The Maserati GranTurismo is just too damn big. At 192 inches from bumper to bumper, it's significantly longer than its three chief rivals: the Aston Martin DB9, Bentley Continental GT and Jaguar XK. Maserati knows that, and plans to replace the current model with something significantly shorter. About 15 inches shorter, the size of the new Corvette Stingray. That model is expected to be called the GranSport, reviving the name of the model which the current GranTurismo replaced back in 2007.
The new coupe will also be lighter than any current Maseratis, and use a modified version of the platform that underpins the new Ghibli and Quattroporte. We're told to expect the new twin-turbo V6 to power the new GranSport, potentially mated to a new dual-clutch transmission instead of the sedans' eight-speed automatic. But the platform is also engineered to fit the V8 as well, so there's the outside chance a more powerful model could follow. After speaking with Maserati CEO Harald J. Wester, Motor Trend forecasts that the new GranCabrio will also be based on this model. But that's not all.
Maserati isn't about to retire the GranTurismo nameplate, tipped to use it instead for a larger, four-seat model that will be more sedate than the GranSport. That model name was expected to be applied to a new mid-engined sportscar, which could still be on the table, but likely under a different name. Rumors of a Maserati version of the new LaFerrari, however, have been quashed.