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One look at Craigslist or AutoTrader, and you’ll see dozens of used Maserati GranTourismo sports cars listed for $30,000 or even as low as $21,000. They’re hard for this car guy to resist with their low, long, sleek profile, exotic car name, and most importantly the same engine as the Ferrari 458. This four-seater can hang with most exotics, but for Mitsubishi Outlander money. But do you really want a Maserati GranTourismo or is it simply a beauty to daydream about?

Why is the Maserati GT so cheap?

Why are Maserati GTs so cheap? Well, let’s count the ways. They’re expensive to buy, expensive to own, expensive to insure, and their resale curve looks like a stone falling. Also, the GT has THE WORST reliability score of any car rated by the U.K.’s Reliability Index, scoring worse than the (notorious) BMW M5, the Nissan GT-R, and other expensive exotics. It’s not even the most reliable Maserati.

And, with parts sourced from Ferrari, if anything does break it’s sure to be expensive. Speaking of expensive, the car requires an annual $2,000 service at a dealer and you must change the belts and more every four years, which is also expensive. So, just because you can afford the payments on a $30,000 exotic car, keeping it going may be a stretch. It’s also not a current model.

Did Maserati discontinue the GranTourismo?

Credit: Maserati

Maserati discontinued the GranTourismo in 2019 after 12 years on the market.

Beyond that, Maserati GTs are simply dated. It was first released in 2008 and continued, relatively unchanged, until 2019. For 2024, it will return. But for now, if you want one, the newest version you’ll be able to find is a 2019 example.

But reviewers consistently raved about the car’s smooth power, its luxurious interior, and its stunning looks. If you can stomach owning an exotic car that was launched during the Bush administration, maybe a GT is for you.

Does the Maserati GT have a Ferrari motor?

Ferrari 458
Carlex Ferrari 458 interior | Carlex

The GT is so old that  it was designed before the big merger of many European car companies under the Stellantis badge. Stellantis owns Jeep, Chrysler Dodge, Fiat, Lancia, Maserati and many others. But the GT was designed when Ferrari, Fiat and Maserati were all part of the same ownership group. So, it made economic sense when the company was launching the car to add the Ferrari 458’s V8 to the front of the Maserati. It’s also one hell of a conversation starter at your local Cars and Coffee when you pop the hood and show the eight swirling intake plenums.

Most used Maserati GranTourismo cars come with a 4.2-liter version of the motor that made 399 horsepower. The S version sports a 4.7-liter version of the motor that it shares with the stunning Alfa Romero 8C coupe. Maserati is now owned by Stellantis. The new-for-2024 car will get the new Nettuno twin-turbo motor that makes 483 or 542 horsepower.

What does a used Maserati GranTourismo compete with?

A silver Maserati GrandTourismo parked on a dark street
A Maserati GranTourismo Eugene Gologursky, Getty Images

New, the car competed with the Aston Martin DB 9, the BMW M6, and any number of Porsche 911 variants. All of these cars sold new for about $150,000 to $180,000. It’s not faster, it’s not better, and it’s not nearly as modern. But, it was designed by Pininfarina (like Ferraris) and has curb appeal that no 911 can match.

However, its interior is old-school, which means there’s no push-button starter. Instead, you get an actual key that you twist, like in a 1978 Dodge Aspen.  There are no driver’s aids like adaptive cruise, or lane departure warning. But it does have heated seats, leather, a capable radio with an original-style iPod connector. And, like many cars of this ilk, it has two rear bucket seats instead of a bench.

Though It looks good, goes good, and certainly has the exotic name, there is a saying in the Ferrari world: the cheapest Ferrari to buy can be the most expensive to actually own. Maybe that’s also the case with an expensive-to-maintain Maserati?  

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Dan Mayfield

Dan joined MotorBiscuit in 2022 with over 20 years of experience in journalism and a lifelong passion for anything related to the automotive industry. He grew up wrenching a 1949 Ford pickup truck and an MGB with his dad, learning how not to wire a fuel pump (he inadvertently set the MGB on fire).

After earning a bachelor’s degree in photojournalism from the University of New Mexico, Dan has contributed his expertise to a range of local outlets, including the City of Albuquerque, US Eagle, and the Alliance for Local Economic Prosperity.

On weekends, Dan spends Saturdays enjoying “cars and coffee” chats and, on Sundays, he’s watching the Route 66 Cruise roll through town. He also races motorcycles, and it’s not unusual to find him elbows-deep in his latest cafe racer build.

Taking advantage of the local desert terrain, Dan also enjoys exploring and driving off-road in his trusty Ram Rebel pickup truck, which provides personal insights into his contributions to our Trucks, SUVs, & Crossovers coverage. Dan strives to give our readers unique information about the dynamic automotive market, reading anything that has to do with cars, trucks, bikes, 4X4s, and, in his words, “everything with a motor.”

Dan has earned a number of accolades from the Public Relations Society of America, and is a University of Southern California, Annenberg School of Communication and Journalism Fellow.