BMW M8 vs Maserati Granturismo

What's the difference?

The right lane on Aussie freeways is occasionally referred to as the ‘fast lane’, which is laughable because the highest legal speed in the entire country is 130km/h (81mph). And that’s only on a few stretches in the Top End. Other than that, 110km/h (68mph) is all you’re getting.

Sure, a 'buck thirty' isn’t hanging around, but the subject of this review is a 460kW (625hp) four-door missile, capable of accelerating from 0-100 km/h in 3.2 seconds, and on to a maximum velocity somewhat in excess of our legal limit. 

Fact is, the BMW M8 Competition Gran Coupe is born and bred in Germany, where the autobahn’s left lane is serious territory, with open speed sections, and the car itself the only thing holding you back. In this case, to no less than 305km/h (190mph)!

Which begs the question, isn’t steering this machine onto an Aussie highway like cracking a walnut with a twin-turbo, V8-powered sledgehammer?

Well, yes, But by that logic a whole bunch of high-end, ultra high-performance cars would instantly become surplus to requirements here. Yet they continue to sell, in healthy numbers.  

So, there’s got to be more to it. Time to investigate.

How much would you pay for an outstandingly beautiful grand touring coupe with supercar performance?

Costing as much as a one-bedroom inner-city flat, the new-from-the-ground-up Maserati GranTurismo possesses seductive styling. When you’re chasing the exquisite Porsche 911 Carrera 4S and Bentley Continental GT, you need every asset available, and then some.

Which brings us to the 2024 second-generation (M189) range.

Adding to a stunning back-catalogue of gorgeous Maseratis that stretches back even further than either of its opponents above, does the latest GranTurismo have the brains as well as the brawn to match its stunning beauty?

Let’s dive right in.