The perfect storm: Maserati GranTurismo S

Picture this: you emerge from your favourite five-star dive, your model girlfriend in tow. The valet attendant hands you the keys to your shiny Maserati GranTurismo S, as you look around nonchalantly at the adoring crowds phone-camming your car.

You slide the gear lever into drive and depress the throttle unleashing a torrent of Modenese V8 noise followed by, what most would call, an unelegant launch.

You bounce off the line as if the clutch pedal slipped, only it's worse. Since the clutch in your Maser is controlled by a computer and not your foot, you don't stall, you continue hop-scotching.

To regain your dignity you scramble for the unfeasibly large brake pedal, which sits within a hair's breadth of the throttle and, rather embarrassingly, end up hitting both.

You lunge forward and into the back of the car ahead, well aware where those phone-cam videos are going to end up. In case you haven't got the message, the GT S's semi-auto gearbox is a hoot when you're driving quickly, but extremely tricky when you're merely trying to get out of a car park.

Now, Maserati has realised that some of its customers might not want to become prime YouTube fodder every time they step out for a meal, and has launched a new automatic version of the GT S.

In the snappily-titled GT S Automatic, the 4.7-litre V8 is married to a full torque converter auto, which means you can use it everyday with your dignity intact.

Moreover, since the Maser has always been a soft sport GT, rather than a tyre-shredding supercar, it's seemingly a good idea, too.

Losing the semi-manual meant the trans-axle had to go, so the ZF 'box is attached to the front-mid mounted engine. This has altered the front:rear weight distribution from 47:53 to 49:51. And the better the balance, the better the feel and handling.

Unsurprisingly, the Automatic is planted through corners and undemanding - it's more like a tight Jag XKR than a snorty Italian thoroughbred, ready to give you a kicking at the slightest provocation.

Progress is smooth in traffic, thanks to the new six-speed also found in several Beemers and Jags. So, as an everyday cruiser, this GT S is up there with the best.
Italian bruiser

But, despite its sedate cruising abilities, you will eventually feel the urge to stretch your Maser's legs a bit. Reintroduce the right pedal to the carpet and you get a gratifying surge, accompanied by a metallic symphony from the V8 lump.

Zero to 100kph in 5.0secs isn't supercar quick, but there are few cars that are as quick and elegant at the same time.

The massive paddle shifters swap cogs with blinding precision, auto-blipping the throttle on downshifts. At cruising speeds the gearbox automatically slides into sixth, making progress remarkably quiet and, er, economical.

In fact, it feels more like a big Merc coupé than a Ferrari-sibling on the highway.

Thankfully, however, some of the Italian-ness that's lost due to the auto can be regained by pressing the 'Sport' button on the centre console.

In Sport mode, the exhaust gases bypass the silencers for a quicker getaway, unleashing all 440 stallions on the rear wheels and a noise that could melt your ears. It doesn't sound brutish like a Lamborghini or raw like a Ferrari; it hits the sweet spot between the two. It's one the best sounding V8s I've ever heard. But the noise and power are only half the story.

In loud mode, the gearbox won't kickdown or change up for you, affording you the control you require when despatching switchback roads at breakneck velocity.

Make no mistake, despite its larger than Wembley Stadium proportions, the GT S clings on to corners like a roadie to a rock star. The performance coupled with the astonishing soundtrack makes for an intoxicating experience.

So, the GT S Automatic handles well, rides superbly and with the Sport button off, doesn't give your ears a battering of a Bonham drum solo.

Plus, unlike its mad sibling it has a gearbox that actually works in everyday driving. It's as sensible and relaxing as a Jag. However, for an Italian car that's usually not a good thing.

Auto or not

I loved the angry throttle blip in the standard GT S and the violence with which it rammed in the cogs, threatening to smash the transmission to bits. Perhaps it's my imagination, but even its engine sounded a lot better.

The Automatic doesn't have the drama of its flawed, dim-witted cousin and that robs it of its charm. Although the footwell is still too narrow and the brake and accelerator pedals perilously close, overall it is softer around the edges.

So, if you're looking for an unrestrained Italian coupé that's hugely dramatic and makes you famous on the internet, the Automatic isn't for you.

But if you want a GT that looks fantastic and can manage the hardest feat for a supercar - getting in and out of a car park - you can't do much better than this Maser. The GT S Automatic is a lot like its furious cousin, only it's been to anger management.

Specs