Skyhook

[Palmball]

I find myself in unfamiliar territory with my forthcoming Granturismo S - it doesn't have Skyhook!

Why unfamiliar? Well, traditionally I always have to have all the key options on a car and have always deemed a form of adaptive damping as a key option (my BMW M3, BMW M6 and my Porsche all had the relevant box ticked for their respective adaptive damping systems).

In the case of the Maserati, I started out thinking that whatever I bought had to have this option but then I drove one without it (the car I've bought actually) and it seemed to drive just fine - I couldn't really detect any different between one with and without

I've also read plenty of reports that all seem to say not to bother with it as the car is fine without.

Question is chaps....have I missed something and are there any positives or negatives to having this system?

 

[ratbag]

Must say my GT rides very well WITH Skyhook (much better than old 4200) but can't say what it would be like without it.

The dealer told me that from a resale point of view GT's must be fitted with certain "essential extras" to get top money/most desirable:

Skyhook.
20 inch wheels (not 19's)
Front seat comfort pack
Satnav

 

[rs48635]

Driven Granturismo both with and without "skyhook".
Have to say the Granturismo S did not miss the trick suspension *.
The Granturismo "S" felt more alive, yet still lithe and supple, flowing over imperfections much better that the skyhook car, even though it rolled a little more in the bends. Driving the "regular" skyhook car felt like making love to a beautiful woman, wearing several condoms. You knew you were enjoying the ride, but somehow it should have felt better.

*Maybe the options are essential for the "tick every box type of buyer", but judging by the seat-of-pants feel it is not essential.


* N.B. note skyhook car might have been the regularGranturismo and Granturismo S was without. Maybe extra noise of the "S" will influences the sporty feel

 

[Palmball]

Thanks guys - and rs48635, this pretty much what I thought. I could hardly tell any difference except the conventionally-damped car seemed to have more 'feel'.

I appreciate the lack of it may put some people off (as it would traditionally have done me had I not experienced one with and without) but in all honesty this does seem to be reflected in the price of the one I bought which is a minimum of a couple of grand less than others of similar mileage.

 

[rs48635]

Good choice chap, buy it cause you love it.
All those speculators ordering new cars with "resale specs" have diminshed somewhat, leaving more space for discerning buyers. More so since the M3 CSL scam, lots of £5k deposits taken. Expectant speculators waitng to sell their place on the list for 5 or 10k, until Bee-em built one car for every order. Proper businessmen those germans.

Rob