Maserati Icon: GranTurismo Takes the Spotlight at Laguna Seca During 75th Anniversary Monterey Car Week Celebration
Italian luxury and performance brand Maserati commemorated 75 years of GranTurismo – with an exclusive celebration event in partnership with Sotheby’s. Held on Friday, August 18 at the WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca as part of the brand’s Monterey Car Week, Maserati gathered owners and their personal vehicles for a historic parade lap on the famed track to reflect upon the heritage that built the House of the Trident, while giving a glimpse of the brand’s exciting present and bright future.
The theory of GranTurismo began with the introduction of the 1947 Maserati A6 1500. This instant icon seamlessly blended a potent racing engine and high performance with the luxuries and long-distance comfort of a sophisticated hand-crafted sedan, complete with an opulent interior. From there, the idea of GranTurismo was born, and its concept became the cornerstone of all future Maserati models.
The event coincided with the triumphant return of the all-new 2024 Maserati GranTurismo. Like its predecessors, the latest product range blends the high performance typical of a Maserati super car with comfort-focused features suitable for long-distance driving, now with a dizzying array of new innovative technologies and comfort-focused solutions to keep drivers connected and engaged on any journey.
This new generation is a Maserati with a dual soul – two internal combustion GranTurismo variants are available and come equipped with the revolutionary MC20-derived V6 Nettuno engine: the Modena features a 490-horsepower 3.0-liter V6 Twin Turbo and the high-performance Trofeo version, based on the same engine, is upgraded to a maximum power output of 550 horsepower.
Separately, the GranTurismo Folgore model adopts a 100 percent battery electric-based powertrain, and will serve as Maserati’s first ever fully electric “Folgore” sub-brand production vehicle. The Folgore system is based on 800-volt technology and was developed with cutting-edge technical solutions derived from the brand’s Formula E racing efforts. It offers superb performance, made possible by three powerful 300-kW permanent magnet motors.
Maserati leadership, which included Maserati Americas CEO Bill Peffer, along with Andy Goldberg, SVP, head of collectible cars at Sotheby’s Financial Services, joined participating Maserati owners on the track to honor GranTurismo’s return. Attendees had the opportunity to experience some of the Brand’s rarest vehicles, mingle with fellow owners and enthusiasts, and get an up-close look at the brand’s latest models.
“MC20 may be our Halo, but GranTurismo has been and will remain our Icon,” said Peffer. “Our 75th Anniversary Celebration Event greatly exceeded our expectations. We were moved to see such enthusiastic participation from owners, loyalists and enthusiasts, who gathered to watch this milestone moment, symbolizing the rich heritage of our Brand. As we accelerate into the future with the all-new 2024 GranTurismo, this celebration stands as a testament to our enduring legacy.”
The event concluded with a special time-capsule moment in Maserati history, which was captured in a memorable group photo line-up on the raceway’s famous Corkscrew.
Maserati S.p.A.
Maserati produces a complete range of unique cars, immediately recognisable for their extraordinary personality. Thanks to their style, technology, and innately exclusive character, they delight the most discerning, demanding tastes and have always been a benchmark for the global automotive industry. A tradition of successful cars, each of them redefining what makes an Italian sports car in terms of design, performance, comfort, elegance, and safety, currently available in more than 70 markets internationally. The ambassadors of this heritage are the Quattroporte flagship, the Ghibli sports sedan, the Levante – the first SUV made by Maserati, and the Grecale, the all-new “everyday exceptional” SUV, all models characterised by the use of the highest quality materials and excellent technical solutions. A range equipped with 4-cylinder hybrid powertrains – available for Ghibli, Grecale and Levante – V6 petrol and V8 petrol, with rear-wheel and four-wheel drive, embodying the performance DNA of the Trident Brand, now completed with the Grecale Folgore, Maserati’s first full-electric SUV. The top of the range is made up of the MC20 super sports car and the MC20 Cielo spyder, powered by the ground-breaking 100% Maserati Nettuno V6 engine, which incorporates F1-derived technologies into the power unit of a standard production car for the first time. The new GranTurismo is available with both the high-performance V6 petrol engine, derived from the Nettuno, and a 100% electric version: the GranTurismo Folgore, the first car in the Modena-based brand’s history to adopt this solution. By 2025, all Maserati models will also be available in a full-electric version, and the entire Maserati range will run on electricity alone by 2030.
