The grand tourer is the car for people who drive: fast enough for the autoroute, comfortable enough for eight hours, beautiful enough for the hotel forecourt. The GTs that matter and what they cost.
In short
- A GT has the engine in the front, two doors, room for luggage and a ride that leaves you fresh after 800 kilometres.
- Aston Martin DB12 and Vanquish, Bentley Continental GT, Ferrari 12Cilindri and Roma, Maserati GranTurismo, Mercedes-AMG GT, Porsche 911 Turbo S and Taycan.
- GTs depreciate more than supercars and cost less to run. They are the best value in fast cars.
What a GT is
Gran turismo: the car for the grand tour. Front-engined, two doors, two proper seats and two occasional ones, a boot that takes two weekend bags, a ride that soaks up bad roads at speed. It is the car for Munich to Lake Como on a Friday afternoon, arriving at the hotel looking better than when you left.
The cars
Aston Martin DB12 (V8, about 250,000 dollars) and Vanquish (V12, about 430,000): the definitive British GTs, beautiful inside and out. Bentley Continental GT Speed (hybrid V8, about 300,000): the most luxurious cabin, immense comfort, faster than it has any right to be. Ferrari 12Cilindri (V12, about 430,000) and Roma (V8, about 250,000): the Italian interpretation, sharper and louder. Maserati GranTurismo (V6 or electric Folgore, about 180,000 to 220,000): the elegant alternative. Mercedes-AMG GT and SL for German precision. Porsche 911 Turbo S (about 230,000): technically a sports car, practically the best all-weather GT ever built. Porsche Taycan Turbo S if the GT should be electric.
Why they make sense
A GT is used. It goes to the office, to the mountains, to the coast, in rain, with luggage. Its running costs are a fraction of a mid-engined car’s: normal tyres, normal servicing, normal insurance. It depreciates like a luxury car rather than holding like a limited Ferrari, which means the pre-owned market is full of three-year-old GTs at half price and in perfect condition.
Specifying one
Choose the colour you will love in five years, not the one on the launch car. Specify the best seats (ventilated, massaging, in the top leather), the best audio (Bang & Olufsen, Naim, Burmester, Bowers & Wilkins) and the driver assistance that makes long days easier. Skip the carbon exterior packs; they add nothing to a car built for comfort.
The route
A GT deserves a road. The Route Napoléon to the Riviera, the Stelvio to Lake Como, the Grossglockner, the coast road from Marbella to Ronda, the Pacific Coast Highway. Book the hotel at the end, leave early and stop for lunch. This is what the car is for.
Try it yourself
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What is a grand tourer car?
A front-engined two-door built for fast, comfortable long-distance driving with room for luggage: Aston Martin DB12, Bentley Continental GT, Ferrari Roma and 12Cilindri, Maserati GranTurismo.
Which is the best GT car?
The Bentley Continental GT for comfort, the Aston Martin DB12 for beauty, the Ferrari 12Cilindri for drama and the Porsche 911 Turbo S for all-weather usability.
Do grand tourers hold their value?
Less well than limited supercars: most lose 40 to 50 percent in three years, which makes approved pre-owned examples excellent value.
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