Maserati GranTurismo 2017: How does the sports car fair ten years on?

Maserati has refreshed its decade-old GranTurismo sports car, with an all-new version expected to arrive next year.

The updated GT gets the same Ferrari-derived 4.7-litre V8 engine as the original, says AutoExpress, although the motor's roots can be traced to the Ferrari F355 from 1994. This is now the only engine available for the car as Maserati dropped the 4.2-litre V8 "because hardly anybody bought it."

According to Autocar, the 4.7-litre V8 produces 454bhp and 384lb-ft of torque, helping it go from zero to 62mph in 4.7secs and on to a top speed of 187mph.

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It's tweaked styling gives it a more aggressive look over its predecessor, but can the Italian sports car still impress ten years after it first went on sale?

Here's what the critics have to say.

Design

The GranTurismo has received a mild facelift for 2017, including a sharper design to the front grille and a slightly tweaked headlight cluster. The front splitter also has a more aggressive shape, while the rear diffuser has a more rounded design.

Aside from these minor tweaks, Maserati has retained the outgoing model's long bonnet and sculpted wheel arches that gives the car a muscular stance on the road.

"The result is a car that looks slightly different at both ends," says AutoExpress, but Maserati has managed to retain the "presence" of the original version from 2007.

Its Pininfarina styling is still contemporary despite its age, with Car calling it a "stunner from pretty much any angle".

Interior

Maserati has swapped the "stone-age sat-nav" for the infotainment system from the firm's Levante SUV, says Autocar. The system "works well and the intuitive touchscreen effectively negates the need for the rotary controller that still sits next to the gear selector".

However, the interior is where the GranTurismo "feels oldest", partly due to the "slightly offset driving position and hard-to-see switchgear".

Nevertheless, AutoExpress says the air conditioning controls are easy to access thanks to their "old fashioned" button design and there's a "there’s a wide choice of materials available both in upholstery and trim".

Much like the car that came before it, the updated GranTurismo's cabin is still a "special" place to be.

On the road

Ferrari's handmade engine "is a thing of great amusement even at walking pace", says Car, which says drivers will constantly want to select a lower gear to hear the V8 engine's bark.

The six-speed ZF automatic gearbox itself has "clearly been tweaked and tuned to within an inch of its life", although it's "decidedly dim-witted against modern efforts". The transmission is great for long cruises, although it isn't as sporty as some might hope for.

"Steering is similarly old-fashioned", says Autocar, as "the hydraulic assistance passing on the sort of low-intensity feedback that electric systems filter out as unwanted noise."

However, the throttle response is "outstanding" and the motor "loves to explore the top quarter of the tacho". Drivers can also enhance the engine note through an optional sports exhaust.

The engine is "the heart and soul" of the GranTurismo, concludes AutoExpress, although this is expected to go when a new model arrives next year.

It makes the updated GranTurismo the last model to come with the Ferrari-derived V8, which the magazine says is "what makes this Maserati really special."

Price and release

Orders for the Maserati GranTurismo open in September, with prices starting from £108,000.