World of Automobile: Convertible

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Friday, August 19, 2011

2012 Maserati GranTurismo Convertible Sport First Drive: Beautiful and a Great Set of Pipes

2012 Maserati GranTurismo Convertible Sport First Drive – Review – Car and Driver #pallet {margin:0;}#echoice li.category {margin:0;}Car and DriverIntelligence. Independence. Irreverence. VehiclesReviewsNewsFeaturesBuyer's GuideFollow UsSubscribeSearch Car and DriverHome › Reviews › 2012 Maserati GranTurismo Convertible Sport - First Drive...

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2012 Maserati GranTurismo Convertible Sport - First Drive ReviewTopping off Maserati's topless lineup with the delightful Sport.BY JENS MEINERS
July 2011

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2012 Maserati GranTurismo Convertible Sport

Photos (44)Visit Our Buyer's Guide »Maserati GranTurismo› Overview› Specifications› Price with Options› Photos & 360° View› Get a Free QuoteNews & Reviews2012 Maserati GranTurismo Convertible Sport Official Photos and Info - Auto Shows2011 Maserati GranTurismo MC Stradale - Auto Shows2011 Maserati GranTurismo Convertible - First Drive Review2010 Maserati GranTurismo Spyder - Spied2009 Maserati GranTurismo S Auto - First Drive Review2010 Maserati GranTurismo Spyder - Car News2010 Maserati GranTurismo MC - Car News2009 Maserati GranTurismo S Automatic - Auto ShowsGentlemen, Start Her Engine! - Car NewsTop CompetitorsAston Martin DBS VolanteAudi R8 SpyderFerrari CaliforniaJaguar XKR convertibleMercedes-Benz SL63 AMG

It was a peaceful and elegant scene, the bright sunlight glinting off the top-down Maserati GranTurismo convertibles parked on the Piazza dell'Unità d'Italia in Trieste. Passersby admired the gorgeous cars, one of Pininfarina’s masterpieces. Then a legion of uprated 4.7-liter V-8s ignited with a snarl, and peace and elegance were the last things on our minds.

About that wonderful engine, fitted in the top-spec GranTurismo Convertible Sport: Purists still lament the fact that Maseratis, which were long defined by powerplants that developed peak power at low rpm, are now equipped with high-revving buzz saws bought from its former arch rival, Ferrari. But the GranTurismo Convertible Sport's 444-hp variation of the 4.7-liter V-8 is sure to create a few converts.

It’s an evolution of the regular GranTurismo convertible’s 433-horse 4.7-liter with less internal friction, thanks to a revised oil sump and slipperier coatings for the valve tappets and cam lobes. This upgraded version also powers the GranTurismo MC Stradale coupe. Compared with its lesser sibling, the droptop Sport exhales through a freer-flowing exhaust, the main purpose of which seems to be to create as much beautiful noise as is legally allowed. It’s aided in that pursuit by active valves that open at 2500 rpm when the transmission is in its automatic-sport mode. We predict the V-8 will haul the 4600-pound droptop to 60 in 4.8 seconds.

Fantastico Automatico

As in the U.S.-market MC Stradale and the Quattroporte Sport GT S, power flows through a six-speed, torque-converter automatic supplied by ZF. But don’t lament the fact that there’s no hard-core gearbox. The automatic has been extensively reworked for duty here and offers normal and manual-sport modes in addition to the aforementioned automatic sport, as well as launch control. Gearshift times are improved by up to 50 percent, it blips the throttle for downshifts, and in manual-sport mode, it doesn’t downshift when you hit the kickdown switch or upshift unless you tell it to. There’s more: You can call for a lower gear if there’s any leeway whatsoever before redline (most transmissions won’t let you downshift unless the resulting engine speed is farther down the tach from redline), and the exhaust flaps are always open in manual sport. This automatic is so good you'll hardly miss a dual-clutch transmission—or the Euro-market MC’s single-clutch automated manual. Of course, you might miss a proper clutch-pedal manual gearbox, but Maserati doesn't offer one anymore.

Chassis Changes, Too

Underneath, the front and rear springs and anti-roll bars are stiffer on this derivative, the dampers are modified, and the ZF Sachs–sourced Skyhook damping system has been retuned. On twisting roads, the Sport handles well and generally does what you ask of it, but there’s simply no masking the car’s two-ton-plus weight or somewhat uncommunicative steering. The body flexes more than it should, too. To be sure, the GranTurismo Convertible Sport is an enjoyable companion in nearly every situation, but it’s less full-bore sporty than its sinister looks and capital-S “Sport” badge might let on. So when a well-driven Audi R8 spyder closes in on you from behind, our advice is to just let it pass. Take solace in the fact that the Audi will never sound as glorious as the Maserati or seat four as comfortably (or at all).

There are a number of competitors: BMW's new 6-series droptop, the soon-to-be-new Mercedes-Benz SL, the Porsche 911 cabriolet, the Audi R8 spyder, and, of course, the Jaguar XK and its distant cousin, the Aston Martin V-8 Vantage roadster. The Maserati acquits itself well by informal comparison. It’s more spacious than most others (even if the trunk is tiny), it’s not outrageously expensive by the standards of the segment, it offers incredibly luxurious accommodations, and it just might have more character than the whole bunch combined. Those qualities ought to satisfy almost anyone—trident purists included.

Specifications

VEHICLE TYPE: front-engine, rear-wheel-drive, 4-passenger, 2-door convertible

BASE PRICE: $146,300

ENGINE TYPE: DOHC 32-valve V-8, aluminum block and heads, port fuel injection

Displacement: 286 cu in, 4691 cc
Power (SAE net): 444 hp @ 7000 rpm
Torque (SAE net): 376 lb-ft @ 4750 rpm

TRANSMISSION: 6-speed automatic

DIMENSIONS:
Wheelbase: 115.8 in Length: 192.2 in
Width: 75.4 in Height: 53.3 in
Curb weight (C/D est): 4600 lb

PERFORMANCE (C/D EST):
Zero to 60 mph: 4.8 sec
Standing ¼-mile: 13.4 sec
Top speed (mfr’s claim): 177 mph

FUEL ECONOMY (C/D EST):
EPA city/highway driving: 12/21 mpg

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Sunday, June 19, 2011

2011 Maserati GranTurismo Convertible Tested

2011 Maserati GranTurismo Convertible Road Test - Review - Car and Driver #pallet {margin:0;}#echoice li.category {margin:0;}Car and DriverIntelligence. Independence. Irreverence. VehiclesReviewsNewsFeaturesBuyer's GuideFollow UsSubscribeSearch Car and DriverHome › Reviews › 2011 Maserati GranTurismo Convertible - Short Take Road Test

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2011 Maserati GranTurismo Convertible - Short Take Road TestTight hindquarters on this supermodel.BY AARON ROBINSON, PHOTOGRAPHY BY JEFF ALLEN
June 2011

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2011 Maserati GranTurismo Convertible

Photos (23)Highs and Lows

Highs:Lusciously trimmed, gorgeously Italian, you can finally hear that Ferrari-derived V-8.

Lows:Wee trunk, rather heavy, needs a separate suspension control.

Visit Our Buyer's Guide »Maserati GranTurismo› Overview› Specifications› Price with Options› Photos & 360° View› Get a Free QuoteNews & Reviews2010 Maserati GranCabrio - Car NewsTop CompetitorsAston Martin DB9 VolanteAudi R8 SpyderFerrari CaliforniaJaguar XKR convertibleMercedes-Benz SL63 AMG

Test jalopies rarely show up on a Saturday evening, but this one did. The Maserati GranTurismo convertible stopped a dinner party in its tracks by sliding out of a three-axle trailer in front of our West Coast bureau—top down, quad pipes spluttering, looking like Athena’s left Puma in its umpteen coats of waxed Blu Oceano enamel. If your ego demands that you make an even grander entrance, may we suggest renting the USC marching band?

Builders of luxury convertibles have split between folding hardtops and canvas. Rational heads in search of extra ultraviolet go for a Mercedes-Benz SL and its metal robo-roof. Traditionalists prefer the lustrous burled wood found under the fabric top of a Jaguar XK. An extrovert goes Italian, definitely ¬Italian, even if it costs a bit more. On its $140,200 GTC, Maserati has opted for a three-layer ragtop.

One button in the lavishly bovine-skinned interior sends the top diving in 21 seconds under a motorized cover, which can be swaddled in even more leather for an extra $1350 (which also includes extra dash wrapping). Our top flopped and re-popped many times and without any shilly-shally or smoke from the wires, so a treasured stereotype took a beating there.

Stowing the roof is akin to removing cotton from one’s ears. In the GranTurismo hardtop, the V-8 is almost mute. With no
top, suddenly there’s an engine with the voice of an angel—a barking angel, a snarling angel, an angel that rips and howls and makes catcalls at the ladies.

At least, if you have selected the sport setting. If not, the 433-hp, 4.7-liter V-8—which pulls this rig past 60 mph in 4.9 seconds and delivers 140 mph in less than half a minute—makes an unsettling hissing noise, like the Goodyear blimp with a leak.

The trouble is, besides opening up the exhaust throats, the do-it-all sport button also tenses up the GTC’s suspension and makes the throttle and the six-speed automatic far less concerned about fuel economy.

The firmer damping delivers no great benefit to the handling of this 4571-pound porker, but it does wreck the otherwise smooth ride and telegraphs more shock waves through the floor and the steering ¬column, already weakened by the absence of a solid roof. We wish Maserati had included a separate suspension button to give the driver more a la carte control.

Even though the GTC’s steering feels a bit remote and the brakes sometimes get overwhelmed before tight bends by all the kinetic energy stirred up by the heroic engine, the car retains enough poise to make an open road highly pleasurable.

Sure, shifts by the traditional planetary-gear ZF six-speed automatic aren’t quite as snappy as in the latest dual-clutch jobs (or as satisfying as a manual’s—dream on), but we suspect the GTC’s mostly boulevard-bound drivers will appreciate its smooth operation.

As with the coupe, the ragtop swallows up a full parking space. It rolls on the same platform as the Quattroporte sedan, and the 115.8-inch wheelbase is more than a foot longer than a Benz SL’s. In crowded lots, this giant four-seat lothario feels big enough to span the gap between Fifth Avenue and Central Park West.

Even so, the trunk shrivels from a shoebox nine cubic feet in the coupe to a snuffbox six, leaving a space shaped like—and not much larger than—a carton of cigarettes. At least the rear-seaters get to keep their knees, and with the top up, the cabin is pretty well sealed off from wind and road noise. Broad and mostly flat, the front seats are brutally firm and feel like cast concrete after a few hours.

Selling to rich folk seems so easy. Will they really pay $750 for painted brake calipers and $2500 for body-color dash trim? Maybe. Either way, the GTC is both alluring and idiosyncratically flawed, a combination as old as Italy itself.

Specifications

VEHICLE TYPE: front-engine, rear-wheel-drive, 4-passenger, 2-door convertible

PRICE AS TESTED: $146,500 (base price: $140,200)

ENGINE TYPE: DOHC 32-valve V-8, aluminum block and heads, port fuel injection

Displacement: 290 cu in, 4747 cc
Power (SAE net): 433 hp @ 7600 rpm
Torque (SAE net): 361 lb-ft @ 4750 rpm

TRANSMISSION: 6-speed automatic

DIMENSIONS:
Wheelbase: 115.8 in Length: 192.2 in
Width: 75.4 in Height: 54.3 in
Curb weight: 4571 lb

C/D TEST RESULTS:
Zero to 60 mph: 4.9 sec
Zero to 100 mph: 11.7 sec
Zero to 140 mph: 26.1 sec
Street start, 5–60 mph: 5.2 sec
Standing ¼-mile: 13.5 sec @ 107 mph
Top speed (drag limited, mfr’s claim): 176 mph
Braking, 70–0 mph: 150 ft
Roadholding, 200-ft-dia skidpad: 0.88 g

FUEL ECONOMY:
EPA city/highway: 12/20 mpg

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Sunday, May 22, 2011

Buick Getting a Version of the Opel Astra GTC, May Get Astra-Based Convertible – Car News

May 4, 2011 at 2:31pm by Jens Meiners

Buick Getting a Version of the Opel Astra GTC, May Get Astra-Based Convertible

The tri-shield will grab some more Opels for importation.

We recently reported on the next Opel Astra GTC, a three-door Astra derivate that should compete with the Hyundai Veloster and the Europe-only Volkswagen Scirocco. You may recall that the GTC’s somewhat-pedestrian predecessor was sold in the U.S. as the Saturn Astra hatchback. The new car is wider and sleeker than that failed experiment, and we now have confirmation that it, too, will be sold here—as a Buick. The tri-shield brand may offer a convertible Astra on our shores, as well.

Keep Reading: Buick Getting a Version of the Opel Astra GTC, May Get Astra-Based Convertible – Car News

Tags: American, Buick, hatchback, Opel, Opel Astra GTC |

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Sunday, May 15, 2011

Cadillac Working on Softtop Convertible to Slot Between the ATS and CTS

April 28, 2011 at 3:37pm by Jens Meiners

After ending production of the XLR following the 2009 model year, Cadillac is planning to re-enter the convertible market with a distinctly different approach. Twice, Cadillac has aimed high, first with the Pininfarina-bodied Allanté that went out of production in 1993, and then with the XLR, a folding-hardtop roadster that shared much of its architecture with the Chevrolet Corvette.

Burned by weak sales of these expensive boutique models, Cadillac will bring its next convertible in at a much lower price. It will be based on the upcoming Alpha platform, which underpins both the 2013 ATS compact sedan and the next-generation CTS. The new convertible won’t just be an open-top ATS, though. Instead, it will be positioned between the ATS and the CTS and have unique styling that sets it apart from both models. Think of it as the equivalent of the Audi A5 convertible.

There is one important aspect which the new convertible shares with the A5 cabrio: It will have a softtop. The luxury-convertible segment is split on this issue: The Audi, the upcoming Cadillac, and the Mercedes-Benz E-class cabriolet sport fabric roofs. On the other side of the fence are the convertible versions of the BMW 3-series, the Lexus IS, and the Infiniti G37, all equipped with folding hardtops. While this style of retractable roof eats up trunk space and adds substantial weight, it does give onlookers something to gawp at when the complex mechanism begins the transformation from coupe to convertible and vice versa. As enthusiasts, we’re fans of the lighter cloth-top approach—though we do understand the all-season appeal of folding metal for some folks.

Engine choices for the new Cadillac convertible are not clear at this point, but the platform could potentially host anything from a turbocharged four to V-6 and V-8 engines. Look for the new car to be launched in late 2013 for the 2014 model year.

Tags: Cadillac, Cadillac ATS, Cadillac CTS, convertibles |

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Saturday, May 14, 2011

Cadillac Working on Softtop Convertible to Slot Between the ATS and CTS

April 28, 2011 at 3:37pm by Jens Meiners

Tags: Cadillac, Cadillac ATS, Cadillac CTS, convertibles |

View the original article here