Tour Italia

On the eve of the launch of Maserati's latest GranTurismo, the Editor sat down with the marque's Head of Design Klaus Busse, discovering how "rolling sculptures" are designed in Centro Stile and why the GranTurismo is a microcosm of Italy you can actually drive.

-  JONATHAN HO

IF YOU GOOGLE “Maserati GranTurismo”, you will find a couple of editorials on the first page expressing disappointment over the striking similarity between Centro Stile’s latest GranTurismo and its previous iteration. Given our love of design and legacy, our contention is that when it comes to brand icons, especially a brand-defining car like the Maserati GranTurismo, there’s an aesthetic tradition that needs to be handled in evolutive steps.

Hence, Klaus Busse, the brand’s Head of Design, has a duty of care not to simply discard the design and be radical but rather to perfect it. While a cynic may hand wave and say it’s mere marketing spiel, think about how iterative icons such as the Cartier Tank or the Rolex Submariner have been; or closer to the segment, the Jeep Wrangler. Is it very much changed?

Busse highlights the evolution of design and the growing sophistication side by side in the new model compared to its predecessor. Even using elements from 20 years ago, the iconic sports car is much more refined, much more balanced. “We will continue to push design for our next-generation cars, but for a brand-defining car like the GranTurismo, you simply don’t mess with an icon,” says Busse.

DESIGNING A GRANTURISMO