Maserati DNA and the new Ghilbi

Recently we had the pleasure of hosting a Maserati Ghilbi V6 for a week. It wasn’t quite what I expected based on my past experiences with Maseratis. However, it did provide clarity on which model we would choose if we were to add a four door Maserati to the garage.

The first Maserati I drove was a 3200 GT close to 20 years ago. It was a mad, engaging thing that wanted to be loved. It was equal parts terrifying and refined. It didn’t have turbo tag, it had turbo eternity. It was the most on/off car I have ever driven. The “squishy” clutch just added to the fun of trying to control the feral beast. The interior was not bad and it did sport a set of quite cool rear boomerang lights. Mrs. SSO drove one once and declared it demonic. She is a big fan of linear acceleration. Whatever you say about the 3200 GT, it was not short in the character department.

The first Maserati we actually owned was a 2006 GranSport. It was only with us for about 9 months. It had a great Ferrari supplied engine. In sport mode, the GranSport drove fairly well despite the horrible the six-speed Cambiocorsa paddle shift transmission. The switchgear was quite cheap with bits falling off on a regular basis. On the road, if you pushed it hard, it could keep pace with the Ferrari 360 Modena we also owned then. The GranSport was another Maserati that was far from perfect, but again, it had plenty of character.

Over the past several years we have also had the pleasure of driving multiple different versions of the last 2 generations of Maserati Quattroportes. Elegant with an edge is how I would describe them. The Quattroporte is a luxury car that can move when you want it to. The Ferrari supplied V8s have plenty of character. The big V8, when matched with the ZF automatic gearbox, provides quite the enjoyable driving experience. I am sure we will add one to the garage at some point in the future.

Mrs. SSO’s daily driver for the past several years has been a magnificent Maserati Granturismo Cabriolet. Other than a bad battery, the Granturismo has been completely issue free. Unlike most 2+2s, you can actually fit real live adults in the back of the Granturismo without fear of death threats after 5 minutes. The 4.7L Ferrari supplied engine is a joy to drive and has one of the best soundtracks of anything on the road today. While not especially quick given its 2-ton heft, open the throttle up and the Granturismo can cover huge amounts of ground quickly, in a high degree of comfort. Overall the Granturismo is a great combination of elegance and performance. It’s a car that is enjoyable to drive every time you get behind the wheel.

This brings us to the 3rd generation of the Maserati Ghilbi. The one thing all of the above listed Maseratis have in common is character. They are all a bit of an event every time you drive them. In the latter group, the Ferrari supplied engines engage and challenge while the twin turbo in the 3200 GT terrifies. The Ghilbi unfortunately is completely devoid of anything in particular that is engaging or leaves any sort of lasting impression. The V6 in the nose is a pretty generic lump with its genetic routes tracing back to the Chrysler Pentastar engine family. If I had to sum the Ghilbi up in one word, it would be “fine”. It is comfortable, drives nicely, its well put together, but it leaves no lasting impression. Remove all the badges and it would be hard to tell the Ghilbi apart from a 5 series BMW, a E Series Mercedes Benz, or a Jaguar XF.

Net net, today if you want the traditional Maserati experience and DNA, the Quattroporte V8 or the Granturismo are your options. If you want a nice car with a trident on the nose, the Ghilbi is the way to go.

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September 2018

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Maserati GranTurmiso Convertible: Gorgeous II

By Karen………

I was chuffed when SSO told me some of the viewers wrote to him telling him how much they enjoyed my Jaguar XKR article and actually wanted to read my views of my Maserati GranTurismo Convertible. That is so cool and thank you. One thing before I get started, I just want to remind you that I am not a real ‘petrolhead’, this is from the heart of a ‘car layman’.

I remember test driving my first Maserati (the 3200) about 15 years ago in the UK. I hated it! It felt like it wanted to constantly bolt on me, leaving me with little to no control of the car. At the fifth roundabout I turned around and returned the car to the dealer. I actually never drove another Maserati until I got the GranTurismo Cabriolet. I don’t know what they changed in the engine (editors note, Ferrari supplies the engines in the GranTursimo), but this time I was in control and loving it. It definitely goes like stink, the only problem is there is no where fun in the area of Texas we live in to drive it. It’s all nasty concrete straight roads here, no windy countryside like England.

It’s my daily driver. Yes, I appreciate just how lucky I am. As the large door shuts, I get the sense that the car is saying to me, I’m ready, let’s go. It’s luxurious, the Italians do leather and wood elegantly. The seat feels like it fits my tush like a glove. It sits low to the ground like a ‘proper’ sports car should (I have been informed by SSO multiple times that the Maserati is a sportscar, not a supercar.) The visibility is quite good and even better with the roof down. The roof is so easy to operate, you can even put it up or down when you are driving (< 20mph), one button and it’s done. Bonus: it folds under a hard top so there is no cover to put over it (that was the only thing I hated about the Jag). If I want to hear the famous ‘Maserati Roar’, I just hit the sport button on the dash. You can actually fit two adults in the back seat in some comfort and our adult children appreciate that, but they are more comfortable with the roof down.

It’s not really fair to compare how the Maserati drives in comparison to the Jaguar XKR or any of our McLarens because the Jaguar was my first love and she had the British countryside as her playground. The McLarens are, well, super cars. But, I will try. You feel you have total control in the Maserati, you turn the wheel ½ inch and it responds immediately. You touch the brakes and it stops. On the other hand, in the Jaguar XKR, you could turn the wheel like 3 inches and nothing, like it was taking a leisurely stroll. Not that strolls are a bad thing, just not on a twisty road. Similarly, the brakes were not as crisp. When SSO drives the Maserati he always uses the paddles, me I’m happy leaving it in auto. Driving the McLaren versus the Maserati is like the difference between Cream De La Mer skin cream and Clinique moisturizer (editors note: or a Porsche GT3 RS vs. a Porsche Boxster). You can’t compare. It is so obviously superior … in every way.

The boot is perfect for my yoga bag and a towel. We did a comparison to the boot space in the McLaren 650S Spider. Guess which holds more grocery bags? Boot to boot, the McLaren actually holds nearly 50% more bags. If I do have a big shop however, there is always the back seat.

I have only had one issue which might surprise you given Maserati’s reputation. Lucky for me the one issue happened one week short of 4 years, as we had a 4 year warranty. I didn’t know what the issue was at the time so I called SSO and yanked him out of a meeting. ‘The car won’t start, I can’t not even get the key out of the ignition, nor open the trunk.” He called Maserati and had them send their Road Side guy out to see the car. When he got there (after 2 hours which seemed like eternity in the hot Texan sun), he said, ‘I know the issue, these bloody Maserati batteries are my nemesis!’ After which he said, “The best thing you can do is sell this thing”. WFT? This is a Maserati Road Side assistant? He showed me how to open the trunk manually by pulling a little loop in the back seat. We jump started the car and I drove to the Maserati Service Center. Maserati replaced the battery free of charge under the warranty. Well not quite that fast, there were a few back and forths with Maserati before they agreed to do so. SSO did point out that the car is kept on a battery conditioner all the time, so the battery should not be dead. Lucky it was not 2 weeks later. The whole thing didn’t phase me as I think my Jag went through a battery a year.

So yes, I love my Maserati GranTurismo Cabriolet. She is deservedly named Gorgeous II after my Jaguar XKR who was Gorgeous I. Maybe I should take her up to our place in the Rocky Mountains this summer and really enjoy her there. Let’s see.

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June 2018

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Summer Sport Cars for Every Budget – 2018

Summer Recommendations for Every Budget - 2018 Edition

I original wrote a short blog on summer recommendation for different budgets six years ago (the original blog is attached below). Recently I was asked by a group in Australia for an update. As I am now based on the west side of the Atlantic, the budgets are now in US $ and I have given a few American cars more consideration. I have also extended the time frame to go back to 1970.

The 2018 list, starting with the more modest budgets is:

$15k-25k range: Porsche 911 (996), Maserati GranSport. It’s hard to go wrong recommending a Porsche. In terms of bargains these days, the Porsche 911 (996) offers tremendous performance and value. 996s have taken the place of the 993s at the bottom of the 911 price ladder currently but that doesn’t mean they aren’t still terrific driver’s cars. In this price range you can find a huge selection of 996s. The Maserati GranSport is another car that had a spot in our garage about a decade ago. In sport mode, the GranSport comes alive and responds well to being pushed. The Ferrari supplied V8 that sits in the nose is wonderful to hear sing and provides plenty of grunt. Of the early 21stcentury Maseratis, the GranSport is the best of the breed.

$25-50k range: Jaguar F-Type, Dodge Viper. The F-Type in my humble opinion is the most fun to come out of Coventry on four wheels since the misunderstood XJ220 ceased production back in 1994. My personal preference is the V6S convertible with an 8-speed auto gearbox with paddles. Relatively high production numbers mean there are always plenty available so finding a good one should not be too hard. I added the Dodge Viper to the list to make sure there was something a bit on the insane side. Raw and single-minded are how I would sum it up but it’s hard not to like anything with 2 seats and a V10 stuffed in the nose. In many ways, the Viper makes most TVR’s seem quite polished. If you’re looking for an adrenaline kick, it’s hard to beat.

$50-75k range: Aston Martin DB9 Volante, Ferrari 308 GTB. There are few cars more elegant and appealing than a drop top V12 Aston. The DB9 is a proper polished Grand Tourer which can also be driven every day. I would rate these as one of the best value per $ on the market right now. The Ferrari 308 GTB is a personal favorite. I believe the early carb cars are the best of the bunch and a well sorted one is a joy to drive. The 308 handles like a go cart. Back country roads and twisty mountain drives are where it shines.

$75-100k range: Maserati Grantursimo Cabriolet, Audi R8 V10. The Maserati Granturismo Cabriolet is another family favorite. The Ferrari supplied V8 is a gem and sounds fantastic. While more GT than Sports car, it is a car you can drive from Paris to Rome via the Swiss Alps in a day and emerge un-battered. The Granturismo is as happy cruising as it is being pushed. In this price range you should be able to find your choice of low miles V10 Audi R8 Coupes or Spyders. The R8 is both impressively quick and quite forgiving. Hence a great choice for a first supercar.

$100-150k range: Ferrari 550 Maranello, McLaren 12C Spider. When the 550 Maranello was launched in 1996, it was the 1st great front engine V12 Ferrari Grand Tourer since the demise of the legendary Daytona back in 1973. While a 550 is capable of handling the Swiss Alpine passes, it is most at home crushing continents. It has ample luggage space for a multiweek road trip, wonderfully supportive seats, and a gearbox that invites you to come play. The 12C Spider was McLaren’s first attempt at a “mass” produced road car. The combination of carbon fibre tub, twin turbo V8 producing 616 bhp, and seven-speed dual-clutch transmission combined to form a package that is still near top in class. Build quality on the 12C improved during the production run with a 2014 being the best of the breed.

$150-200k range: Ferrari 430 Scuderia, McLaren 650S Spider These are two of my favorites. It’s hard to top the experience of driving a 430 Scuderia across the Scottish Highlands. The single clutch F1 gearbox is quick, sharp, & as the last iteration developed by Ferrari, best in class. The Scuderia is a beautifully balanced car that urges you to drive it hard. It’s also the last Ferrari that still feels more analogue than digital. Definitely a future classic. The McLaren 650S Spider was the interim model between the 12C and 720S. The 650S addressed a number of the perceived shortcomings of the 12C and is a better car in a large number of small ways. I have used one as my daily driver for the last 3 years and can’t recommend it highly enough. Hugh amounts of performance, beautifully weighted steering, and the best suspension in its class.

$200-600K range: Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona, Porsche Carrera GT Both of these sit right at the high end of this price range and for good reason. The Ferrari Daytona is one of the greatest GTs ever produced and the Carrera GT maybe the purest driver’s car to emerge from Stuttgart. The V12 in the Daytona is a work of art and produces perhaps the best sound track of any road car. The V10 in the Carrera GT had its roots in a development project originally for F1 and later resurrected for Le Mans. Neither car likes to potter around and both come alive near the speed limit. The Daytona is a work out to parallel park, but handling is light and precise at speed. The Carrera GT’s clutch requires patience to master but rewards when you do. It is hard to go wrong with either.

$600k-1.5M: Ferrari F40, Koenigsegg CCX. The Ferrari F40 makes most 10 ten greatest car list and for good reason. To drive one is to understand why. There is little that the F40 doesn’t do well. It is equally at home on a cross continental road trip, being wrung out on an alpine pass, or at a race track. The Koenigsegg CCX is my favorite of the Koenigseggs. Much more polished and drivable than the early cars but still full of the character and personality one would expect from a small bespoke manufacturer.

Opinions and recommendations are just that. At the end of the day, always buy what speaks to you.

Below is the original list from about 5 years ago. Values on quite a few have changed significantly

==================================================================

With Spring finally coming, quite few friends and acquaintances’ have recently approached me for advice on what to buy for summer motoring fun. These are normally discussions I quite enjoy and gain quite a few insights from. Most focus on the more modern cars, post circa 1990, as I tend to be more familiar with a wider range of makes and models in this era. My first two questions normally are: what is your budget, and how do you plan on using the car. On the first and for the sake of simplicity here, we will group budgets as £ 15-25k, 25-50k, 50-75k, 75-100k, 100-125, 125-150k, 150-200k, and 200-250k. In terms of use, focus here will be on weekend fun, with the emphasis on it being a great driver’s car. As these are all cars that the person would want for immediate enjoyment, new cars have not been considered. As this is a blog and not a book, I will limit my comments to my top two choices in each price bracket.

Starting at the top of the financial brackets:

£200k-250k range: I found this group to be an easy decision, clear votes for the Porsche Carrera GT and Jaguar XJR-15. The Carrera GT is a huge amount of car for the money and a real bargain (to the extent you could ever call a £250k car a bargain) right now. It is a proper old school supercar with a hugely impressive engine, CF tub, 6 speed manual gearbox, Carbon Ceramic brakes, and a reputation for biting if you don’t respect it properly. The Carrera GT has lots of character and it requires real skill to drive well. The Jaguar XJR-15 is basically a road legal Group C racecar. With a 6 liter V12, carbon tub, offset seating position, and huge AP racing brakes, it doesn’t get any more focused than this. The XJR-15 is a great uncompromised driver’s car.

£150k-200k range: This is another easy one in terms of recommendations. The two best supercars to be launched in the last several years sit in this price band right now and some early examples can even be found for slightly less. Both are V8s, mid-engine, ultra smooth dual clutch gearbox, and have everyday usability. Performance is staggering yet both can crawl through traffic without blowing a gasket or turning into a rolling BBQ. The two recommendations here are the Ferrari 458 Italia & McLaren MP4-12C.

£125k-150k range: I have always found this a much tougher range to make a call in. Looking at the market today, the two that would be the most tempting are the Lamborghini Murcielago/LP640 and the Ferrari 430 Scuderia. Finding a nice Scuderia for sale these days is not easy and there is a very good reason for it, they are great focused driver’s cars that will always put a smile on your face. The Scuderia is the last in the line of the V8 F1 single clutch models and by far the best of the breed. The Murcielago is Lamborghini at its best, large, loud, with tons of presence. Unlike some of the earlier Lambos, the Murci drives brilliantly and does not require physical therapy after more than 10 minutes behind the wheel.

£100k-125k range: Here I would have to go with the unloved and the little known. In terms of £ for performance you are not going to beat the McLaren Mercedes SLR or the Mosler MT900S. The Mosler has the pure driver’s car box smothered, and on the track will blow just about everything else this side of an Enzo into the weeds. In addition to what it can do on the track, the Mosler has excellent road manners and can deal with traffic and speed bumps. The McMerc is just a huge amount of car for the money right now, a nice balance of comfort in the best of the GT tradition with blistering performance. The new upgrade packages offered through McLaren Special Operations address many of the perceived negatives and make it an even more tempting choice.

£75k-100k range: Very tough to make a choice in this range as there are a lot of great options. Top of my recommended list would have to be the Porsche 911 (997) GT3. There is a reason the GT3 has won a ton of awards, it is simply an outstanding piece of engineering that is brilliant on both road and track. Of any 911 range, the GT3 has always been my favorite. For the second choice, I am going to bend the rules a bit and go with a good but not great driver’s car that gets the nod on looks alone. I have always has a soft spot for the Aston Martin DBS.

£50k-75k range: It gets even tougher in this group as there is a wealth of choices. For performance and fun to drive, I would have to give the nod to the Audi R8 V10 and the Porsche 911 (977) Cabriolet. Both are beautifully engineered, well built, and exciting to drive cars. Each has plenty of performance and high limits which make them a blast to push down an empty “B” road on an early Sunday morning. As a wildcard if you need 4 seats, the Ferrari 612 Scaglietti is a fantastic choice. It handles and goes like a car half its size.

£25k-50k range: In the more affordable category are two of my favorite Ferraris, the 360 Spider and the 550 Maranello. On the 360 Spider, personal preference would be for the 6 speed manual. On a nice summer day with the roof down, the sound of the 400 bhp flat crankshaft V8 is enthralling. The 550 Maranello is more than a worthy successor for the Daytona and it seems to only be getting better with age. It is hard to beat a Ferrari V12 and the 550 is one of the best.

£15k-25k range: And finally in the budget category, two old favorites, the TVR Griffith and Lotus Elise. The TVR & Lotus are both hugely fun to drive, can be pushed hard, and have character in abundance. Before buying a Griffith though, taking out a RAC or AA membership is not a bad idea as the TVR can be as frustrating as it is brilliant. The Elise is the car that saved Lotus and for good reasons, to this day it is one of the sweetest handling cars ever produced.

The above is just one Petrolhead’s opinion. At the end of the day, you should buy the car you really love.

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April 2018

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The 1st of the "Epic Drives"

Over the past decade, my brother and I, along with a few close friends, have organized annual multiday road trips over some of Europe’s great driving roads. These “Epic Drives” all have three core deliverables, great roads, great hotels, and great restaurants. Over the years we have had Ferraris, Maseratis, McLarens, Moslers, and Lambrghinis on these trips. The article that follows is from the 1stof the adventures.

For me, the Epic Drive started officially at the airport when I picked up my brother in a newly acquired Maserati Gransport. He had flown in from the US for 5 days of driving nirvana. The first day was spent on the track at Donington flogging the life out of a poor Ferrari 360 Challenge followed by 1,400 miles on some of Europe’s best driving roads.

Day 1: The Road towards Reims

With a train to catch, we had to get off to an early start on Day 1. Today we needed to cover both a far bit of the UK followed by a good chunk of France. After a quick couple of cups of coffee, all the bags went into the 2 cars and off we headed. I started out driving the Ferrari 360 Modena with my brother in the Maserati Gransport. The trip down to the Eurotunnel terminal was both quick and uneventful. After a short wait we were loaded on the train with the brilliant roads of France now only a half hour away. At this point, one of our friends who would be joining us on the trip called and it appeared that we would be intersecting shortly after our arrival in France. We agreed the meeting point and thus our little convoy of two would shortly grow to three.

While in the tunnel, we agreed to switch cars and planned the route to the hotel. As it was still quite a distance, we agreed to a combination of both highways and country roads which would give us an arrival time well before dinner. Arrival in France went smoothly and within minutes, we were back on the highway pointed towards the meeting spot with our friend in his Ferrari 365BB.

As our friend had been caught in a bit of traffic, we arrived a few minutes ahead which allowed us time to get something to drink and stretch our legs. As we had parked around the corner from the filling station at the rest stop, we heard the 365 BB well before it was visually spotted. Fond memories (and a dollop of jealously) immediately flooded back. This 365BB was in terrific condition, sounded marvelous, and was impressive to watch as it carved up the highway. A quick round of greetings was exchanged before it was back to business. Off we roared towards the hotel where we would be meeting up with the other two members of our little group and their Ferrari 430 Scuderia & Ferrari 550 Maranello.

After another hour on the highway, it was time to head into the country and the “D” roads of France. These are truly the roads Ferraris are built for, smooth, beautiful, and challenging. The initial bit went very smoothly until all of a sudden I noticed a distinct lack of Ferraris filling my rearview mirror. After finding a safe spot to pull over, I quickly called my brother only to find out that our friend’s 365BB had “failed to proceed” at the last intersection in the small town that we had just passed through.

A quick U-turn and it was back to see if there was anything we could do to help. As it turned out the problem was the alternator had given up the ghost leading to a very dead battery. We were able to use the Maserati to get enough of a change into the battery to get the 365BB back up and running. With limited time and electricity, off we set at a very smart clip for the hotel. Fortunately the 365BB was able to make it without any further drama.

I guess our arrival at the hotel was slightly less than stealthy as our friends were well on his way to the parking lot when we arrived. We all checked in and agreed to meet up for dinner. Dinner was excellent and over not to late despite the long debate between the Europeans and Americans over the wine list and later the cheese platter.

Day 2: Chasing the Scud

My alarm clock for Day 3 was the 365BB. Our European friends had gotten an early start on the day and were trying to see if we could get the 365BB sorted so that it could continue on the trip. Unfortunately it was not to be The unfortunate owner had to have his brother and father come down in another Ferrari 550 Maranello to rescue and escort the stricken 365BB back home using multiple battery swaps between the two cars.

The remainder of the group then set off in the general direction of Tours. We left the routing a bit up in the air with the only caveat being to avoid the highways and stay on the D roads cutting through the countryside. We agreed to 1st head south before turning west and to stop in one of the larger towns to pick up food for a picnic somewhere along the route. During the brief stop, a local classics group pulled up to admire our little group. We had a vibrant conversation utilizing broken parts of about six different languages before heading back off. The scenery in this part of France is beautiful and just a pleasure to drive thought. Keeping pace with the 430 Scuderia in the hands of a very skilled driver presented a continued challenge, just adding to the overall great experience. Watching the Scuderia move up behind traffic before accelerating coolly past in the blink of an eye reminded me of watching a great white shark toy with its prey. The 430 Scuderia was in a very different league from everything else we encountered on the road this trip. Not only is acceleration stupendous, the engine braking is phenomenal to watch.

After a few hours we stopped for a quick lunch in one of the great parks north of Orleans. As per Day 2, my brother and I took the opportunity to switch cars at the break. We agreed on the driving order with the 550 Maranello riding tail to keep the group moving smartly along. Settling into the Maserati, the question in my mind was could the Gransport keep pace with the Scuderia. Hope lay in the 4.2 liter Ferrari sourced engine and the sports settings. This would be a good test as to the Gransports true abilities.

Fifteen minutes into the afternoon’s drive, I was impressed with the Gransport. While the regular setting is fairly useless, hit the “Sports” button and Gransport transforms into a proper sports car. While it requires a lot more work and constant concentration to keep pace, push it hard, and it responds. The balance of the drive went smoothly and included a short stop at the Chateau de Chambord before a sprint across the Loire River to the hotel. As per Day 1, dinner was excellent and over not to late despite the long debate, again, over the wine list and later the cheese platter.

Day 3: Being Chased by the Scud

We got an early start on Day 3 as we had a significant amount of distance to cover. Within minutes of hitting the road we ran into a local bike group out for their Sunday morning ride. We got very lucky as at the 1st intersection, they went left and we turned right. Past experience indicates that most of these bike clubs seem to think they own the road and can be a major pain to get around. It would be much easier for all if they would just ride in a single file on the right hand side of the road vs. 3 across down the middle.

The first stint of the day was down the highway south towards Bordeaux. Shortly after clearing Tours we approached the first set of toll booths. Standing in front of the booths were a group of the ever friendly Gendarmerie. I was not particularly concerned as I believed we had been driving not too far off the 130 kph posted speed limit. Turns out I was wrong. As I passed through the tolls, I was waved over to the right hand side of the plaza and informed that they had clocked me doing 137 kph in a 110 kph zone. When I told them I thought it was a 130 kph zone, I was informed that it had been, but had been very recently changed. Seems that the rumored French Ferrari and/or driving with British plates tax was very much in force. After making a Euro 90 donation to the French Treasury, off we went again. The good news for the rest of the groups was that they had only gotten me in the lead car with the radar gun, so the others got off.

It was another hour on the highway before we turned off onto the smaller freeway. The freeway section ran for about 120 kilometers and was fairly unexciting. After the freeway it was back into the countryside. Here we found some brilliant roads and the pressure was on to set a pace that would not put the rest of the group to sleep. The narrow valleys served as the perfect sound stage for the 360’s tubi and the Scuderia. Using just the sound track between the two cars, it was possible to match gear changes and braking points. The next two hours were some of the best, most enjoyable driving I can remember. The type of drive you just don’t want to end.

Sadly, we finally reached the hotel. After a short walk around town, we meet up for a final brilliant dinner. As per each of the preceding evenings, the food was excellent and the debate over the wine list was far too long. The evening finished with all of us agreeing that we definitely needed to plan another Epic Drive in the Spring.