Talk of recession may dominate the headlines but some luxury car makers are currently doing very nicely thank you…

Aston Martin has had to outsource production of its new Rapide to Austria because it is already operating at full capacity at Gaydon; top end diesel Range Rovers are flying out of Solihull; and Lexus has quietly doubled sales of the LS460 which competes in the declining executive sector of the market.

Then there is Maserati. Long considered the most wayward of Italian auto manufacturers, the Trident firm last year made a profit for the first time in 15 years and is looking to improve on that performance in 2008.

And it probably will too – thanks to its dramatic looking GranTurismo coupe. The car has finally arrived in Britain and is expected to account for around two thirds of the firm’s sales in this country.

It’s a desirable car which certainly possesses the wow factor – as indeed it should at nearly £80,000 on the road.

The GranTurismo was styled by Pininfarina – the same design house which produced the original A6 1500 GT of 1946 – said to have established the idea of the ‘grand tourer’.

The new GranTurismo is a big car, capable of seating four adults in comfort, but it disguises its size pretty well.

Visibility and rear head room are somewhat restricted but that’s one of the prices you pay for the racy coupe looks.

The car is powered by a version of the 4.2 engine that’s in the Quattroporte. The V8 sounds great, quiet round town, yet suitably brutish when pushed. The GranTurismo can hit 60mph in a little over five seconds and has a top speed of 177mph – so it’s quick enough, despite weighing in at nearly 1.9 tonnes.

Maserati has decided not to offer its DuoSelect transmission, which some drivers find jerky to use, on the GranTurismo.

Instead it comes with the six-speed ZF automatic ‘box which is chosen by the overwhelming majority of Quattroporte customers. The ZF is smoother to operate but it doesn’t take too long to get used to the idiosyncrasies of the DuoSelect ‘box.

Inside, the GranTurismo is every bit as stylish as the exterior, though you need to be careful over choosing your trim combinations. Some of the wood veneers look a tad old-fashioned for the UK market and are clearly offered with US customers in mind.

The Quattroporte has been given a brush and polish for 2008 too. Though this four-door executive model is aimed primarily at the US luxury market it still does reasonably well in the UK, despite the absence of a diesel power plant.

Last year, Maserati managed to sell more Quattroportes than Jaguar did of its well established XJ – when diesel models are taken out of the equation.

Maserati is also working hard to improve in two areas where it has received criticism in the past: depreciation and servicing costs.

The GranTurismo is expect to retain its value better than previous Maseratis and a three-year servicing package is available provided owners do not exceed 30,000 miles.

The most intriguing model in the saloon line-up is the Quattroporte Sport GT S, which has a quicker gear change, uprated brakes, a carbon fibre interior, and different grille.

It also has a sharper suspension set-up which is lower by 10mm at the front and 25mm at the back.

The standard car rides nicely on its Skyhook ssuspension but rolls more through bends. The S version is going to appeal to anyone who wants to make the most of the power that’s on tap under the bonnet.

It also augurs well for the S version of the GranTurismo which should be ready by the autumn.

This car will also have an uprated engine and should become the most sought-after model in the Trident firm’s range.

Maserati is remaining coy as to how much it will cost but the suggestion is it will be between 10 and 15 per cent more expensive than a regular GranTurismo – in other words, around ten grand more than the standard cars, which start at £78,500 on the road.

Let’s just hope for Maserati’s sake that the recession hasn’t started to bite too hard by then…

By Peter Carroll