Reviews

EMOTION

19 November 2024

Gaydon, UK — As the car world moves – albeit more slowly as of late – to full electrification, Jaguar...

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Featured SUV: 2024 Porsche Cayenne Turbo GT

Jeff Voth

15 November 2024

Driving the 2024 Porsche Cayenne Turbo GT is not for anyone looking to pass through the neighbourhood unnoticed. This is...

First Drive: 2025 Mazda CX-50 Hybrid

13 November 2024

Vancouver, BC — So you’re Mazda. You’re a small-ish car company in the grand scheme of things that makes fantastic-looking...

First Ride: 2024 Aprilia RS 457

MOTO

11 November 2024

Our first always leaves a lasting impression. It’s all so new at the beginning when our emotions are running in...

True confession time: This driver has a soft spot for most vehicles bearing the legendary trident and for the Maserati GranTurismo in particular. While picking style over substance is never a safe bet when it comes to high-performance vehicles, the GranTurismo has been an absolutely stunning grand touring coupe from the very beginning. The very beginning began way back in 2007 with the release of the first-generation model. That model was in production from that point until 2019 and it didn’t change much over that period. The reason, probably? It didn’t need to change much. The original design, penned by Jason Castriota when he was with Pininfarina, is/was both timeless and beautiful, the very definition of a collectible GT. To bring more than a measure of substance into the discussion, the GranTurismo was powered by a 4.2-litre V-8 gasoline engine developed in partnership with Ferrari. Fun Ferrari fact: At the time, the GranTurismo was the least expensive Ferrari-engined production vehicle in the world. (Thus, even more collectible.) Now, we have the arrival of the second-generation Maserati GranTurismo—and changes have been made. The question is: Do these changes make the new GT more, less or equally desirable as the original? To find out, a select group of lucky souls journeyed to the Eternal City to sample the car and its all-electric equivalent, the GranTurismo Folgore. First things first: Although the electrified GranTurismo and the petrol-powered variant were developed in parallel, the car is surprisingly similar in design to the last-generation model. Without question, the average onlooker would recognize the new GT as a Maserati GranTurismo: the lines are strikingly similar, the design far more evolution than revolution. Under the guidance of chief designer Klaus Busse, the team at Maserati opted to retain the classic proportions of the 2+2 grand tourer, here featuring an elongated hood and four rounded fenders. This design, called the “cofango”—an amalgam of the Italian words for “hood” and “fender”—evokes Italian style from the past, on display in cars such as the original Maserati Birdcage from the late-1950s. Yet, despite its clear links to both the recent past and deeper into the archives, the new GranTurismo is significantly different. According to Busse, dimensions have increased only marginally, but the interior has added space for four adult passengers and there’s 100 litres more storage capacity in the trunk. All versions of the Maserati send drive to all four wheels now. While this always adds weight to a car, the new GranTurismo is lighter than the outgoing version. Finally, the new design shares no body panels with the previous model. So—while the latest GT resembles its predecessor, it’s very different under the surface. Here’s another big change to consider: Instead of a Ferrari V-8 under the hood, there’s a twin-turbocharged 3.0-litre V-6. If this sounds like a step down… well, it kind of is because it’s not a Ferrari engine and it’s not a V-8. On the other hand, it is the same engine that powers the Maserati MC20, detuned a bit for the GranTurismo application. For the base model, codenamed the GranTurismo Modena, this engine develops 490 horsepower and 443 pound-feet of torque. For the high-performing Trofeo variant, the engine is boosted a bit to the tune of 550 horsepower and 479 lb-ft of torque. (To be fair, all these numbers are higher than for the V-8.) Performance figures for the Trofeo are right about where you want a modern GT to land: 0-100 km/h in 3.5 seconds and a top speed of 320 km/h. These numbers are backed up by the actual drive experience, which in this case was a leisurely route that began on the cobblestone streets of Rome, extended to the sweeping vistas of Tuscany and then on to the industrial areas just outside and within Modena city limits. For this trip, drivers were encouraged to switch from the GranTurismo Trofeo to the all-electric Folgore and back, a daring move on the part of Maserati. This structure gave everyone the opportunity to choose his or her favourite—old school or new school. There’s no question that the Folgore is faster in a straight line and it’s probably quicker around corners to boot. But the tuning experts at Maserati know full well that the sound of an internal combustion engine at full song is something with enduring value. So, if the Trofeo is slightly more relaxed than its electrified twin as far as the stopwatch is concerned, it still sounds fast and it still feels fast. The chassis is responsive and engaging, aided by an electronic rear slip differential, and the steering is light but accurate. Under power, the 8-speed automatic transmission is resolute and precise, snapping up and down through the gears smartly. The brakes are solid under foot, reliably powerful and easily able to bleed speed. There are certain characteristics you expect to find in a modern GT car that’s priced well north of six figures. The 2024 Maserati GranTurismo Trofeo meets the mandate with style and panache, offering class-competitive driving dynamics, all the requisite luxury amenities and space for four adult passengers. Here in Canada, the car starts at $222,500—an eye-watering number, to be sure—but there’s so much to admire here.

Featured Car: 2024 Maserati GranTurismo Trofeo

Mark Hacking

9 November 2024

Modena, Italy: It’s true confession time. This driver has a soft spot for most vehicles bearing the legendary trident and...

Long Term Test: 2024 BMW i4 xDrive40

Jeff Voth

8 November 2024

This is the first in an ongoing series of long term test drives by your team at Vicarious and EMOTION...

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First Ride: 2024 Triumph Tiger 900

7 November 2024

Those with a finger on motorcycling’s pulse know that the middleweight ADV segment is pumping, and more manufacturers are syncing...

First Drive: 2025 Audi A3 and S3

Jeff Voth

5 November 2024

It is always a joy returning to Germany to test drive a new vehicle. There is such a difference between...

Road Test: 2024 Nissan Ariya

1 November 2024

One of my first experiences driving an electric vehicle was the Nissan Leaf during a press event many years ago....

First Drive: 2025 Kia K4

30 October 2024

After the 2024 model year, we say goodbye to the somewhat funky yet appealing Kia Forte sedan (as well as...

Road Test: 2024 Corolla Cross

28 October 2024

The Corolla has a longstanding history in our market, but lately Toyota has been expanding the variants available under the...

This Month In Auto- Volume 6

Benjamin Yong

News

25 October 2024

2026 Honda Passport TrailSport Honda is teasing the upcoming fourth-generation Passport TrailSport with a series of macro and camouflaged-body images....

Road Test: 2024 Nissan Rogue

23 October 2024

Full disclosure, I owned the first generation of the Nissan Rogue and while it was ok for its time, it’s...

Road Test: 2024 Ford Bronco Raptor

21 October 2024

The 2024 Ford Bronco Raptor is so wide, I feel like it needed a warning label similar to what you...

First Drive: 2025 Chevrolet Tahoe and Suburban

18 October 2024

Dallas, TX – Don’t look now, but the Chevrolet Suburban has the longest-running nameplate in the car and light truck...

Road Test: 2024 Mazda CX-30 GT Turbo

16 October 2024

The smallest crossover in the Mazda lineup, the CX-30 offers consumers a solid entry point into the Japanese automaker’s stable...

First Ride: 2024 Royal Enfield Himalayan

14 October 2024

First published in Vicarious magazine- Spring 2024 The sharp autumn air in Manali serves as a reminder that winter is...

First Drive: 2024 Range Rover Sport SV

Mark Hacking

12 October 2024

First published in Vicarious magazine- Spring 2024 When engineering a modern high-performance vehicle, it’s important to keep a certain role...

2024 Triumph Street Triple 765 R and RS

11 October 2024

Left, right, and center: Be it cuisine or prickly politics, landing smack in the middle of the spectrum is a...

First Drive: 2025 Maserati GranCabrio + GranCabrio Folgore

Mark Hacking

10 October 2024

Stresa, Italy- Last year saw the release of the latest-generation Maserati GranTurismo and its electrified kin, the Folgore. The notion to...

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Behind the Lens- A Day in the Life of a Freelance Automotive Journalist

Mercedes Lilienthal

9 October 2024

You never know where life may take you. What was a near-20-year commercial interior design and project management career morphed...

First Drive: 2024 Subaru Solterra

7 October 2024

VICTORIA, BC — It may be somewhat tough sledding these days for EVs; sales are plateauing a little as people...

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Road Test: 2024 Honda Ridgeline TrailSport

5 October 2024

For the 2024 model, Honda has enhanced its Ridgeline pickup truck with some offroad prowess thanks to the first TrailSport...

This Month In Auto: Volume 5

Benjamin Yong

3 October 2024

2025 Volkswagen Taos Volkswagen’s smallest SUV undergoes a facelift for MY 2025 showcasing a sportier grille (with available light bar)...

Road Test: 2024 Porsche Cayenne S E Hybrid

Matthew Neundorf

2 October 2024

How much would you pay for a clean(er) conscience? That’s the question that the 2024 Porsche Cayenne S E Hybrid...

Road Test: 2025 BMW Z4 M40i Handschalter

Emily Atkins

29 September 2024

When you get a shiver of anticipation just hearing a car fire up, you know good things are about to...

First Drive: 2025 Nissan Kicks

Kristin Pitman

24 September 2024

Picture this: You’re driving along the coast of Santa Barbara, California with the glistening Pacific Ocean on one side and...

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First Ride: 2024 Africa Twin Adventure Sports ES

Matthew Neundorf

MOTO

17 September 2024

When it launched in 2016, the modern Honda Africa Twin (CRF1000) was a shot across the bow to the adventure...

First Drive: 2025 Volkswagen Jetta

Emily Atkins