Maserati has taken the fire-breathing MC Stradale, with its robotised-manual gearbox and strict two-seater configuration, and developed a slightly more user-friendly version for the North American market.

The ‘GranTurismo MC’, launched in the hip TriBeCa area of New York, is in effect an MC Stradale equipped with a conventional torque-converter 6-speed transmission - albeit one optimised for the fastest gearchanges possible. It also has full seating for four adults, thereby combining strong performance (top speed of 185mph and a 0-62mph time of just 4.9 seconds) with a standard of luxury expected in the market.

Maximum power from the GranTurismo MC’s 4.7-litre V8 is 444bhp at 7000rpm while, compared with the standard GranTurismo S Automatic, the new car pushes out another 20Nm torque (now 510Nm at 4750rpm).

Aerodynamically, the GranTurismo MC has sportiness writ large, with its deep front spoiler and associated air intakes. Denizens of the Big Apple will be able to hear the new Maserati coming from several blocks away, courtesy of its central-mounted exhaust pipe with modified bypass valve.

Text: Steve Wakefield
Photo: Maserati