15 Classic cars that everyone should know about

The last couple of weeks we have shown you the luxury cars that are coming out in the future and the ones that are hitting the market now.

Today we thought we would take you back in time and look at the classic cars that define cool, style and speed!

We’ve overheard people say they don’t care what kind of car they drive as long as it gets them from Point A to Point B. Those people are liars. Who wouldn’t want to own a car that turns more heads than a bikini car wash? Maybe these guys have only driven used jalopies and don’t know anything else. Well, these are the cars they should know.

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1966 Shelby 427 Cobra

Anything attached to Carroll Shelby’s name is immediately worth your time. With an insane power-to-weight ratio, the Shelby 427 Cobra has a bit more giddyup than your Corolla. Plus, the hundreds of thousands of dollars you’d pay for one will seem like chump change compared to the $5.5 million shelled out for the ’66 Shelby 427 Cobra Super Snake.

1961 Jaguar E-Type

Whether you pronounce it Jagwar or Jag-u-ar, everyone agrees the brand oozes style. The E-Type was released in 1961 to some pretty heavy praise. If Enzo Ferrari referred to it as, “The most beautiful car ever made,” well, that’s good enough for us.

1969 Maserati Ghibli 4.7

The aggressive shark-shaped nose on the Maserati Ghibli is enough to place it firmly on this list. Plus, the Maserati name earns it plenty of clout. Basically, this car is what the Mazda Miata dreams of becoming as it falls asleep at night.

1964 Aston Martin DB5

If it’s cool enough for Bond, it’s cool enough for us. If you had to pick one vehicle that James Bond relied on the most, you’d be hard-pressed not to go with the DB5, and the one from Goldfinger would look pretty sweet in our garage next to the cans of beer and lawn care products.

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1957 Mercedes 300SL Gullwing

The doors are only part of the reason this is one of the coolest cars to ever hit the pavement. The fact that the 300SL was the fastest production car at the time, means driving to your ad meetings in Manhattan wouldn’t be a bore.

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1969 Boss 429 Mustang

You know you’re getting some sick power when they have to change the body of a Mustang just to accommodate your freakishly large engine. How could you not want to roll down the windows and listen to that sucker as you were cruising around? (Which would be a good idea since, due to the size of the engine, they couldn’t fit in any air conditioning.)

1963 Corvette Sting Ray

While nothing was wrong with the Corvette prior to ’63, when the Sting Ray rolled out it made the previous models look like chopped liver (fast & still somewhat attractive chopped liver). Besides the new look, the C2 Corvette was a bit lighter and handled far better than its predecessors. While some nice stylistic changes would be made in the coming years, there’s something about being first.

1969 Ferrari Dino 246 GT

Far too often cars are rigid. The lines and angles are harsh and, unless there’s something crazy under the hood, they become a complete clone of something else. The soft lines on the Ferrari Dino 246 GT tells us this car is meant to be driven fast and playfully. If we had one, we’d oblige.

1966 Alfa Romeo Spider Duetto

Something about this car just makes us want to drive the Italian countryside while occasionally stopping to drink local wines. Plus, any time you can get a car with style AND storage space, well you just hit the jackpot my friend. It’s perfect for storing all the sheets of paper with phone numbers on them.

1969 Dodge Charger

If there’s one thing we know about the ’69 Charger, it’s aerodynamic. At least that’s what we learned from Bo and Luke Duke. The ’69 Charger is a thing of beauty whether it’s a General Lee or not. It may never get the billing its Mustang counterparts always do, but the fastback look and all American style will never go out of fashion.

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1966 Lamborghini Miura

We don’t know if it’s the most stylish car on the list, but as far as cred goes, well it inspired the whole “Let’s toss a couple of seats on a rocket” sports car idea. It also became a new and different Italian sports car option outside of the Ferrari’s of the world for auto enthusiasts at the time.

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1969 Toyota 2000GT

If you’re noticing a small Bond theme here, you’re totally right. While Bond got a drop-top, the ’69 Toyota 2000GT was stylish enough without one being offered up from the factory. The elongated front, along with the design in general, makes it feel much more like an Italian roadster than something you would picture purchasing for its “dependable gas mileage.”

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1962 Ferrari 250 GTE

The Ferrari 250 GTE was the sports car for the family man. It was for the guy who wanted a Ferrari but also wanted to get little Timmy to hockey practice with all his gear. As Road & Track said, “A not only grand, but glorious, touring car.” We’d tack on cool as well.

1970 Datsun 240Z

The Jaguar E-Type’s Asian doppelgänger has the same beautiful look as the Jag with perhaps more brains underneath. The thought that went into the car became the hallmark of Japanese sports cars. See, being cool doesn’t just mean looking good (but it mostly means looking good).

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1969 Chevrolet Camaro

It was pretty much a foregone conclusion that this list would include at least one Mustang and one Camaro. What can we say, we like old-school American muscle power. Seeing those white stripes on a blue Z28 just strikes us as quintessentially cool.

Source http://coolmaterial.com/roundup/classic-cars-that-define-cool/

Have Maserati looked to its past and future for the concept of the Alfieri?

Maserati have recently pulled away from the sports car image they do so well, to concentrate more on passenger cars — luxurious ones at that, and fast ones as well — but not sports cars as you’d traditionally define the term.

Think of the name Maserati and you’ll likely be picturing glamorous sports cars roaring up the Autostrada and cruising down Mediterranean coastlines. And that’s still largely the case, except for the sports car part of it all, until now. The Alfieri is the long over due comeback for the sports car we all love!

The latest vehicles released by the Modenese automaker are the Quattroporte and Ghibli — both four-door sedans — and its next one will be the Levante crossover. Its only two-door model, the GranTurismo, has been on the market for longer than it should by now. But Maserati aims to correct that wrong with the reveal of their Alfieri concept at the Geneva Motor Show this year.

Named after the company’s founder (and its most notable engineer), the Maserati Alfieri concept is based on the aforementioned GranTurismo, but is more stylish, more compact, and altogether more modern. Its wheelbase has been shortened by nearly 10 inches, while the 4.7-liter V8 engine remains, driving 460 horsepower to the rear wheels through a six-speed sequential transmission. State-of-the-art carbon-ceramic brakes feature at each corner to keep the power in check

The technical details are all well and fine, but what sets the Alfieri apart is its design. It was overseen by Lorenzo Ramaciotti, chief designer for the Fiat Group that owns Maserati and former chief designer at Pininfarina, the design house that’s penned a fair few Maseratis over the years. It draws its inspiration from the 1950s-era Maserati A6 — one of the Trident marque’s earliest creations – and wears a liquid-metal finish, bi-xenon and LED headlamps, and 21-inch wheels. The interior is decidedly modern but no less luxurious with aniline leather furnished by Portrona Frau, copper-tone billet aluminum trim, and high-tech TFT (thin-film-transistor) displays.

The Alfieri is a transition point between 100 glorious years of history and the future that is opening up before us. I sincerely can’t say that we’ll see this car in production in two years-time, but I’m certain we’ll see something very similar,” says Ramaciotti. “We wanted the Alfieri to test future design paths. The car is very aggressive but still sober in style, forceful but understated.”

Source http://www.justluxe.com/lifestyle/luxury-cars/feature-1954193.php

What luxury cars are celebrities driving?

Everyone envy’s the cars that celebrities both sides of the pond can afford to drive. whether you like the classic Ferraris that Chris Evans owns or the Eco friendly cars that the likes of Cameron Diaz and Diane Kruger drive, you are sure to find some little gems in the list below!

Audi: David Beckham (S8), Sandra Bullock (A6), Daniel Craig (S6), Vanessa Hudgens (A7), John Mayer (R8), Jason Statham (R8), Dwyane Wade (R8), Robert Downey Jr. (A7), Cristiano Ronaldo (RS6), Justin Timberlake (S8), Rosie Huntington-Whiteley (S5), Chris Brown (R8), Taylor Lautner (R8), Sienna Miller (TT), Kevin Costner (S8), Zooey Deschanel (A5), Michael Bloomberg (R8), Phil Knight (R8), Taylor Swift (Q7), Zac Efron (S5), Zoe Saldana (A8), Miranda Kerr (A8), Harry Styles (R8)

Aston Martin: Dwyane Wade (Vanquish Volante), Jason Statham (DBS), Olivier Martinez (V8 Vantage), Ice-T (Vantage), Eddie Murphy (Vanquish), Ryan Seacrest (DB9), Pierce Brosnan (Vanquish), Adam Carolla (DB9), Jonathan Ives (DB9 and Vanquish), Lil Wayne (Vantage), Sylvester Stallone (DBS), Prince Charles (DB6), David Beckham (AMV8), Janet Jackson (Vanquish), Marc Anthony (DB7), Missy Elliott (Vanquish), Jamie Oliver (Vantage)

Bentley: Drake (Supersports), Jennifer Lopez (Continental), Prince William (Flying Spur), Bruce Willis (Continental), Eva Longoria (Continental), Jonathan Ives (Brooklands), Simon Cowell (Azure), Sylvester Stallone (Continental), Arnold Schwarzenegger (Supersports), Paris Hilton (Continental), Floyd Mayweather (Mulsanne), David Beckham (Supersports and Mulsanne), Cristiano Ronaldo (Continental), Ryan Seacrest (Flying Spur), The Game (Continental), Lil Wayne (Mulsanne), Sharon Stone (Continental), Scott Disick (Mulsanne), Queen of England (State Limousine), Carlos Slim (Flying Spur)

BMW: Brad Pitt (Hydrogen 7), Jessica Alba (750iL), Anne Hathaway (i3), Reese Witherspoon (Alpina B7), Heidi Klum (M6), Selena Gomez (X5), Cristiano Ronaldo (M6), Taylor Lautner (Z4), Will Ferrell (Hydrogen 7), Alanis Morissette (X5), Samantha Ronson (750iL), Sean Penn (Z3), Taye Diggs (X6)

Bugatti: Drake, Birdman, Flo Rida, Floyd Mayweather, The Game, Chris Brown

Ferrari: Pharrell (Enzo), Justin Bieber (458 Italia), Harry Styles (California), Kim Kardashian (F430), Jermaine Jackson (California), Eddie Murphy (599 GTB), Dwyane Wade (F12 Berlinetta), Rick Ross (458 Italia), Gordon Ramsay (F12 Berlinetta), Paris Hilton (F430), Adam Levine (365 GTC), 50 Cent (FF), Cristiano Ronaldo (599 GTO), John Mayer (599 GTB), LeBron James (F430 Spider), Ozzy Osbourne (458 Italia), Tommy Hilfiger (Enzo), Alex Rodriguez (575 Maranello), Hugh Grant (California), The Game (F430 Spider), Ashton Kutcher (California), Tyga (California), Seal (F430 Spider), Kobe Bryant (458 Italia Spider), Flo Rida (California), Ralph Lauren (F430 Scuderia), Keith Urban (F360), Usher (F430 Spider), Gucci Mane (458 Italia), Wyclef Jean (360 Spider), Adrien Brody (F430), Rod Stewart (599 GTB)

Ford: Shia LaBeouf (F150), John Mayer (Raptor), Heidi Klum (Raptor), Dwayne Johnson (F150), Simon Cowell (Bronco), Christina Aguilera (Mustang), Amber Heard (Mustang), Nick Jonas (Mustang), Shaquille O’Neal (Mustang), Benji Madden (Galaxie), Ken Block (Raptor)

Jaguar: Victoria Beckham (XJ), Kelly Rowland (F-Type), Lana Del Rey (XKF), Patrick Dempsey (XK120), Harrison Ford (XK140), Miranda Kerr (XJL), Danny Aiello (XJL), Jay Leno (E-Type), Kristin Davis (XF)

Lamborghini Kanye West (Aventador), Swizz Beatz (Aventador), Chris Brown (Gallardo and Aventador), Scott Disick (Aventador), Cristiano Ronaldo (Aventador), 50 Cent (Murcielago), Rick Ross (Murcielago), Missy Elliot (Gallardo), Robinho (Gallardo), Kobe Bryant (Aventador)

Lexus: Natalie Portman (RX), Paris Hilton (LFA), Paul McCartney (LS600h), Gisele Bündchen (RX), Owen Wilson (ES), Sarah Michelle Gellar (RX), Halle Berry (RX)

Maserati: Pierce Brosnan (GranTurismo), Miley Cyrus (Quattroporte), Lapo Elkann (Ghibli), Gwen Stefani (Quattroporte), Barry Diller (GranCabrio), Britney Spears (GranCabrio), Kylie Minogue (Gran Turismo), Katy Perry (GranCabrio)

Maybach: Madonna, Will Smith, Samuel L. Jackson, Birdman, Lil Wayne, Jay Z, Sean Combs, Kanye West, Rick Ross

McLaren: Miley Cyrus, Lady Gaga, David Beckham, Ludacris, Larry Ellison, Swizz Beatz, Dwayne Wade, Jay Leno, Will.i.am

Mercedes-Benz: Liev Schreiber (E350 wagon), Harry Styles (190 SL), Hilary Duff (G-Wagen), Jon Hamm (SLS AMG), Ashley Tisdale (G55), Tom Ford (G-Wagen), Ashley Olsen (G-Wagen), Kylie Jenner (G-Wagen), David Hasselhoff (CLS), Khloe Kardashian (G-Wagen), Gwen Stefani (G-Wagen), Bradley Cooper (G-Wagen), Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum of Dubai (G63 AMG), Jay Z (S-Class), Patrick Dempsey (SLS AMG and G-Wagen), Sandra Bullock (GL550), Eddie Murphy (SLS AMG), Tom Cruise (SLK), Justin Theroux (S550), Rick Ross (CLS and S550), Nigo (300 SL), Russell Crowe (S550), Usher (CLS), Jim Carrey (S550), Wyclef Jean (G-Wagen), Jensen Button (C63 AMG DR250), Britney Spears (G55 AMG), Selma Blair (ML 350), Shakira (SL 550), Shaquille O’Neal (S-Class), Jared Leto (SLS AMG), Tiger Woods (S65 AMG), Tobey Maguire (S400), Alec Baldwin (M-Class), Megan Fox (G-Wagen), Mark Wahlberg (SLS AMG)

PorscheKate Moss (vintage 911), David Beckham (911 Turbo Cabriolet), Dustin Hoffman (911 Cabriolet), Kanye West (Panamera Turbo), Patrick Dempsey (GT3), Hilary Duff (911), Keith Urban (Cayenne), Kiefer Sutherland (Panamera), Jonah Hill (911), Miley Cyrus (Cayenne GTS), Adam Levine (356 Speedster), Maria Sharapova (Panamera GTS), Cristiano Ronaldo (Cayenne Turbo), Ellen DeGeneres (911), LeBron James (911), The Game (Panamera), Jerry Seinfeld (various 911s), Keanu Reeves (911), Zach Braff (911), Adriana Lima (Cayenne), Lindsay Lohan (911 Cabriolet), Rihanna (911 Turbo), Chris Brown (Panamera), Samantha Ronson (911 Targa), Bruce Willis (911 GTS), Sylvester Stallone (Panamera), Pharrell (550 Spyder), Steven Tyler (911 Turbo), Matthew Perry (911 Cabriolet), LeAnn Rimes (Panamera), Ashley Tisdale (Boxster), Bill Gates (959), Michael Dell (Boxster), Robert Pattinson (Boxster)

Range Rover: Brad Pitt, Charlize Theron, Russell Brand, Kate Moss, David Beckham, Victoria Beckham, Robin Thicke, Sofia Vergara, Pippa Middleton, Jay-Z, John Mayer, Ryan Seacrest, Sharon Osbourne, Chris Brown, Shannen Doherty, Prince Harry, Queen of England, Courtney Cox, Alessandra Ambrosio, Richard Branson, Tim Burton, Hugh Jackman

Rolls-Royce: Swizz Beatz (Wraith), Jaime Foxx (Ghost), Ice-T (Ghost), Rick Ross (Wraith), Simon Cowell (Phantom), David Beckham (Phantom and Ghost), 50 Cent (Ghost), Snoop Dogg (Phantom), The Game (Ghost), Tom Brady (Ghost), Eddie Murphy (Phantom), Ryan Phillippe (Ghost), Shaquille O’Neal (Phantom), Missy Elliott (Phantom), Sean Combs (Phantom), Guy Ritchie (Ghost)

Tesla: Matt Damon, Eva Longoria, Jack Osbourne, Jeremy Renner, Shakira, Ashton Kutcher, Rachel Zoe, Laurence Fishburne

Toyota: Leonardo DiCaprio (Prius), Adrien Grenier (Prius), Ryan Gosling (Prius), Julia Roberts (Prius), Kirsten Dunst (Prius), Eric Schmidt (Prius), Sarah Jessica Parker (Prius)

Sources: Zimbio, X17 Online, Celebrity Cars Blog, Flickr, London Daily Mail, Autoevolution, UrbanDaddy’s DRIVEN, GT Spirit, Just Jared, Celebritycarz,

http://www.justluxe.com/lifestyle/luxury-cars/feature-1953959.php

 

BMW X7 back in planning stage.

Prior to the global financial crisis of 2008, BMW was working on a full-size SUV to sit above its X5 and X6 models and compete against the likes of the Cadillac Escalade, Mercedes-Benz GL-Class and Land Rover Range Rover the BMW X7. The crisis caused BMW to rethink the strategy, with the German automaker choosing to focus on smaller SUVs and crossovers instead of the so-called X7.

Strong demand for big and brawny  luxury SUVs, especially in emerging markets, has led many automakers to enter the segment, some of which have never launched SUVs in the past. In the next couple of years we’ll be seeing new SUVs from Bentley, Lamborghini and Maserati. This, no doubt, must have left BMW regretting its decision, but the automaker may be about to alleviate the issue.

German publication Handelsblatt is reporting that the BMW X7 is once again being looked at, but with production yet to be approved. The vehicle would ride on a new modular platform set to debut in the next-gen 7-Series and may even be built at BMW’s plant in Spartanburg, South Carolina. The German automaker is planning to make a major announcement concerning the plant next Friday, February 28.

Fellow BMW Group brand Rolls-Royce is considering a large SUV of its own, its CEO Torsten Müller-Ötvös confirmed last year.

 

Should it be approved for production, the vehicle’s underpinnings will likely be shared with an X7 from BMW, just as the current Rolls-Royce Ghost shares its underpinnings with BMW’s 7-Series.

The Rolls-Royce would likely utilize a 12-cylinder engine, and possibly a plug-in hybrid setup, while the BMW would feature six- and eight-cylinder units, also with a plug-in option.

 

Thank you to www.motorauthority.com

Maserati debut the Alfieri at Geneva

Curvaceous and sensual, the Maserati Alfieri made a dashing debut at the Geneva Motor Show.

How do you upstage a Ferrari and, potentially, even a 610-horsepower Lamborghini?

You create a car that is so curvaceous and sensual, it makes everything else look absolutely dull and dreary.

It's tough to keep your hands off the new Maserati Alfieri concept.

It’s tough to keep your hands off the new Maserati Alfieri concept.

We’re not going to suggest the Ferrari California or Lamborghini Huracán, both of which appeared today at the Geneva Motor Show, aren’t some pretty amazing machines.

It’s just that the Maserati Alfieri concept is achingly beautiful – trust us, it was difficult not to run our hands along the body of this Italian sports coupe.

Maserati is expected to put the Alfieri into production in the next year or two.

Maserati is expected to put the Alfieri into production in the next year or two.

Luckily for Maserati, they had one of the most diligent dusters and fingerprint smudge removers at the show!

In our opinion, what you’re looking at is the next-generation Maserati GranTurismo. Exactly how much of the Alfieri makes it to production remains to be seen, of course.

It wasn't immediately clear what would power the Alfieri when it goes into production.

It wasn’t immediately clear what would power the Alfieri when it goes into production.

Yet if it looks anything like this concept car, Maserati is going to have to fight back a hoard of well-heeled car buyers.

Details are scarce, though it’s likely the Alfieri would continue with a version of the current GranTurismo’s delicious-sounding 454-hp 4.7-liter V-8.

The Maserati Alfieri may have just upset both Ferrari and Lamborghini at the Geneva Motor Show on Tuesday.

The Maserati Alfieri may have just upset both Ferrari and Lamborghini at the Geneva Motor Show on Tuesday.

Once the car reaches production – and our guess is that this will happen within 12-24 months – we expect the price to remain around the same $126,000 you’d pay for the 2014 GranTurismo coupe.

This is assuming the Alfieri actually makes it to production. There’s a good chance the car was built just for the show circuit.

We doubt that very much, however.

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/

 

 

Has Maserati got a rival for the F-Type?

 

To compete with the F-type, Maserati’s new GT would likely slot in below the current GranTurismo Sport.

Regarding the power of gossip, swashbuckling golden-era actor and unabashed Hollywood self-promoter Errol Flynn is quoted as saying, “It’s not what they say about you, it’s what they whisper.” And while the internet is patently incapable of speaking in hushed tones, its capacity for spreading rumors is unparalleled. So when GTSPIRIT.com announced that Maserati would be debuting a new GT concept car at the Geneva auto show, we weren’t quite sure if the news was simply based on speculation or if it grew from a seed sown by a shrewd Maserati employee. We reached out to Maserati for an official comment, but they had none, only offering “No information has come out of the factory, although they are aware of the article.”

It’s worth noting that 2014 is Maserati’s 100th Anniversary, and a game-changing car for the brand would certainly brighten up the celebration. GTSPIRIT.com contends that such a car would fall into line with Maserati boss Harald Wester’s statement from early last year that Maserati is keen on creating a car to rival the Jaguar F-type along with select Porsche 911 models. Should the GT make the transition from concept to reality, many are speculating that it would be built on a shortened version of the platform used by the company’s Ghibli and Quattroporte, and offer buyers their choice of Maserati’s 3.0-liter twin-turbo V-6 or 3.8-liter V-8 engines. To compete with Jaguar’s F-type, however, the GT’s base price would have to come in under $70,000. For that reason, we think there is room for a new GT to sit in Maserati’s lineup alongside the current GranTurismo Sport, which starts north of $125,000, rather than replacing it.

As with the recent rumors surrounding the maker’s future Levante SUV, we’ll be sure to hunt down the truth next week at the 2014 Geneva auto show.

 

Thanks for the gossip GTSPIRIT.com

 

The prettiest Maserati MC12?

A truly unique Stain Baby Blue Maserati MC12 was recently spotted and filmed cruising through Monaco. Without a doubt the most unique MC12 to ever leave the factory, this video shows just how incredibly stunning the paint work looks.

Matching the baby blue exterior with a stunning pearl finish is a custom interior featuring light blue components. We can only begin to imagine how incredible this Maserati MC12 would have been to spot in the flesh!

Unsurprisingly, it is from Dubai!

If you want to rent a Maserati MC12  please contact us directly at Hemingway Luxury Car Hire.

Thanks again to www.gtspirit.com and World Supercars for sharing this video with us.

Maserati start the 100th Anniversary Celebrations.

To kick off the 100th anniversary celebrations for Maserati, the Italian firm headed onto an Italian aircraft carrier in the United Arab Emirates in a similar scene as to how the Lamborghini Veneno Roadster debuted in the region.

As these images show, the full Maserati line-up was on-board meaning the GranTurismo, GranCabrio, Quattroporte and new Ghibli were on display!

This year promises to be a very exciting year for Maserati with a host of special events and models on the cards!

Thanks to www.gtspirit.com.

Maserati GranTurismo Convertible MC Road Test

Independent reviewer Peter Bleakney has been lucky enough to take the 2014 Lamborghini for a test drive in Italy, take a look at his review of this great addition to the Maserati stable.

BALOCCO, ITALY—Within 20 minutes of leaving Fiat’s Balocco proving grounds in an iridescent white Maserati GranTurismo Convertible MC, I am spectacularly lost.

Not hard to do in this part of Italy. Although we generally envision snowy peaks or rolling Tuscan hills when thinking of Italy, this area is all about growing rice — as evidenced by a road sign indicating the town of Arborio is not far away.

The grid-work of rural roads is separated by rice paddies and dotted with ancient stucco and stone villages that, to the untrained Canadian eye, look pretty much the same. As do all the rice paddies. Hence, my state of lost-ness.

I should have left a trail of biscotti crumbs.

Oh well. It’s a beautiful day, the top is down and the 4.7-L flat-plane Ferrari-built V8 kicks out 454 hp at 7,000 r.p.m., 383 lb.-ft. of torque at 4,750 r.p.m. and sounds otherworldly while doing so. And I’m not on any particular deadline.

Normally with car launches we get route books or pre-programmed navigation routes. But I’m here for the Quattroporte sedan, so this new $184,000 hyper version of the GranTurismo convertible isn’t officially part of the program.

It was just sitting there, all squat and purposeful and pretty. So the Maserati PR fellow tossed me the key and said, “When you leave the compound, just keep left and you’ll make a big circle.”

What he didn’t say was, “Don’t go down any barely passable lanes between rice paddies to get cool photos, and don’t get turned around in those maze-like villages.”

So it’s not really my fault I’m lost.

The MC version of the four-seat convertible shares the same basic layout and specs as the GranTurismo Sport Coupe that came before. Thus the vocal V8 sees an additional 21 cavalli and 22 lb.-ft. over the base car, thanks to revised engine mapping, changes to the variable valve timing and stronger aluminum pistons.

The Skyhook adaptive damping system is ditched for a sportier fix-rate setup and the MC rides on lighter 20-inch alloys that cleverly incorporate the Maserati trident. Keeping me on the road are 245/35ZR20 performance tires in the front and 285/35ZR20s in the rear. Keeping me out of the scenery are six-piston front/four-piston rear Brembo calipers squeezing composite alloy/cast iron discs.

The MC is recognizable by its sinister snout, larger rear spoiler, rear diffuser with more centrally located exhausts and, on this tester, the Bianco Birdcage three-layer paint finish with its unusual blue tints that seem to change with the light. This is an artistic nod to the trim of the famed Tipo 61 Birdcage racer.

These Alcantara-trimmed seats with integrated head restraints are hugging me in all the right places, and the plus-size column-mounted alloy paddles work the ZF six-speed auto.

The cabin may have been around for a while, but it still feels special — the design and workmanship exude a timeless elegance. The good-old-fashioned twist key is the only real giveaway to its age.

The MC scoots to 100 km/h in 4.9 seconds and tops out at 289 km/h, but it leaves the Modena factory at a leisurely pace thanks to a labour-intensive process of hand beating the hood and front wings. Taking the steel panels from the base car, craftsmen hammer into them the MC-specific air vents. With such a small production, it’s cheaper to do it this way than create a whole new pressing.

Ah, the romance.

I’m finding the MC shows exceptional poise and good steering feel on these mostly mirror-smooth roads, but the occasional rough spots send quivers through the cabin.

Maserati claims high levels of structural integrity for this convertible, with reinforced A-pillars, larger box sections in the sills, a torsion wall behind the rear seats and an aluminum under-body stiffener. But with such a huge area open to the sky, it’s hard to quell the cowl shake.

Of course, that also allows the convertible to be a true four-seater. The rear buckets are contoured like the front chairs, with a natural 22-degree rake. Sculpted front seatbacks create a bit more legroom.

The three-layer fabric top raises or lowers in 24 seconds, at speeds up to 35 km/h. Pack light though — the trunk is a paltry 173 L.

Okay. Time to get un-lost. I spot a café with a gaggle of older gentleman huddled around a table. I soon discover we have something in common: an impenetrable linguistic barrier. They direct me to the young lady inside.

I say “Fiat”, then “Balocco”, then hold an imaginary steering wheel and make pathetic race-car sounds.

“Oh, si, you’re looking for the proving grounds. Make a left just past the cathedral and it will take you right there.”
Grazie.

Thank you to Peter Bleakney for the review and Transportation for freelance writer Peter Bleakney was provided by the manufacturer.