DMC’s Superchaged Maserati GranCabrio Steps on Ferrari’s Toes
For virtually all of the time since it became part of the Fiat Empire in 1993, Maserati has been kept a step or two below Ferrari in areas like performance and exclusivity. Granted, there have been a few modern Maseratis that have bucked this trend (the Ferrari Enzo based MC12 chief among them), but most have been designed more for style and comfort than full-on speed and agility.
On the bright side, however, this leaves the automotive aftermarket with plenty of room to make improvements. And German tuner DMC has used just about all of that room when assembling the outrageous orange GranCabrio (known here as the GranTurismo Convertible) you see here. In fact, most Ferrari California owners should be worried.
This tuned ragtop Maser – dubbed Sovrano – will be easy to spot, though. The nose features a meaner-than-stock fascia with integral splitter, while much more aggressive side skirts are fitted. A new rear bumper with diffuser in installed out back, and the whole ensemble is finished in semigloss orange with the stock lettering and trim re-coated in black. And in typical DMC fashion, the body kit parts are made from carbon fiber to save weight. The stock wheels are replaced with PUR 1NE Monoblock wheels measuring 20” in front and 21” in back, which are aided in their task of filling the wheel wells by a 1.2” ride height reduction. Inside, the seats are re-trimmed in checker-pattern stitched leather, and there are heaping doses of carbon fiber trim, including on the rim of the new sport steering wheel.
But the revised looks aren’t the biggest news with the Sovrano. No, that title goes to what’s going on under the hood. The 4.7L V8 is fitted with a supercharger, which raises output to 582hp and 398 lb.-ft of torque. DMC hasn’t said what impact this extra power will have on performance, but you can bet your bottom dollar (and probably your top one too) that it has a higher top speed and takes less time to reach it.
DMC also hasn’t said how much all these upgrades will cost, but considering how much carbon fiber is involved, we’re guessing it’s a rather large number. But a Ferrari California commands a large number, too. And a 458 Spider’s number is larger still. So it all comes down to how you want to spend your moolah.
Source: DMC