The 2005 race season saw Maserati announce the introduction of the new car, the Trofeo GranSport.
The Maserati Trofeo GranSport was the racing version of the Maserati GranSport. Built at the Maserati factory in Modena on the same production line as the GranSport road car, the Trofeo GranSport was designed to offer the competitor an easy-to-drive car that was rapid enough to more than stir the emotions on the race track.
The 4244cc V8 engine produced 425hp compared to the 400hp of the GranSport in a car that weighed 240kg less than the production car. The V8 was coupled to the six-speed Cambiocorsa transmission of the standard road car, which allowed the driver to make the most of the power without compromising the torque. The car's ride height had also been reduced by 50mm, lowering its centre-of-gravity and improving its handling.
In adapting the road car for the track, the engineers concentrated on various aspects. As with all competition cars, the engineers had worked hard to reduce weight, optimising the performance of the tyres (thanks to the tests conducted in collaboration with Pirelli from the earliest days of the project), the brakes, suspension and the gearbox, were toughened up for intense and prolonged use on the track. The car had been prepared in line with FIA regulations for participation in the GT championship, though the decision was taken not to make the modifications too extreme. The car was also been re-worked to ensure that it could be built on the standard Maserati production line.
The dry weight was 1340kg compared to the 1580kg of the standard model. This reduction was achieved through extensive work to remove all non-essential fittings in the interior and some from the exterior. The air conditioning unit was removed, as was the sound proofing and various smaller items. This work brought about a significant weight reduction. The side windows were also substituted with plexiglass panels, and the sound damping material was removed from the bonnet.
Like the road going version, the Maserati Trofeo GranSport was fitted with an F1 type gearbox with steering wheel-mounted paddles - the system is called Cambiocorsa. The "Sport" setting used for the gearbox allowed gearchanges to be made in less than 150 milliseconds. Some software parameters had been modified in order to optimise the response, for example, to improve the effect of engine braking.
The oil pump's output had been increased for the rigours of competition, while the set-up of the differential had been altered to maker the car easier to manage on race tyres, and more fun to drive. Making the vehicle as safe as possible was one of the main priorities: only the highest quality and best performing components were used. The clearest evidence of this was in the braking system and the roll-over bar.
Brembo brake components had been used - during the FIA GT Championship they had consistently provided reliable braking and unparalleled resistance to fade.
To guarantee the highest levels of crash safety in the cabin, the Maserati Trofeo GranSport was equipped with an OMP roll-cage that conformed to FIA regulations, an automatic extinguisher, an anatomic seat with a six-point safety belt and an FIA approved secure fuel tank of a type usually found only on aircraft.
A lot of time was spent on the track during the Maserati Trofeo project, with the engineers aiming to achieve a reliable yet high performing set-up on all types of circuit. They focused most of their attention on the suspension. The flexible joints were removed, some elements were redesigned and the shock absorbers were modified - thanks to the collaboration of Sachs. The springs, now specially calibrated, were adjusted, reducing the ride height by around 50 millimetres.
All the cars had identical engines with certified torque and power. The only changes to the V8 had been made to suit the track: the car now sported a revised exhaust system to bring it up to FIA levels; a track-ready oil sump and a reworked ignition and injection system. |
