me, doing all that while nearly idling. I can't imaging having to live with that racket. Not sure if it was a stock exhaust or custom but, I certainly would not want my car to sound like that.

Albert

 

If you look at the Masserati carefully you'll see the wheels don't fit in the arches properly (especially from certain angles), gives the whole car an awkward posture. Makes the dimensions look strange and out of proportion. As someone mentioned earlier, like a kit car. The wrong body sitting on the wrong chassis.
The car was designed from a shared chassis that was chopped to fit, but not done well. A bit of a mule.

I don't think this can be cured with spacers nor new rims due to strange proportions.

 

I agree completely. The one I studied desperately needed to be lowered in an attempt to just make the tires look to fit better, but that might also throw off its handling.

 

I know I've seen this comparison somewhere .... Here they are, interestingly enough, with different results utilizing different model year.

R&T:
Complete comparison test of the 2008 Jaguar XKR and the 2008 Maserati GranTurismo. View photos, data specs of the 2008 Jaguar XKR and 2008 Maserati GranTurismo - Road & Track

Automobile:
Peak Performers: 2012 Jaguar XKR-S and 2012 Maserati GranTurismo MC - Automobile Magazine

 

what was the final decision?

 

I was going to sell my 2011 Infinite G37 with 3,800 miles and get the Maserati. The final decision is to pass on the Maserati because it is not sporty enough, over priced, and lacks power. The G37 is a great car, but a bit too girly. After I got my 2011 XKR 175 the G37 seemed even more girly. After I bought the G37 my friends asked me why I bought a girly car. When I got the XKR I quickly found out what they were talking about. I still like the G37; however, the XKR is more fun to drive. I find I'm always jumping in the XKR coupe and passing on the G37 convertible, even on the sunny days.

 

I thought i was the only one. Never understood why they would hide the wheels in the wells so much. That was cool 30 years ago, but not any longer.

Regardless, i like the car quite a bit.

And, about the harmony.....

Fast forward to 2:30m

 

Cool video. Great birthday present. Nice looking Maserati and sound. Although the car looks great it could be tweaked to look even better with the spacers in the rear. I never noticed the rear wheels being so far in until this post. At first sight the rest of the car is so overwhelming.

 

I have to say that it does sound good. But, I had been spoiled by the sounds of my short-stroke Lamborghini V12 engine that was simply intoxicating. No V8 engine can live up to it. Even my V8 Lambo sounded like a tractor when compared to the V12.

Looks like they did put some after market wheels on the car. Looks much better than what we were talking about above.

Albert

Edit: on second viewing, I have to say that the black-out theme kills this particular car. Just look at the initial footage where you can clearly see the design details, intakes, lights, wheels, creases and folds in the body metal etc. for both cars next to it but, the Maserati comes across as a black blob, reminding me to a Black Hole that basically gravitationally pulls in all light and no light reflects off of it. The only thing worse that I had seen in real life was a flat-black Aston Martin during my last trip to Europe. There the flat black paints are in high fashion. It looked like a cheap, lowered Civic that its pimple-faced teen-aged owner had painted using a few cans of 99-cent flat black Walmart paint. I just don't get it...

Albert

 

Albert,
I would beg to differ about the sound of V-8s. The very loud, throaty roar of my Pantera (as well as that of many other V-8s) is much more fulfilling and intoxicating than the high pitched sewing machine whine of newer Ferrari and Lamborghini V-12s. V-8s have a deeper, richer baritone, more soothing to the psyche.