The engineers at Maserati have added an innovative wet sump lubrication system to improve oil filtration. Opposed to a dry sump design, the wet sump lubrication system vastly improves fluid dynamics and reduces oil consumption and has the benefit of having a much quieter engine and reduces exhaust emissions. This was an important objective for Maserati and they have been quite pleased with the results.
One of the most unique features of the Maserati GranCabrio sports model is the updated skyhook suspension system. It features six sensors that record everything from the vehicles speed to the dynamics of the wheel to the surface of the road. The data is then sent to a computer system where it adjusts the suspension system to cater your driving needs. The suspension goes from a normal mode to a sports mode for when you want to pick up the pace. The GranCabrio Sports model also features a button on the dash to automatically transfer to sports mode where the vehicle transforms to provide better grip and improved handling.
Another one of the GranCabrio sports notable features is its powerful breaking system. Engineers at Maserati have set a high standard for breaking performance as they drastically improved the 2012 model by adding four ventilated break discs. Specifically designed for performance driving this system greatly reduces the breaking pressure from emergency stops and also works in hazardous driving conditions.
The transmission of the GranCabrio Sports model operates in five modes; manual sport, manual normal, ice, auto normal and auto sport. The transmissions can be controlled on the steering wheel through Trofeo Design technology which was added to improve gear shifting. When the GranCabrio Sports goes into auto mode the vehicle can have an impressive acceleration of 0-100km/h in 5.2 seconds.
The GranCabrio Sports also offers the option of personalizing your vehicle. There are various packages available where Maserati can customize interior and exterior features of the car to the customers specifications. Everything from mirror casings to door handles to gearbox controls can be altered.
There are few recognized safety reviews for the 2012 Maserati GranCabrio Sports Coupe. There has been nothing published from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration or the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. As with most other cars in the Maserati line the GranCabrio Sport will come equipped with Maserati's well known chassis system that allows for almost perfect weight distribution, the collapsible steering column, front and side air bags, the Maserati stability program which assists breaking as it detects skids, ABS brakes and xenon headlights. The GranCabrio sport is considered to be in the same classification as the Aston Martin V8 Vantage and in order to remain competitive Maserati cannot afford to offer any less than the top safety features.
In a comparison against its main competition; the Aston Martin V8 Vantage the two are quite similar. They both fall into a close price range and their performance numbers are almost the same as they both have a 4.7 litre V8 engine and produce over 400 horsepower. It will be interesting to see how the two match up against each other in 2012.
With the 2012 GranCabrio Sports model coming in slightly cheaper than Maserati GranCabrio convertible coupe its power and performance is looking to be slightly better. If you are not sold on the convertible aspect of the GranCabrio line, the sports model looks to be the better option.