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Mazda MX-5 Miata vs Honda Goldwing

Imagination Toys: Mazda MX-5 Miata vs Honda Goldwing

19 April 2025

Originally published in Vicarious Magazine- Fall 2024 (Subscribe now and never miss an issue!) Imagine the warmth of the sun...

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Lamborghini CEO Speaks From The Bully Pulpit

Steven Bochenek

17 April 2025

Its newest offering contains a near thousand-horsepower engine. No wonder Lamborghini’s spirit animal’s a charging bull. Founder of this ultimate-premium...

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Audi Previews Streamlined 2026 A6 sedan

15 April 2025

Telões, Portugal– In its 2026 refresh, Audi has turned its A6 sedan into an aerodynamic masterpiece. With a drag co-efficient of...

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First Drive: 2025 Audi Q5 and SQ5

1 April 2025

Málaga, Spain– The sun-drenched roads of southern Spain, provide an idyllic backdrop to experience the all-new 2025 Audi Q5 and...

This Month In Autos: Volume 11

28 March 2025

2026 Mercedes-Benz GLC EV An electrified variant of the GLC-Class is on the way, joining the internal-combustion and hybrid GLC...

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Road Test: 2025 Lexus RX 500h F Sport

24 March 2025

Charlevoix, Quebec—a land of rolling hills, jaw-dropping vistas, and roads that twist like a bowl of fresh spaghetti. The perfect...

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First Drive: 2025 Audi S3

12 March 2025

Judging by the burbling growl that announced its arrival, the vehicle rolling into the driveway should have been some kind...

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Road Test: 2025 Alpina XB7

24 January 2025

When a test vehicle earns a nickname after just 15 minutes of driving, you’ve either got a lemon or a...

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This Month In Autos- Volume 9

23 January 2025

2026 Hyundai IONIQ 9 Canadian debut Hyundai has a new EV flagship in the three-row IONIQ 9, recently revealed to...

Road Test: 2025 Mini Countryman S ALL4

20 January 2025

“Mini”. If there’s a brand name less befitting of the car to which it’s attached, I don’t know it. Maybe...

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All-new Mercedes-AMG GT 63 Coupe

8 January 2025

Mercedes-AMG has a new flagship sports car, which would typically be cause for celebration, but unfortunately AMG’s new hero is...

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Road Test: 2025 BMW M3

12 December 2024

Now is the time to buy an M3. But not just any M3. The last generations of the dying breed...

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First Drive: 2025 Audi RS 3

9 December 2024

Sitges, Spain — The automotive world sure has changed a lot over the past decade. For proof of that fact,...

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First Drive: 2025 Aston Martin Vanquish

2 December 2024

By Matt Bubbers Seen under the Sardinian sun, Aston Martin’s all-new Vanquish doesn’t look like the lairy monster its spec...

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First Drive: 2024 McLaren 750S

30 November 2024

This first drive review was originally published in the summer 2024 issue of Vicarious magazine. Palm Spring, California – I...

This Month In Autos: Volume 7

27 November 2024

2026 Cadillac Vistiq The arrival of Cadillac’s newest zero emissions three-row SUV is finally upon us: welcome the 2026 Cadillac...

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Road Test: 2025 BMW 330i

22 November 2024

The 2025 BMW 330i is something of a stealth superstar. Absolutely nothing about it screams “Look at me!” or even...

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Featured Car: 2024 Lamborghini Revuelto

20 November 2024

It’s amazing; seems that just yesterday, hybrid vehicles were complete oddities in the car and light truck world. Today, the...

Jaguar Reborn

19 November 2024

Gaydon, UK — As the car world moves – albeit more slowly as of late – to full electrification, Jaguar...

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Featured SUV: 2024 Porsche Cayenne Turbo GT

15 November 2024

Driving the 2024 Porsche Cayenne Turbo GT is not for anyone looking to pass through the neighbourhood unnoticed. This is...

True confession time: This driver has a soft spot for most vehicles bearing the legendary trident and for the Maserati GranTurismo in particular. While picking style over substance is never a safe bet when it comes to high-performance vehicles, the GranTurismo has been an absolutely stunning grand touring coupe from the very beginning. The very beginning began way back in 2007 with the release of the first-generation model. That model was in production from that point until 2019 and it didn’t change much over that period. The reason, probably? It didn’t need to change much. The original design, penned by Jason Castriota when he was with Pininfarina, is/was both timeless and beautiful, the very definition of a collectible GT. To bring more than a measure of substance into the discussion, the GranTurismo was powered by a 4.2-litre V-8 gasoline engine developed in partnership with Ferrari. Fun Ferrari fact: At the time, the GranTurismo was the least expensive Ferrari-engined production vehicle in the world. (Thus, even more collectible.) Now, we have the arrival of the second-generation Maserati GranTurismo—and changes have been made. The question is: Do these changes make the new GT more, less or equally desirable as the original? To find out, a select group of lucky souls journeyed to the Eternal City to sample the car and its all-electric equivalent, the GranTurismo Folgore. First things first: Although the electrified GranTurismo and the petrol-powered variant were developed in parallel, the car is surprisingly similar in design to the last-generation model. Without question, the average onlooker would recognize the new GT as a Maserati GranTurismo: the lines are strikingly similar, the design far more evolution than revolution. Under the guidance of chief designer Klaus Busse, the team at Maserati opted to retain the classic proportions of the 2+2 grand tourer, here featuring an elongated hood and four rounded fenders. This design, called the “cofango”—an amalgam of the Italian words for “hood” and “fender”—evokes Italian style from the past, on display in cars such as the original Maserati Birdcage from the late-1950s. Yet, despite its clear links to both the recent past and deeper into the archives, the new GranTurismo is significantly different. According to Busse, dimensions have increased only marginally, but the interior has added space for four adult passengers and there’s 100 litres more storage capacity in the trunk. All versions of the Maserati send drive to all four wheels now. While this always adds weight to a car, the new GranTurismo is lighter than the outgoing version. Finally, the new design shares no body panels with the previous model. So—while the latest GT resembles its predecessor, it’s very different under the surface. Here’s another big change to consider: Instead of a Ferrari V-8 under the hood, there’s a twin-turbocharged 3.0-litre V-6. If this sounds like a step down… well, it kind of is because it’s not a Ferrari engine and it’s not a V-8. On the other hand, it is the same engine that powers the Maserati MC20, detuned a bit for the GranTurismo application. For the base model, codenamed the GranTurismo Modena, this engine develops 490 horsepower and 443 pound-feet of torque. For the high-performing Trofeo variant, the engine is boosted a bit to the tune of 550 horsepower and 479 lb-ft of torque. (To be fair, all these numbers are higher than for the V-8.) Performance figures for the Trofeo are right about where you want a modern GT to land: 0-100 km/h in 3.5 seconds and a top speed of 320 km/h. These numbers are backed up by the actual drive experience, which in this case was a leisurely route that began on the cobblestone streets of Rome, extended to the sweeping vistas of Tuscany and then on to the industrial areas just outside and within Modena city limits. For this trip, drivers were encouraged to switch from the GranTurismo Trofeo to the all-electric Folgore and back, a daring move on the part of Maserati. This structure gave everyone the opportunity to choose his or her favourite—old school or new school. There’s no question that the Folgore is faster in a straight line and it’s probably quicker around corners to boot. But the tuning experts at Maserati know full well that the sound of an internal combustion engine at full song is something with enduring value. So, if the Trofeo is slightly more relaxed than its electrified twin as far as the stopwatch is concerned, it still sounds fast and it still feels fast. The chassis is responsive and engaging, aided by an electronic rear slip differential, and the steering is light but accurate. Under power, the 8-speed automatic transmission is resolute and precise, snapping up and down through the gears smartly. The brakes are solid under foot, reliably powerful and easily able to bleed speed. There are certain characteristics you expect to find in a modern GT car that’s priced well north of six figures. The 2024 Maserati GranTurismo Trofeo meets the mandate with style and panache, offering class-competitive driving dynamics, all the requisite luxury amenities and space for four adult passengers. Here in Canada, the car starts at $222,500—an eye-watering number, to be sure—but there’s so much to admire here.

Featured Car: 2024 Maserati GranTurismo Trofeo

9 November 2024

Modena, Italy: It’s true confession time. This driver has a soft spot for most vehicles bearing the legendary trident and...

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First Drive: 2025 Audi A3 and S3

5 November 2024

It is always a joy returning to Germany to test drive a new vehicle. There is such a difference between...

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First Drive: 2025 Maserati GranCabrio + GranCabrio Folgore

10 October 2024

Stresa, Italy- Last year saw the release of the latest-generation Maserati GranTurismo and its electrified kin, the Folgore. The notion to...

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Road Test: 2025 BMW Z4 M40i Handschalter

29 September 2024

When you get a shiver of anticipation just hearing a car fire up, you know good things are about to...

2024 Subaru WRX RS

Road Test: 2024 Subaru WRX RS

23 August 2024

Subaru doesn’t make the STi anymore and the company has no plans to bring it back. As much as we...

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2024 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance- Best Of Show

20 August 2024

Pebble Beach Automotive Week is always an exciting entry on the calendar where gearheads, collectors and industry members gather in...

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Road Test: 2024 Jeep Gladiator Willys

15 August 2024

The Jeep Gladiator Willys has been given a refresh for the 2024 model year, including a new front fascia and...

2024 Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio AWD

Road Test: 2024 Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio

1 August 2024

Alfa Romeo is synonymous with attractive and sporty vehicles and the 2024 Stelvio SUV is no exception. With some new...

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