2018 Maserati GranTurismo Convertible Review

Available as a coupe or convertible, the two-door, four-seat 2018 Maserati GranTurismo is best described as a grand touring car. It occupies the center of a Venn diagram representing both luxury and sport. Its interior boasts extended leather upholstery and other high-quality materials while its engine, a 454-horsepower non-turbocharged V8, comes from Ferrari.

The GranTurismo, however, went on sale more than 10 years ago. It's received a few updates over the years, including this year, but it still lacks the advanced safety and assistance features you'll find on competitors. A lot of its switchgear just looks old, and performance is also underwhelming.

There's certainly some emotional appeal to the GranTurismo. It looks great and its V8 sounds amazing. But we don't think that's enough to overcome this model's significant drawbacks.

The 2018 Maserati GranTurismo is a two-door, four-seat coupe or convertible that's available in two trim levels. The base Sport is more comfort-oriented, while the MC's firmer suspension and carbon-fiber trim give it a racier feel. Each version features a 4.7-liter V8 (454 horsepower and 384 pound-feet of torque) and a six-speed automatic transmission. The GranTurismo is only available in rear-wheel drive.

The base Sport has 20-inch wheels, adaptive suspension dampers, adaptive xenon headlights, power-folding and heated auto-dimming mirrors, and front and rear parking sensors. The interior boasts leather upholstery, heated front seats, dual-zone climate control, and a rearview camera. The new 8.4-inch entertainment display offers Bluetooth, navigation, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay support, and satellite radio. The standard Harman Kardon stereo plays through 10 speakers.

The MC starts where the Sport leaves off. The biggest hardware change is a firmer nonadaptive suspension for sportier handling. Other upgrades include MC-specific 20-inch wheels and exterior trim, a carbon-fiber hood, and chrome exhaust tips. The interior gains a microfiber suede headliner (coupe only), aluminum pedals, and the brand's trident logo stitched into headrests.

Most features that come standard on the MC, such as the fixed suspension and carbon-fiber trim, are optional on the Sport as well. You can also opt for the softer adaptive suspension on the MC if you prefer a smoother ride. Other options include wheels, brake caliper colors and interior trim.

Though the convertible models have different interior appointments, their features are largely the same as the coupe's. Exceptions include the absence of the optional fixed suspension for the Sport and the standard carbon-fiber hood for the MC, though you can opt for the latter in a Trofeo appearance package. Convertible models come standard with an automatically deploying roll bar.