Bentley Continental GT Speed v Aston Martin DB12 v Maserati GranTurismo – car pictures of the week
Who makes the best GT car? In issue 334 of evo, we test challengers from Bentley, Aston Martin and Maserati on some of the UK’s best roads to find out
GT cars are evolving. With the onset of electrification, highly advanced chassis tech and four-wheel drive, it’s no longer a case of whacking a monstrous engine in a big, luxurious coupe and calling it a day – the latest generation of GTs are ultra-sophisticated machines with phenomenal speed, breadth and capability.
In issue 334 of evo, we test three examples from the current crop – Bentley’s Continental GT Speed, Aston Martin’s DB12 and Maserati’s GranTurismo Trofeo – on some of Britain’s most spectacular roads to find out which is best. To read the full test, pick up a copy of evo 334 in-store or online via the evo shop.
The Continental GT Speed is the newest of the trio, and the most technologically advanced. A plug-in hybrid V8 powertrain makes it the most powerful Bentley yet, but also a heavy brute at 2.4 tons. To manage that weight, it gets rear-wheel steering, active anti-roll bars and a rear e-diff – but does all that complexity result in a more rewarding GT than the lighter, purer Aston Martin DB12 and Maserati GranTurismo?
The DB12 launched to mark a new era of faster, more aggressive Astons, and it packs a mighty punch. It may have ditched the DB11’s V12, but the 671bhp AMG-derived twin-turbo V8 is more than up to the task, and the chassis has been given a thorough going over to make it a much more dynamic car than its predecessor. It’s a more luxurious one too, thanks to a new clean-sheet interior.
The Maserati may look traditional on the outside, much like the original GranTurismo that launched in 2007, but under the skin there’s been a revolution. Out has gone the V8 in favour of an MC20-derived V6, which sends its 542bhp to all-four wheels rather than just two. The cabin has been completely overhauled with new technology, too, although we could do without having to use a touchscreen to control pretty much everything.
Three very different, modern interpretations of a traditional GT, but which is best? Pick up a copy of evo 334 to find out.
