Maserati GranTurismo Trofeo 2025 review – should Bentley be worried?

Once tarnished, Maserati’s name was given new shine for the 2020s. The MC20 (now MCPura) turned out to be our Car of the Year in 2022, while the latest GranTurismo brought some edge to a mostly sterile EV sector with the zero-emissions Folgore. A lack of innovation since has seen the brand plateau, but that doesn’t make its offerings any less engaging to drive today.

While the launch of the all-electric GranTurismo Folgore was a bold move that not many other mainstream manufacturers have had the nerve to make, it’s the range-topping combustion-powered Trofeo that we (and Maserati’s customers) are most interested in. Borrowing its powertrain from the MC20, its starting point is a good one, and while initial impressions on Car of the Year left us uncertain, we’ve revisited the latest iteration to see how it stacks up against its latest competition from Bentley and Aston Martin.

> £200,000 supercar shoot-out: AMG v Aston Martin v Maserati v McLaren

Engine, gearbox and 0-62mph time

A 3-litre twin-turbocharged ‘Nettuno’ straight-six is what lies under the long bonnet of both combustion-powered GranTurismo models, but in range-topping Trofeo spec, power stands at 542bhp and 479lb ft of torque. Opt for the entry-level Modena and you get ‘just’ 482bhp and 442lb ft, but based on the potency of the Trofeo’s 542bhp, you still won’t feel short changed.

Unlike the previous naturally aspirated V8 car, drive is sent through an eight-speed ZF automatic to all four wheels as opposed to the rear two alone, making for some much more modern performance numbers. The 0-62mph sprint is quoted at 3.5sec with top speed at 199mph, and it feels it (and more). Much like the MC20, there’s a sense that Maserati’s engineers have done some tactical underselling of output numbers in order to stay clear of the GranTurismo’s Italian relatives – it feels seriously quick.

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The GranTurismo might have a new lightened construction, but it’s hardly featherweight – Maserati quotes a kerb weight of 1795kg. Combine this with its power figure though, and a 302bhp/ton power-to-weight is what you get, certainly nothing to be ashamed of when the £202,000 Bentley Continental GT makes do with 286bhp/ton.

Despite its GT name, the GranTurismo lacks some of the low speed refinement of some of its rivals, with this powertrain feeling as if it was never designed to burble along at 30mph. A surprising level of vibration makes its way into the cabin through the wheel and pedals, with the Nettuno V6 lumpy and delicate in feel under these conditions – on more than one occasion, it even felt as if the engine was no more than a few rpm from a stall. While the Bentley Continental GT has effortless performance from all speeds, the Maserati requires some thought to get it there.

Get it up on its toes and things change dramatically. Drop two or three gears via its tactile, well-weighted elongated shift paddles and the V6 comes alive, pushing you into your seat for as long as you request power. Shifts aren’t as crisp as in something with a dual-clutch gearbox, but calibration is spot on for a transmission of this kind, giving you satisfying throttle-cut upshifts at full throttle and reasonably responsive downshifts too. The engine sound of its V8 predecessor was going to be impossible to match, but this car produces plenty of sound on the outside too (akin to an Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio, funnily enough). 

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Ride and handling

Despite the extra weight of the all-drive underpinnings, the double wishbone front/multi-link rear suspension can do supple and tender, at least with the drive modes pegged back to the default GT setting. As a GT it absorbs every mile without disturbing you unnecessarily, the bumpy road mode rarely required even on British roads. 

Knock the drive mode all the way up into Corsa and ride height drops by 15mm thanks to standard-fit air suspension, giving it sharpened dynamics and a new level of visual purpose. The difference is immediately apparent, but given the use of air as opposed to a more conventional high performance chassis setup, it never gets quite as firm as you might expect. On numerous occasions under compression we found suspension travel ran out sooner than you might expect, making it a little unpredictable and disconnected on the limit (something it happily encourages you to reach for). 

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Rarely does it feel all-wheel drive, the balance remains rear driven allowing you to enjoy the flow and precise nature that’s been dialled into the GranTurismo’s chassis. There are no hidden surprises or clunky transitions but a simple clean quality to how it steers and turns. Even when pushed hard the front is resistant to push, preferring to work its Pirelli’s harder to maintain an unbreakable purchase on the surface. Become friendlier with the throttle earlier in the turn and the GranTurismo settles on its haunches and shoves you through the exit in a fluid, hunkered down motion. 

Unfortunately if you enjoy the Trofeo too much the brakes won’t last the distance. Pedal feel is reasonable under normal conditions and they bite strongly to bleed speed promptly, but it doesn’t take many miles of spirited driving for the pedal length to increase and the rate of retardation to decrease. It’s not the same issue that affects the MC20, which suffers from a long pedal but delivers consistently strong braking performance, but is one that might peg a few back from exploring the unexpected high, and very welcome talents the new GranTurismo Trofeo has to offer. 

Interior and tech

It’s not cramped as you might think on the inside. A snug four-seater but a four-seater nonetheless (we managed to get four adults inside without too much of an issue). Perhaps the packaging’s most effective move is the way the centre line of the roof doesn’t notably slope towards the rear screen - thus ensuring headlining and hairdo of the rear occupants stay an inch or so apart - yet, with the eye drawn by the shape of the side window graphic, the profile still looks outrageously sleek.  

Slide into the driver’s seat and it’s all very GT pleasant (especially with the swathes of tasteful blue leather in our test car), but there is a sense that materials aren’t quite up to par with some of its rivals. The double-layer central infotainment system is functional, and the dedicated second display for climate control is a great idea, but in a car at this price point some tactile physical buttons would have been nice to see. 

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The steering wheel is well-judged, tactile and not too big. An integrated start/stop button adds a small dose of theatre to the experience and a rotary drive mode selector offers an intuitive way to quickly switch between modes while on the move (it even includes a dedicated button for the Ferrari-style bump road mode). Gear selection happens via a panel of cheap looking gloss black buttons, which we’re not a huge fan of, and storage compartments in the front are oddly shallow – thankfully the boot is of a usable size for the longer road trips you’ll undoubtedly embark on.

Overall cabin design is well-considered, with ambient lighting at night kept neutral and muted, playing off the clever textured materials for some classy ambiance. The seats get the compromise between comfort and support spot on and if you take a glance at the pedals, you’ll find they’re of a cast metal design like models of old, proudly displaying the Maserati Trident on the brake pedal. 

For those that value a good sound system, the GranTurismo gets that too. Option the 'high premium' Sonus Faber sound system and you get a total of 19 speakers with 1195-watts of output, tuned surprisingly well for a car of this kind.

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Price, specs and rivals

The Maserati GranTurismo Trofeo is a super GT that’s fallen under the radar for most, and while it might not be as well rounded as some of its British alternatives, it’s a strong performer. Pleasantly soft-edged yet brutally quick when it needs to be, it’s a great alternative to the more popular offerings should you be looking for something a little different. It also helps that new pre-registered cars are already being offered at discounts of up to £30,000…

The GranTurismo Trofeo now costs from £150,690 in the UK, which, oddly, is around £15,000 less than it did just a couple of years ago – the less powerful entry-level car is available for even less at £125,345. Granted, even the Trofeo has much less on-paper performance than the newly-updated 671bhp Bentley Continental GT, but then this car now starts from a much higher £202,400 price point – close to £240,000 is what you’ll need for the 771bhp Speed. 

Elsewhere in the super GT segment there’s the excellent Aston Martin DB12 which starts from just shy of £200,000, and this car is much closer in character to the GranTurismo than the Bentley. Its on-paper stats are well ahead of the GranTurismo with not far from 671bhp going to the rear wheels for an even more engaging drive, but fit and finish are a question mark. The Ferrari Amalfi, replacement for the Roma, will also be a direct rival once it hits UK roads in 2026, but it too will be a more premium option at over £200,000 without options.

Maserati GranTurismo Trofeo specs