[Peepster]

Hey everyone, I invite you to take a look at the wikipedia article for the Coupe and Spyder:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maserati_Coupe

It was sort of a bare-bones stub of an article so I substantially rewrote it after going through approximately eighty articles on the matter.

If you see anything incorrect or that should be added, let me know and if it meets the wikipedia guidelines, I can add it/change it.

 

[Bcube]

A lot of good (and hard) work there. I commend you on putting that together.

A few discussion points for consideration:
*"by Italian automaker Maserati from 2002-2006." That was North America. The models were still in production for European markets during 2007.

*"They have now been replaced by the GranTurismo.[3]" I, personally, have never been happy with that statement from Road&Track and I have never read or heard Maserati PR or an official spokesperson confirm that. But I could be wrong.

*"including a leather headliner featuring a grosgrain pattern" misspelled word?

*"Also, in 2004, a Vintage trim package was introduced." It was actually introduced on a 2003 Spyder. Might be more accurate to say "Also, in 2004, a Vintage trim package became available." http://www.netcarshow.com/maserati/2003-spyder_vintage_package/

 

[M!]

not much detailed information on the Gransport.
absolutely no mention of Frank Stephenson for his design!!!!

"A 2004 Coupé 90th Anniversary edition was announced,[51][52] but apparently never produced."

from what i understand there was a 90th anniversary coupe/spyder ordered by maserati australia.
http://www.carpoint.com.au/used-car/MASERATI/SPYDER/South Australia/csn5229088.aspx?State=SA

"2005 Spyder 90th Anniversary[32][47]"
should be 2005 90th Anniversary Spyder

not much info on the MC Victory either:
http://www.maserati.com/mcvictory/eng/index.html
(not exactly body panels...)

no mention of limited numbers for the editions (90 world, 90 USA for the 90th spyder, 180 for the MC Victory)

and absolutely nothing on the giugiaro 320S:
http://www.maserati-alfieri.co.uk/maser09.htm

more resources for you
http://www.maseratinet.com/MCI/masinthenews.asp

 

[M!]

*"They have now been replaced by the GranTurismo.[3]" I, personally, have never been happy with that statement from Road&Track and I have never read or heard Maserati PR or an official spokesperson confirm that. But I could be wrong.

exactly. i believe in many of their websites they continued to list the coupe / spyder in the models range.

as well, i remember somewhere someone from maserati claimed that the GT is not a replacement for the coupe / spyder but a different model.

 

[M!]

as well, there were 2 major Trofeos:
http://www.maseraticorse.com/home.php?lang=eng&menuid=010190

Trofeo Gransport details
http://www.maseraticorse.com/home.php?lang=eng&menuid=01019004&idsitm=TD&idrace=&idtrk=

 

[shed17]

The picture of the coupe is actually a GranSport

 

[Bcube]

not much detailed information on the Gransport.
absolutely no mention of Frank Stephenson for his design!!!!

M!,
Mr. Stephenson was involved in the design evolution of the GranSport? That was something I hadn't read. The MC12 now - yes, of course. Or do you mean more through association and final approval as he was Head of Design of Ferrari/Maserati during that time.

 

[BigFoot]

Good effort

 

[M!]

M!,
Mr. Stephenson was involved in the design evolution of the GranSport? That was something I hadn't read. The MC12 now - yes, of course. Or do you mean more through association and final approval as he was Head of Design of Ferrari/Maserati during that time.

bcube, frank stephenson for sure headed the design change and signed it off. i cannot find any mention of other designers associated with the evolutionary changes. in any case, it was an in-house design, certainly not from giugiaro or pininfarina!

read these links and see if you can tell me whether he is the actual designer or he just signed it off...

http://www.thecarconnection.com/Aut...ILE_Ferraris_Frank_Stephenson.S173.A7742.html

http://web2.caranddriver.com/previews/8783/maserati-gransport.html

http://www.evo.co.uk/carreviews/cargrouptests/50775/maserati_gransport.html

http://www.businessweek.com/autos/content/dec2005/bw20051228_703779.htm?campaign_id=search

if he headed a complicated project like the MINI design so successfully, the GS changes was probably a easy job for him.

 

[BigFoot]

The GS is still Giugiaro badged so doesn't that mean that Giugiaro did it?

 

[M!]

correct observation. perhaps he is the head of design of maserati/fiat and he wouldn't take credit and over-badge giugiaro's design....

the coupe/spyder was designed by giugiaro.
Frank Stephenson in 2004 updated his design into the GS.

interestingly, the alfa brera is designed and badged by giugiaro, whereas the spider iteration redesigned by pininfarina instantly rebadged as pininfarina.

 

[Bcube]

Thanks for links, M!.

Yes, I agree. It looks like he had direct influence in the additions of the aerodynamics devices of the GranSport i.e. the deeper front lower spoiler, surfboards, and rear spoiler.

 

[Peepster]

Some good stuff here, thanks for the reviews. I will need some time to go through it all and check out some of the links.

If everyone continues to post comments and information here I will incorporate what I can into the article.

I would like to get production volumes in there, and I know there is at least one recent discussion, but I don't recall seeing much that looked reliable and separately verifiable. If anyone has any good links to manufacturer or news reports of that information, let me know.

 

[BigFoot]

correct observation. perhaps he is the head of design of maserati/fiat and he wouldn't take credit and over-badge giugiaro's design....

the coupe/spyder was designed by giugiaro.
Frank Stephenson in 2004 updated his design into the GS.

I think you're right there.

interestingly, the alfa brera is designed and badged by giugiaro, whereas the spider iteration redesigned by pininfarina instantly rebadged as pininfarina.

Just fyi, the original Brera concept car was made by Italdesign (Giugiaro) so it sort of made sense for them to be involved in the production version though I get the feeling Pininfarina is closer to the Fiat group and got the jobbie for the Spider.

I'll investigate

 

[BigFoot]

Off thread

Pininfarina actually makes the Brera too.