The extensive article appears in the June 2009 edition of the magazine and includes a detailed test drive review. The piece invites drivers to get behind the wheel of the GranTurismo S Automatic “to discover how an Italian GT can remain true with a transmission that looks after itself”.

This has been made possible by the adoption of a new ZF gearbox, “a real, cutting edge automatic, not a modified manual controlled by steering wheel paddles. It has six speeds and regulated so that it is in tune with the car’s sporty nature”.

The mechanical changes are backed up by a light makeover to the car’s looks, changes that make the GranTurismo S Automatic “an ideal competitor for pure GTs, especially ones from England like the Jaguar XKR and Aston Martin DB9. Fifty years on, it is comforting to find that the rivalry between these three great marques is as fierce as ever”.

“But how does the new GranTurismo drive?”, is the question Autocar wants answers to. “The response is: well, very well. It goes fast but is easy to drive and free of the stress that comes with driving a supercar. The transmission proves to be a perfect match even for a true GT like this. For example, it does not select a high gear when the driver backs off to take a curve”.

To round things off, the Maserati GranTurismo S Automatic is “really enjoyable, has preserved the Italian characteristics of the ‘S’ but is also suitable for longer journeys without ending up all hot and bothered like Stirling Moss at the 1955 Mille Miglia, a race run at an average of 157. Still, this S Automatic would keep up with him for pace…”.