2009 Maserati GranTurismo S

‘MA55 RGR’ is a Maserati GranTurismo S from January 2009 that’s finished in Carbon Black with a matching black leather and carbonfibre interior.

It comes with a very good service history too, only ever having been looked after by a Maserati dealer or an independent specialist. It also holds a long and advisory-free MoT certificate, and runs and drives beautifully.

The seller sold this very example to the registered keeper in 2024, knows the car well, and has just taken it back in part-exchange.

The combination of good shutlines, not obvious repairs, and a clear HPI report suggest this example does not have an interesting story to tell; while we yield to no man in our admiration of someone who’s led an interesting life and tells a good tale with gusto, we prefer our Italian super-saloons to have led a boring and virtuous life.

Everything else stacks up too; while the rear bumper is cracked, the underside of the front valence is scuffed an few missing fasteners, and the nearside door has a small dink on its creaseline, everything else looks very good. 

And the Nero Carbonio paintwork, which shines nicely and shows no obvious flaws or defects in its application, would highlight every flaw and blemish, no matter how small.

Close inspection reveals that the lamp lenses are free of sun-damage and cracks; the glazing is free of scratches and chips; and the badges are still vivid and bright.

The 20-inch alloy wheels, whose design incorporates seven tridents as the spokes, allows you to admire the huge red brake calipers and the four ventilated brake discs that are needed to bring the beast to a smart stop.

Showing only gentle rubbing to the rims in a few small places, the front tyres are Mazzini Eco607 from 2025, while the rear tyres are Michelin Pilot Sport 3 from 2023 and 2024. All have good tread. 

As for other flaws, the wiper arms could do with being repainted or replaced, the windscreen has started to laminate around the perimeter, and the headlights have gone hazy.

As a luxury sporting saloon with Italian flair, the GranTurismo’s cabin accommodates four people in supreme comfort as it transports them across entire countries in one gorgeous-sounding swoop. 

As you’d expect given the GranTurismo’s propensity for high-G shenanigans, the four seats hold their occupants firmly in place while still being very comfortable. The front seats are also electrically adjustable and heated, while the two individual rear seats offer a wide central armrest, two cupholders, and reasonable legroom. 

The trim is as well-judged as the engineering; black leather is a popular choice for a reason, not least because it wears a light patina more gracefully than any other colour.

While many manufacturers would have reached for the burr walnut veneer catalogue, Maserati forged a different path, asking the carbonfibre folk to pitch for their business.

And Maserati chose well, the carbonfibre trim being purposeful and upmarket without straying into the sort of gaudiness we see with some other manufacturers. This is all in good shape too.

The pedals are, of course, drilled alloy jobbies that look every bit as good as they feel through the thin soles of your hand-crafted Italian driving shoes. The leather-trimmed steering wheel is also sculpted to fit your hands perfectly, and the flappy paddles operate the six-speed automated gearbox with a very satisfying ‘snick’.

Old School touches like the ornate analogue clock prove that Maserati hasn’t forgotten the importance of tradition, while the comprehensive infotainment centre also demonstrates an understanding of what technology we’ve all come to rely on.

The boot is both clean and a good size, thereby fulfilling all that could reasonably be asked of it – and there’s a decent toolkit too, thereby exceeding the specification offered by most manufacturers.

Note the fact the puddle lights on the underside of the doors both work, which is a small thing but often a telling one because if the owners go to the trouble of maintaining them, they’re going to be equally fastidious with the more obvious stuff, surely?

As for flaws and blemishes, the buttons show the usual stickiness, and the trim is coming away from the edge of the windscreen. 

The Maserati’s service history is as follows:

• 08.03.2024 and 38,288 miles – service by The Supercar Rooms
• 17.03.2022 and 36,742 miles – service by The Supercar Rooms
• 20.02.2020 and 28,605 miles – service by Meridien Modena including fresh coolant, brake fluid, PAS fluid, and transmission oil plus new parking sensors and more at a cost of £4,366
• 28.03.2018 and 24,661 miles – service by Meridien Modena
• 08.03.2016 and 20,450 miles – service by Lancaster Colchester
• 30.01.2015 and 16,731 miles – service by Lancaster Colchester
• 23.01.2014 and 14,295 miles – service by Lancaster Colchester
• 10.01.2013 and 11,409 miles – service by Lancaster Colchester
• 10.12.2010 and 5,033 miles – service by Joe Macari Servicing Ltd

There’s a receipt on file from 2022 for a pre-purchase inspection that led to a bill for £1,838 to put a few things right.

Ferrari Birmingham replaced the NQS and steering wheel in 2021 at a cost of £2,412, while Maserati Lancaster fitted a new air-conditioning condenser and belts, a wheel bearing, and two chassis plates at a cost of £4,088 in January 2018.

The same firm ran up another bill, this time for £5,387, in November 2016 to replace the offside rear hub, the handbrake shoes and actuator, and the rear brake discs and pads in addition to refurbishing the wheels and fitting four new Pirelli tyres as well as minor bodywork.

That significant investment has paid off because the GranTurismo starts well before settling into a steady idle. It also revs beautifully, with the V8 engine creating the most glorious noise as you feed it more petrol.

Of course, the exhaust note is the star of the show, even at idle; while other manufacturers *think* they’ve tuned their exhaust systems properly, Maserati can sit back with a cup of espresso and smile the smile of a firm that *knows* it’s done the job right.

Oh, and it accomplishes all of this without triggering any dashboard warning lights.

Our test drive also went well. The only faults we identified are a light knock from the nearside rear suspension when you drive over a bump or an imperfection in the road, and the alarm, which goes off randomly, even when you’re driving. 

As for the cosmetics, the engine is largely hidden behind acoustic shields but what we can see looks good – and, of course, no engine bay is ever made worse by providing a glimpse of red valve covers, is it?

You could get it professionally detailed, which would enable it to fulfil every inch of its considerable potential – but if you were to leave it as it is and spend the money on petrol instead then the other half of the car community would nod in approval.

All would appreciate the Maserati’s MoT history: For a start, the current ticket doesn’t run out until April 2027. It was also issued with no advisories, just like every single one since 2021 – and there are eight more advisory-free passes on record too, plus another in which it gained advisories for the heinous crime of having factory-fitted undertrays. 

Go figure.

As we mentioned earlier, the recent Vehicle History Check is clear, and the car comes with two key fobs, a Maserati USB stick, the wallet and book pack including the all-important service history booklet, and some invoices for servicing and repair work over the years.

Many enthusiasts would offer a Maserati GranTurismo S a home – but most also know that buying anything other than a well-fettled, well-papered example, no matter how cheap, would be an act of folly.

It would also be an unnecessary gamble given the estimate for good examples like this, cars with evidence that the right money has been spent with the right people on the right things, is only between £16,000 and £20,000 anyway.

Viewing is strongly encouraged, and this lot is located at THE MARKET HQ in South Oxfordshire. Viewings are STRICTLY BY APPOINTMENT and we are open weekdays (apart from Bank Holidays) between 10am - 12pm or 2pm - 4pm. To make a booking, please use the ‘Enquire About This Vehicle’ button on the listing. Feel free to ask any questions, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.