2018 Maserati GranTurismo convertible front three quarter in motion 02

Does it drive like I remember, though? For the most part, yes. For a car with less than 500 horsepower and 400 lb-ft and a curb weight nearing 4,300 pounds, the GranTurismo is deceptively quick. Thank a short 3.73:1 rear axle ratio for that. It won't hurl you off the line like a 911, but rather it pulls with the elasticity only a powerful naturally aspirated engine can. Maserati's added a launch control feature, but it's tricky. Traction and stability control have to be off, then you stand on the brake and lay into the gas. Rather than brake torque or do some fancy clutch-drop, it does a brake stand. Make sure you're on level ground, or the rear end will start to walk. Maserati recommends you release the brakes at just 2,500 rpm, at which point you'll do a light rolling burnout as you take off. It seems like something a competent driver could do without the computer, and frankly, I'm not sure what the computer is even doing to assist you. I'm pretty sure Maserati just figured out how best to launch the car and slapped a name on the procedure (MC Start Strategy, in case you're wondering).

Off and running, the GranTurismo makes truly glorious music. Unencumbered by turbochargers, it unleashes an animalistic growl at idle my wife swears sounds like a pack of baby leopards. Building toward its 7,500-rpm redline, the growl becomes a howl that burrows into your soul where it'll never be forgotten. Forget the high-pitched scream of a flat-plane crank Ferrari, the Maserati uses a cross-plane crankshaft, which adds a bass tone to the exhaust. On overrun, it pops and burbles like a race car if you've got it in Sport mode. You should because in addition to turning up the throttle pedal gain, it shortens upshift times by 40 percent and opens the bypass valves in the mufflers.

2018 Maserati GranTurismo coupe interior

If you really want to enjoy the symphony, though, you'll want to put it in Manual mode. The bypass valves open and close based on how aggressively you're accelerating, and manual allows you to keep the revs up and the valves open longer. It's worth whatever you're losing in fuel economy, which wasn't exactly stellar to begin with. For maximum aural pleasure, get the convertible.

For an older six-speed, the transmission holds its own fine. The shifts are just stiff enough to feel sporty, not violent, and the upshifts are indeed quick enough you won't care it's not a dual-clutch. Downshifts are slower, but the computer does a nice job of matching revs so they're not rough. The transmission reacts quickly to the paddles, and there's a permanent upshift indicator in the center of the instrument cluster. Altogether, it befits the character of a grand tourer.

Not everything drives quite like I recall, though. Seven years of advancements in automotive technology and personal experience have changed my perceptions of the steering and brakes. The former is as precise as I recall, but I'd prefer a quicker steering ratio so I don't have to turn the wheel as much in corners. The brakes are strong, but the heavy car doesn't stop on a dime.

These both became clear on a closed section of mountain road. Although the steering speed was a minor annoyance, I really wanted more stopping power. The initial bite is good, but as you get deeper into the brake pedal, it doesn't stop as quickly as it accelerates. I also found the suspension, which is generally comfortable but sporty, to have a bit of trouble keeping the body flat over bumps at high speed.

That high-speed run was attempted with an MC coupe, the sportiest of the line, but it's still a grand tourer and not a super car. The dampers are fixed, but only about as stiff as the standard dampers in Sport mode. The revised exhaust system flows a little freer, the wheels are lighter, and the aerodynamics improve slightly with a vented rear bumper, hood and fender vents, and specific front splitter and decklid spoiler. Personally, I find all the extra scoops and vents gaudy and unbecoming of the car's graceful lines (though I might give the hood scoop a pass), and the performance between the cars is so similar they aren't worth it. Maserati claims the MC coupe is a tenth of a second quicker to 60 mph than the other models, but so what? They all do it in the mid-high fours, and that's quick enough.

In fact, with so little changed, I can confidently predict the measurable performance hasn't changed, either. Based on our test of a 2013 model, then, you can expect the GranTurismo to hit 60 mph in 4.6 seconds and post a 13.1-second quarter-mile time at 109.2 mph or thereabouts. It'll also likely put 0.97 g on the skidpad and post a figure-eight lap around 24.9 seconds at 0.80 average lateral g.

If the car is quick enough, the convertible roof could be a little quicker. By today's standards, it takes a while and it doesn't work when the car is moving. As always, it monstrously impedes trunk space, to the point you might have trouble getting larger carry-on bags to fit. A single golf bag ought to wedge in there, which must've been a design criteria because it's the exact right shape. On the upshot, the GranCabrio is one of the few convertibles on the market that looks as good with the roof up as it does down. On the other hand, no one over five-foot-eight-inches is sitting in the back with the roof up. Even down, the back seat is snug.