[pMak]

Hi guys,

Last summer I was fortunate enough to drive my g'f's dad's Maserati GranSport Spyder through the Malibu canyons. The car was a good bit of fun, but, I didn't feel like the car was in true "Sports" mode. The shifts had quite a long delay and the TC was still on. Drove me nuts.

In 2 weeks I will be fortunate enough to get to drive the beast again. So my question is, how do I turn the electronic aids off and quicken up those shifts? Last time out all we did was turn the "auto" button off. What else do I need to do to really give the car the stick?

Thanks!
-Paul

Quick backround on me: 21 yr old total enthusiast, raced karts since I was 14, and have damn good car control according to Skip Barber instructors.

 

[DeaneG]

Put it in "sport" mode with the Sport button (Sport indicator lights up on the instrument panel). This quickens shifts considerably and gives you more "leash" on wheelspin and yaw (car spin).

Holding down the MSP button for a few seconds will turn off all traction and stabillity control. This would be a quick way to total your g/f's dad's car in a ravine though! Sport mode alone should give you all you'll want.

 

[M!]

Put it in "sport" mode with the Sport button (Sport indicator lights up on the instrument panel). This quickens shifts considerably and gives you more "leash" on wheelspin and yaw (car spin).

Holding down the MSP button for a few seconds will turn off all traction and stabillity control. This would be a quick way to total your g/f's dad's car in a ravine though! Sport mode alone should give you all you'll want.

absolutely agree.
no point with traction control off on public roads. the msp is quite generous on the gs.

 

[pMak]

Well thank you very much fellas!

I'm really hoping the shifts don't take the (what I would guess) .8second delay like the last time I drove it.

I'll probably leave the TC on unless we find an empty parking lot, that is if it is as generous as you guys say. And no I do not drive stupid or irresponsibly on the street, as I know that is not the place. I have the shifter kart for that sort of stuff. I just hate electronic aids, street or not. I like the "shimmie" (which is always well within control) that is missed out from a car with all the electronic crap.

Thanks again guys, saved me a lot of reading in the manual !
-Paul

 

[DeaneG]

...I'm really hoping the shifts don't take the (what I would guess) .8second delay like the last time I drove it....

Shift speed is also driven by engine torque output. Fastest shifts in the 200-300 millisecond range are in Sport mode with the throttle nailed at high rpms (about one watch tick, if you can find a watch that ticks). I'd suggest you have plenty of clear road around you for 0-1 and 1-2 shifts.

Forgot to mention, you also get cool Tubi sound effects while in Sport mode.

 

[tgriff]

Shift speed is also driven by engine torque output. Fastest shifts in the 200-300 millisecond range are in Sport mode with the throttle nailed at high rpms (about one watch tick, if you can find a watch that ticks). I'd suggest you have plenty of clear road around you for 0-1 and 1-2 shifts.

Forgot to mention, you also get cool Tubi sound effects while in Sport mode.

The car will shift considerably faster above 5500 RPMs.

 

[MaseratiBoy]

I just noticed something, does her dad KNOW that you are driving it?

If not, you should probably be a bit more conservative in your driving... Dont want to total his car.

I guess it would be funny if you towed the totaled car back into the garage and pretended like nothing happened haha.

 

[Fastfreddy]

Beuller!!!!

 

[pMak]

HAHA! YES he knows... at least, I should hope he knows, his is going to be in the passenger seat like last time.

He knows I can drive my ass off, so he wanted me to show him uhh, "a little," which is the whole point to me wanting to know how to turn the TC off and quicken up the shifts. Good question though.

No worries guys, like I said, I'm a heads up driver on streets and don't do anything stupid.

Interesting that you guys say the car shifts much quick at 5500rpm+. Since its not my car, and I know how much F-car maintance costs are, I did not revv the car past 6000, probably still won't.

Thanks again guys

 

[MaseratiBoy]

The car LOVES to be revved up high. thats the way the engine was created. If he is letting you do it, do it!

 

[Fastfreddy]

The Maserati has a rev limiter. Oversquare engines like to sing!

 

[tgriff]

HAHA! YES he knows... at least, I should hope he knows, his is going to be in the passenger seat like last time.

He knows I can drive my ass off, so he wanted me to show him uhh, "a little," which is the whole point to me wanting to know how to turn the TC off and quicken up the shifts. Good question though.

No worries guys, like I said, I'm a heads up driver on streets and don't do anything stupid.

Interesting that you guys say the car shifts much quick at 5500rpm+. Since its not my car, and I know how much F-car maintance costs are, I did not revv the car past 6000, probably still won't.

Thanks again guys

the 5500 rpm point is part of the design of the car. it's in the manuel. the car loves being pushed. knock yourself out.

 

[pMak]

Hi guys,

Just thought I'd report back.

Car was a blast to drive with the TC off! Could not believe how much more fun it was. none of that annoying intrusive cutting of the throttle while powering out of a corner.

We blasted through San Francisquito Canyon which was a pretty good drive. If anyone knows a white Porsche GT2 that was on the road just before sunset yesterday (1/7), tell the guy I'm sorry, because I'm sure I scared the sh!t out of him as he had a face full of tire screetching maserati coming at him at ~120mph through a long bend. Anyway, I left the car in Auto mode, but took TC off and put it in sport mode. I let the car upshift itself at whatever redline is like you guys said, but I did all the downshifting myself.

As promised, I didn't do anything stupid! That quick 120mph turn had excellent visability for about 1/4 mile down the road, and plenty of light to see any dirt/debre. And the rest of the drive was just a brisk cruise.

So anyway, TC off the car is absolutely a dream to drive, thanks again guys!

oh, one last thing, I LOVE the steering box of that car. Even going through cayon road I did not have to steer the wheel more then a 1/4 turn!!

 

[MaseratiBoy]

You shouldnt have put it in auto... You didnt get to feel the car work its magic...

 

[M!]

exactly.. why would you put it in auto??

 

[Glenn Wallace]

exactly.. why would you put it in auto??

does not compute. auto defaults off and I can't imagine any reason to turn it on. really.

Can you drive a manual?

 

[MaseratiBoy]

yeah... and it overrides sport mode..

 

[pMak]

ehh, i had fun anyway. i tried all the buttons and just happen to leave it in auto. Yes I can drive a true manual! hah, DD is a 5-speed.

anyway, it was all good fun, thanks for the help fellas

 

[milanojess]

Nothing wrong driving in Auto mode, I am sure once pMak gets familiar with the paddle shift, he'll use it as it is intended to he just need more "seat time" in that car

BTW, pMak, all italian cars "need" to be driven hard. By not reving to red line, you are not giving the engine proper breathing that it needs to keep it healthy.
(ignore that imaginary 5500 rpm limit)