Maserati GranSport

When Porsche produced the driver-focused 911 GT3, enthusiasts had a new car to worship. Likewise, Ferrari fans love the Challenge Stradale, an uprated 360 Modena. It's no surprise, then, to find Ferrari's sister company Maserati has its own high-performance offering. Based on the Coupé GT, the firm has christened it the GranSport.

Using a 400bhp evolution of the standard car's 4.2-litre V8, it promises greater driving thrills. The sprint from 0-60mph takes the same 4.8 seconds as the Coupé, while aerodynamic tweaks and a longer sixth gear mean top speed is up 3mph to 180mph.

You'll be hard-pressed to spot the visual changes, though. The easiest way to identify the new model is by its unique 19-inch alloy wheels, featuring a pattern based on Maserati's trident logo. A 10mm lower ride height, prominent side sills and new bumpers also mark the GranSport out.

Inside, don't expect to find a spartan race interior, despite the carbon fibre scattered throughout the cabin. The narrower centre console - which makes room for more supportive, wider seats - houses a tiny gearlever which engages the electro-hydraulic six-speed box. It is the only transmission available on the GranSport, and gear selection is handled by the paddles mounted behind the steering wheel. Improved software allows three different transmission settings, with Sport mode claimed to be 35 per cent quicker than the semi-auto version of the Coupé GT.

Normal mode gives smooth changes, but the fully automatic City setting can prove clumsy - especially when downshifting at low speed. Yet leaving the car to do the shifting goes against all natural instincts, and the sound of the V8's exhaust note in Sport mode - electronically controlled by a valve in the exhaust - soon has you switching back. This, combined with the throttle-blipping downchanges, makes the radio redundant, as aural thrills are available simply by opening the window.

At ΂£7,605 more than the Coupé GT, the ΂£66,600 GranSport isn't cheap. But it in our hands it lapped Maserati's test track two seconds faster than the standard car, so there is clearly more on offer than a fancy starter button and new interior. The improved handling and glamorous heritage should mean there are plenty of buyers for this sharp Italian.