The Porsche 911 topped the Maserati GranTurismo. 03/30/2011
Sports cars are always fun to compare - it's like the greatest sibling rivalry; both kids are great, but inevitably one is going to be more talented than the other.
The 2011 Porsche 911 and the Maserati GranTurismo are both chic cars with outstanding (and not to mention awesome) reputations. Which one, however, has the most talent?
Starting with the Porsche, under the hood is a 3.8-liter flat-6 engine that gets 408 horsepower and 310 ft-lbs of torque. Fuel economy is spectacular for a sports car, with 18/26 mpgs city/highway and a monthly gas cost of $210.
The Maserati has a 4.2-liter V-8 engine that has 405 horses and 339 ft-lbs of torque. It only gets 13/20 mpgs city/highway, costing owners more than $80 on fuel compared to the Porsche 911.
For the transmission, the Porsche comes with a fancy 6-speed manual while the Maserati has a 6-speed automatic.
Given that the Maserati costs $6,000 more than the Porsche, has added fuel costs and not as much horsepower, the GranTurismo is the loser in this comparison.
Who cares if the Porsche 911 has a little bit less torque - when you're driving a sports car at top speeds, the thrill is what counts, not the handling.