An Oldie but a Goodie
12 years old but what a hoot to drive..... Maserati Gransport. 4.2 litre blueprinted V8 engine, automated manual gearbox. Very Italian interior but really clever packaging, 4 proper seats and a decent boot in a car of a size you can actually park and driv...
Thanks Nick but you would not prefer the 3200 over this in any other way...
OK maybe the bonnet grilles but that would be it! The Gransport is what the 3200 and 4200 always should have been and, very sadly, the 3200 is becoming very difficult to keep on the road for various reliability and parts supply issues which do not affect ...
PM me if you ever need any info on these cars.
I would not rule a 3200 out but you need to be very careful. 4200 needs to be a later facelift version. Gransport is fully sorted as long as you are happy with automated manual paddle shift only.
The cambiocorsa gearbox is NOT an automatic
It is an automated manual gearbox. It has a clutch. There is just no clutch pedal or gear lever. You change gear with the steering wheel paddles the same way you would with a full manual. It is actually great fun and very intuitive. More info... Cambiocor...
Aston Martin have a similar system on the Vantage range...
called Sportshift. It is really great but the trouble is with this and the Maserati cambiocorsa gearbox is that they put a button in the car marked 'Auto' Journalists would jump in the car and press that button, drive along like a nodding dog, and pronoun...
Clarkson also called the gear box rubbish in the Vantage
Do you think he missed the point? To me the Vantage is the most spectacular looking Aston. Never drove one myself. There was a good review on Top Gear about your Gransport, too. Very appealing car!
Well if you would stop spending money on watches :)
With Aston you do still have the choice of Manual, Automated Manual (Sportshift) and full Auto (ZF 8-Speed) depending on the model. I went from Vantage Sportshift to Vanquish Auto and as good as the Vanquish is (it really is) I missed the rawness and need...
Yes Clarkson missed the point, probably deliberately to make good TV :)
though the early versions of these type of gearboxes were not great as they went through a learning curve.
The 3200 GTA
was a fab drive. Easy cruising and wafting around town with a delightful burble. The suspension was firm but not harsh. A little body roll,,,,but there again I don't go racing. But if you are going to get one be VERY careful, they can cost a fortune to pu...
yes Nico,
I owned a 4200 Spyder manual for around 7 years. It was the later, facelift version and in the seven years of ownership never had anything wrong with it at all. I searched for a while to find a good manual Spyder in right hand drive. Difficult, but not im...
Indeed, I always preferred this version, the definitive version for me.
Many years of development sorted the chassis, powertrain, and body details. Mechanically, this is the best, but the style refinements complete the evolution. The final changes made to grille, wheels, rocker panels, and valences on the Gransport brought ou...
Almost bought this car a long time ago.
The engine is great and sounds great. It's also good looking. But there is one huge downside, IMO: The suspension is problematic and much too soft for a sports car. Best, Volker
You are right, it is more a GT.
It may be a stupid approach but I do never any customization on cars, not even suspension or exhaust system.
Ah Volker you are lucky with the German autobahns
Most in the UK think the suspension is too harsh for the potholed UK roads That said the UK cars had Skyhook suspension as standard so there is so called 'comfort' (or GT mode) and 'sport' mode. Sport mode may well have suited you better.
Yeah, I remember. The skyhook was an improvement.
But the engine is simply superb. You can easily tell where it comes from.
I remember how the maserati biturbo was problematic back then.
Italian cars are very nice and flamboyant. The quattroporte was and is a nice car but I would be cautious about long term reliability and durability. I would consider something german like an older w126 s class 560 sel or w140 s class 600 sel. I am not ev...
Yes, and they do depreciate and fall into the hands of people who can afford to buy them but sadly cannot afford the servicing and maintenance costs..
You need to do your homework and budget accordingly. As well of course that includes knowing which cheaper cars may share some of the same parts
So with this beauty as your daily
you might reconsider shipping the Aston Martin over to me. No?
Very nice!
I still remember driving the non-GranSport version of the Maserati Coupe with Cambiocorsa and Skyhook suspension. A fun car to drive and with usable rear seats. I'd definitely like to see this car again!
I adored my 3200
What a fab car it was. When I drove the Gran Sport I thought that it was one of the best balanced cars I'd ever driven.....until I arrived in London. Then: fuggetabahdit!!! Happy driving. Kind regards Antony ...
