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A Larini exhaust(ive) guide for a 2008 4.2 GT

5K views 13 replies 5 participants last post by  Korenai 
#1 · (Edited)
Hello guys, since you have been a valuable source of info before and after my purchase in July 2015, a 2008 4.2 GranTurismo Grigio Touring/Rosso Corallo, I want to contribute to the community with impressions and videos of the exhausting quest for the perfect exhaust on a 4.2. As far as I know, there was no comprehensive guide with videos for a 4.2 GT. I will also add some pictures.

Please note that all videos are shot in same conditions on an iPhone 6 Plus in my garage, hence sound is bouncing around more. In real life, everything is way more louder of course, so act accordingly. All of them were cold start, hence not too much revving to not stress the engine. All files are in .mov format.


Stock exhaust, BMC air filter

July 2015, I started with of course a bone stock car, with just a BMC cloth air filter added a couple of days after my purchase. I cannot say that the air filter had any influence on the sound of the car but it is also true that I never basically heard it with the stock paper filter. Here is the video of it, around 40 MB.


Larini rear boxes, non-valved, BMC air filter

On January 2016, I decided the car definitely needed more sound. I ordered two brand new Larini non-valved mufflers form the official French importer. After 30 minutes, they were on, perfect fitting and great product. A lift is needed. I went with non-valved since I did not liked the idea of adding an electrical system where there was none, the 4.2 has no valves whatsoever.
I was pretty pleased with my purchase, both with sounds and aesthetics. I choose the 4 pipes tips, always liked them more than the two ovals, they were more "Italian" to me. Plus, were retaining the original slash tip look, but are of course bigger. They stick out more than the originals, but not by much to look obnoxious or weird. To the non initiated, they look stock.
Sound wise, of course everything became louder, even if you needed to have the car in Sport or Manual to really hear them. In Auto, the difference was there but more on the outside of the car. Basically, Auto/Manual-Sport was my closed valves/open valves. Pops and cracks were there, really nice. Performance-wise, I did not felt anything different, even if I am sure the weight gain is beneficial and the Larini mufflers are probably better flowing. There was a small droning around 2700 rpm in Auto, when the car is lazily cruising.
I was convinced I was done with exhaust mods. Here is the video, around 37 MB.


Larini rear boxes, non-valved, Larini X-pipe, BMC air filter

But of course, after some months, you could feel that something was still muffled, that there was still something that could have been better. This is what being a car guy means, right? I ordered a brand new Larini X-pipe and had it on the car a week ago. As usual, fitting and quality were perfect, not more than a 30 minutes job. A lift is also needed.
The 4.2 is coming with an X-pipe from stock, albeit silenced with a third muffler. The Larini one removes this muffler and has a more streamlined X intersection, probably helping a little to have gases on their way more quickly. Again, on performance: maybe, just maybe, the throttle might responds an ounce quicker; but it could also just be a placebo effect from the added noise. And again, the Larini part is way lighter than stock, around half I would say.
Sound wise, you can tell a things have changed. Not too much, to the point of being obnoxious or boy-racer, but definitely you can hear me. Of course, the same consideration from before applies: Auto is "quiet mode" while Manual or Sport Auto are "loud mode". Pops, cracks are even more frequent than before and we have also loud bangs, absent with just the mufflers. In the cabin with closed windows, there is still a very reasonable noise level, those mods did not ruined conversation or music. It is also true that I have yet to do some highway with the X-pipe so I cannot comment for now on the little drone I had with just the mufflers or a serious increase of noise in long trips. Will post those updates when I will take it for some long trips. Here is the video, around 70 MB.


Final considerations
I don't feel the need for now to add the cats as well, I believe I have reached a good sound level and above this, it will be too much. It was also true though that I thought I did not need an X-pipe, so there's that... Anyway, the car now sounds like it should have been, to me at least, and those mods did not altered the image of the car, the class, the feel, the prestige. It can still be "quiet" if needed. The Larini bits are known to have more of a F1/Ferrari sounds, more high pitched, more raspy and metallic. I can confirm that. I have heard a friend's 2006 4.2 QuattroPorte DuoSelect with just Tubi rears and it is deeper indeed, at idle at least. Of course I still have doubts on which of the two approach I like best; for instance, I have been told that Tubi have more resonance and I am sure I don't like the look of theirs tips. I like deeper rumbles, even if you have to be careful to not go in muscle car territory. My friend had also an Larini X-pipe on his car but removed it because it was too loud. I was also considering an H-pipe for me, but since Maserati decided to have an X from factory (albeit silenced) I went with that one to preserve the original engineering. But yeah, I would love to also hear my car with an H-pipe and Tubi rears to be 100% happy with my purchase. Unfortunately, I don't think it's going to happen, too much trouble. I would then say that I am 90% happy with my exhaust.

Well, thanks for reading and I hope this is helpful if you are looking to modify a 4.2 exhaust. I will update this with other thoughts and new findings. Please feel free to drop by your impressions and comments on my configuration. :smile2:
 

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#3 ·
Yeah, as someone stated in another exhaust thread, the magic happens when you put in the picture at least two parts. That stock central muffler was doing a great job at... muffling and the rear cans could only do so much.
 
#5 ·
Definitely not. I believe it would have been the opposite of having just the Larini mufflers, but worse: an uncorked sound coming from the central pipe, even more muted by stock mufflers. But if I could go back, I would probably start with the X-pipe, since it's the cheapest one: 2700 € for the exhaust, 600 € for the middle section.

I doubt that I would have been satisfied, but someone might be and he would have spent less. I know it's a popular upgrade to the 4.7, since it got great mufflers from factory.

My advice is always to proceed by steps. There no point in adding all at the same time, just to found out it's too much, like what happened to my friend with his QuattroPorte.
 
#7 ·
My advice is always to proceed by steps. There no point in adding all at the same time, just to found out it's too much, like what happened to my friend with his QuattroPorte.
Words of wisdom,if i ever heard...
Make sure to keep all the stock parts,too..
 
#9 ·
Please do, so we will have the full picture with a complete Larini exhaust!


Words of wisdom,if i ever heard...
Make sure to keep all the stock parts,too..
This also a very valid point I forgot to add. Rarely 4.2 mufflers are worth much (around 500 € if you are lucky), it's better to keep them for having more options when it's time to sell the car.

No problems for the pictures, it's pretty hard to not look at such a beautiful car! :wink2:
 
#13 ·
No problem! Let me know how it goes.

My thinking based on your observations (which are much appreciated) is ...xpipe, sport mufflers, wheel spacers, HP air filter in the first round ...keep the stock cats...for now...
Round two...who knows?
If I am correct, you are buying a 4.7. On those, to me, the stock mufflers are great, no need to change them. I'm with you for the rest, barring the spacers, I personally don't like messing with weight distribution and wheel physics, but of course I might be wrong and it's just a personal paranoia not backed up by facts.:wink2:

I still prefer the sound of the OEM Maserati black oval sport exhaust combined with the Larini X-pipe over the Larini back boxes as an upgrade for the early cars.
Understandable, the OEM oval boxes are a great product! I sometimes tell myself I should have bought the 4.7, but I came across this one in my perfect color combo and a great price, so I went with it. Plus, I really like the "cleaner" lines of the 4.2, with no side skirts, no trunk spoiler and the simpler fog lights front. To me, it's the "pure" form of the GT.
 
#14 ·
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