GranSport on the cover of Modern Classics magazine

Nayf

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Hello - a while ago I put out a rather cryptic request for the use of a Maserati GranSport for a feature for the magazine I work for - it’s out on sale on January 3rd. The idea of this feature was to escape the January sales in search of motoring nirvana in the Yorkshire Dales. We had a hypothetical budget of up to £40k for a sporty GT, and each car had to have finished depreciating. I of course chose the GranSport.

I’d like to thank Jamhot for letting us borrow his car, Richard Grace and AutoShield for their assistance too. It didn’t go as smoothly as I’d hoped, but I still love the car. Does it win? Find out in the February issue of Modern Classics on January 3rd.


Ps. I did ask permission to do this post ;)1908E535-1F59-474F-BF03-E370553EF24D.jpg
 

allandwf

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I'm intrigued now, was that the plan? ;) I'll make sure and pick up a copy when it hits the shelves.
 
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I'll buy that edition. Should be a good read. You featured my car in Sept 2016 that I bought from Richard Grace in Oct 2017 ( the GS LE spec car in Grigio nuvolari and full crema leather interior.
As I have a 911 Turbo this article is going to be interesting.

I'll buy the magazine for sure to hear the verdicts on all those three cars on the cover.
 

Nayf

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It’s a Gen 2 997 Carrera S with PDK buttons. The Aston’s 4.3 with a manual box.
Perhaps the Aston should have been a semi auto too but trying to peel expensive GTs out of heated garages in winter is a challenge for understandable reasons, so it was a case of what we could find.
 

Nayf

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Emma Woodcock, a freelancer.
I can understand owners’ reluctance. After all, you’re letting strangers borrow your pride and joy for three days in Yorkshire in November. Imagine being an owner and, having waved goodbye to said journalist, stuck on Dave for a bit of therapy and some loon is chucking things sideways everywhere. While we don’t do that (unless already agreed with the owner), I do understand the reticence.

It’s a bittersweet moment, seeing it published. It was a great honour to borrow Jamhot’s car for such a long period, especially as we usually only get a day with the car (or sometimes half a day) to get a feel for things. The downside is that I’m unlikely to spend a similar amount of time in one again for a long time, if ever. Those three days will live long in the memory, though.
 
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It’s a Gen 2 997 Carrera S with PDK buttons. The Aston’s 4.3 with a manual box.
Perhaps the Aston should have been a semi auto too but trying to peel expensive GTs out of heated garages in winter is a challenge for understandable reasons, so it was a case of what we could find.

I'd be very surprised if the 997 gen2 PDK car did not come out top of the list. But it depends on what criteria you are using.
The manual AM is desirable but knowing Porsche guys who had one, they found it big and heavy wallowing tourer. The 997 is probably the most reliable daily driver but at the sports end of the spectrum with low overall ownership costs, two year servicing and a very fast PDK box. Prices are firm and depreciation-free.

Now I have to read the magazine.....
 

Contigo

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You have to ask yourself if this is a fair comparison. One is a mass produced German sports car built for everyday use and the other is an exclusive bespoke hand built Italian coupe with the space to fit 4 in real comfort. The comparisons are few and far between really.

Interior

Drab black and minimal upright cabin with very little in the way of stunning leather or individual styling. Really uninspiring place to be but this is a German trait.

The GS interior is a work of art even harking back to the 3200 interior after the ugly 4200 centre console with NIT was ruined. The usual trident clock and sports seats are aesthetically pleasing.

Exterior

The 997 911 is about the 6th incarnation of the same styling from Porsche. It's a lazy engineering exercise imo and despite quite a difference from the 912 and first 911 of the 60's it still looks very much the same car as it's predecessors.

The GS style from the same Giugiario design of the 3200 is a timeless design taken further with bigger alloys, side skirts and rear spoiler. Despite losing the boomerangs from the 3200 car it is still achingly beautiful.

Engine and powertrain.

The Porsche has a strong boxer engine but it has its pitfalls (IMS, cylinder scoring) and compared to the bullet proof Mezger engines fitted to the Turbo cars (except gen2) it's really nothing special. Torque converted auto box not really as involving as the Robotic Manual in the GS. Granted the PDK Twin clutch box is better than the earlier cars.

The sound of that Ferrari derived V8 is just stunning and makes you feel special every time you get in it.

Ferrari derived box fitted to the GS is plenty quick enough and those blips on the downshift!!!

I think you just have to ask which one makes you feel better? It's not all about how well planted it is, some of the best cars in the World have flaws (name me one which doesn't?) and you learn to live with most of these idiosyncrasies.
 

whereskeith

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821
I agree , The 997 always comes out on top over a GS... It is a better engineered car.
Hopefully the GS does not get slated .
 

whereskeith

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Exactly, I could not have put it better.....

You have to ask yourself if this is a fair comparison. One is a mass produced German sports car built for everyday use and the other is an exclusive bespoke hand built Italian coupe with the space to fit 4 in real comfort. The comparisons are few and far between really.

Interior

Drab black and minimal upright cabin with very little in the way of stunning leather or individual styling. Really uninspiring place to be but this is a German trait.

The GS interior is a work of art even harking back to the 3200 interior after the ugly 4200 centre console with NIT was ruined. The usual trident clock and sports seats are aesthetically pleasing.

Exterior

The 997 911 is about the 6th incarnation of the same styling from Porsche. It's a lazy engineering exercise imo and despite quite a difference from the 912 and first 911 of the 60's it still looks very much the same car as it's predecessors.

The GS style from the same Giugiario design of the 3200 is a timeless design taken further with bigger alloys, side skirts and rear spoiler. Despite losing the boomerangs from the 3200 car it is still achingly beautiful.

Engine and powertrain.

The Porsche has a strong boxer engine but it has its pitfalls (IMS, cylinder scoring) and compared to the bullet proof Mezger engines fitted to the Turbo cars (except gen2) it's really nothing special. Torque converted auto box not really as involving as the Robotic Manual in the GS. Granted the PDK Twin clutch box is better than the earlier cars.

The sound of that Ferrari derived V8 is just stunning and makes you feel special every time you get in it.

Ferrari derived box fitted to the GS is plenty quick enough and those blips on the downshift!!!

I think you just have to ask which one makes you feel better? It's not all about how well planted it is, some of the best cars in the World have flaws (name me one which doesn't?) and you learn to live with most of these idiosyncrasies.
 

Ewan

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6,757
Also, they are priced differently. A good GS can be had for £30k, but a similar condition/mileage 997 Gen II would be £40k - so, it's a third more expensive.

Compare a £25k GS with a £25k 997 (which means a high mileage Gen I car) and the GS wins hands down, as who in their right mind wants to take on the ticking time bomb of a Gen 1 engined 911?!).
 

Nayf

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As for the criticisms - wait until you read it. I think you'll find it's largely positive...
 
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As for the criticisms - wait until you read it. I think you’ll find it’s largely positive...

For sure, once I am back from the month in Spain, I will head to the newsagent to buy it.
I cannot understand how such criticism develops with such articles. Each of those three cars is a different driving experience, which is why I have both a Turbo and a GS. Beauty is clearly in the eyes of the beholder so each presents different aspects of beauty.
 

Contigo

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As for the criticisms - wait until you read it. I think you’ll find it’s largely positive...

Nayf, no criticisms really and we know you love the brand just wanted to air our opinion on car comparisons which often magazines get very wrong in these group shootouts. It's almost like the GS should start with a handicap if we want to play fair. As ever I will buy the magazine and enjoy the article....
 

foibles

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511
Looking forward to the read - sounds like a fun test (especially for those conducting it).

I'm still a little skeptical whether or not the cars met the 'terms of reference';

* Budget of 40K - in checking Autotrader - I see 15 of the 997 Series 2 S's (coupe, auto, etc) - only 4 are below 40K...and by below...I mean they are 40K. They've each driven to the moon and back...and notably no GS (even almost twice as old) have the same mileage. At the annual rate that the 40K 997 S2 are doing (10K p.a) - a GS could have done 120K miles by then - in which case it would be a 15K car (never seen one with such miles however). So as long as the 40K means the car...but no fuel in the tank....you can scrape by.

* Age - comparing a 2004-2007 car (largely based on M138 early origins and 2002 running gear) against a vehicle from 2008-2011 will likely yield very different results.

* Depreciation - without doubt the GS has hit the bottom of the curve and is on its way back up (slowly) - but is a 2011 997 S2 at 60K really appreciating already? If so - it is pushing uncomfortably into 991 territory! The GS does not push into anything's territory - the GT is a very different look and feel.

* Rarity - in 2006 or 2007 if you wanted an M138 then by and large it was a GS (with limited exceptions). They are very rare in RHD guise. As opposed to the selection of 911 997 SII S coupe PDK - which sits in and amongst C2, C4, 4S, GT3, GT2, turbo, turbo S - and the list goes on. One is very rare, the other is commonplace - especially when immersed beside 997 S1 and 991 - we are talking tens of thousands in RHD.

So - whilst I'll enjoy the read - I think some of the assumptions underpinning the 'head to head' are a bit shaky.

I'm with Ewan on the $$ consideration, and certainly with Contigo on the 'emotion' of driving a GS vis-a-vis the 997. One is like being offered coffee by an attractive hostess in a luxury furniture showroom while you wait...the other is like sitting at the dentist preparing to have a root canal. I don't doubt the professionalism of the latter...but I certainly prefer to indulge in the former.
 

Nayf

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Just to go back to the price comparison - it’s not just a case of that, it was just our upper limit on car choice was £40k. The proviso being that instead of spending £40k on a specced up Brand-new Golf R, you could have something far more interesting. There is of course another way to look at the price disparity - the GranSport is a cast-iron bargain compared to the other two for what you get. And if you’re looking to spend £40k on a sporty GT, why should you automatically ignore the Maserati because it’s cheaper?
The biggest factor of comparison is that the performance stats are very similar. 0-60mph is within 0.2 seconds, horsepower is within 20bhp (from memory).
 

steve3200

Junior Member
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Just bought my February copy of Modern Classics, and i think Nathan and his team at Modern Classics magazine have done a great job, really good pics and write-up.

Steve