What’s the first thing that springs to mind when you hear ‘GranTurismo’? If it’s the PlayStation game, you’re probably not a Maserati buff.

That’s because GranTurismo is the name that helped launch the firm’s first car 61 years ago. And in honour of that historic moment, its latest product is set to wear the badge, too.

The 2008 GranTurismo replaces the simply named Coupe and, in common with the original version, the latest model is a fully fledged grand tourer. So, unlike the Coupe, it seats four in comfort. However, as it shares its platform with the Quattro porte saloon, the newcomer is 350mm longer than the outgoing two-door.

The sleek and swoopy silhouette has tremendous presence, and the Maserati is beautifully proportioned, with classic detailing. As far as desirability goes, it’s on a par with Aston Martins and Ferraris.

But neither rival produces anything capable of accommodating four adults in such comfort. Rear head and legroom are both exemplary, and there are even Isofix mountings for child seats.

The Maserati’s cabin is wonderful because of its style, elegance and significant improvements. The materials, in particular the leather, feel expensive and while the seats are firm, they are well shaped. The driving position is more natural than in the Coupe; better still, build quality is far superior.

In fact, the whole bodyshell is much more rigid, which adds to the driver appeal. Good cabin refinement ensures the GranTurismo is a fine long-distance choice, although the steering can be a touch twitchy.

In fact, the handling is surprisingly snappy – but it’s also composed and well balanced.

There’s nothing gentle about the engine, either. The naturally aspirated 405bhp 4.2-litre V8, which revs up to 7,500rpm, delivers enough thrust to keep class competitors honest. There are two drawbacks, though. It doesn’t have much mid-range get-up-and-go, and the six-speed automatic transmission won’t hold on to gears.

These niggles aside, the GranTurismo is very impressive. All Maserati has to do is convince customers that it hasn’t snatched the name from a video game...