How do I put this into words? It’s tough, honestly.

There’s a certain feeling – an essence, a vibe – behind the wheel of the 2024 Maserati GranTurismo Trofeo that is unlike anything I’ve ever experienced. It’s as if a wavelength emits from the 3.0-liter twin turbo V6 engine, travels into the cabin, reverberates through the power adjustable steering column, and into your hands. Ultimately, it electrifies your soul.

I know, it’s a wild explanation, but there’s just something otherworldly about the GranTurismo Trofeo driving experience.

A few months back, I had the opportunity to take out Maserati’s latest and greatest GranTurismo model. What I found is that you can, in fact, buy happiness. It costs roughly $225,620.

That sounds rather shallow. I get it. But honestly, it’s not. The 2024 Maserati GranTurismo Trofeo has soul, in heaps, and I can’t quite remember being this happy driving around Southern California, where car culture is a major component of the lifestyle at large.

ON THE SURFACE

Waking up early in the morning, I take a few minutes just to marvel at the GranTurismo Trofeo’s slick exterior. The Grigio maratea matte finish is understated, yet sophisticated, while the quad exhaust in chrome, carbon fiber exterior accents, gloss red painted brake calipers, and staggered forge 21” Pegaso-Design wheels are elegant touches that add to an exterior that is already at the height of automotive design.

Opening up the driver’s side door, I’m greeted with the astonishing and vibrant red of the extended full-grain leather upholstery. For lack of a better word, it’s straight up sexy. Sort of like the automotive version of a Christian Louboutin stiletto.

The GranTurismo Trofeo cabin features all the bells and whistles anyone could ever want or expect from a quarter-million-dollar sports car: 12.3-inch full digital TFT instrument cluster, dual 12-inch & 8.8-inch Maserati intelligent assistant navigation, Apple CarPlay, heated leather steering wheel, power adjustable steering column, 18-way power front seats w/ driver memory heated front seats. Seriously, it’s completely decked out, even with an upgraded Sonus Faber premium sound system that can crank out the decibels, no matter your genre of choice.

UNDER THE HOOD

Kicking things into drive just before the morning rush, I head south on I-5 towards Orange County for my first drive in the 2024 Maserati GranTurismo Trofeo.

Choosing the Comfort mode (one of four different drive modes, along with GT, Sport, and Corsa), I instantly feel the 542 horsepower and 479 lb-ft torque. Accelerating on the open highway, I’m immediately impressed with the 8-speed ZF automatic transmission and Q4 all-wheel drive. But, not surprised.

This is not my first go round with Maserati. Having previously driven the Quattroporte and MC20 models, I know this feeling. It’s love at first drive. It’s power and freedom. It’s confidence. All things I possess on my own, but behind the wheel of the GranTurismo Trofeo, those innate qualities are magnified by the epitome of automotive technology, along with a healthy dose of Italian fashion. Good thing I wore my special Hunziker driving shoes for the occasion.

Back to the hardware, the 2024 GranTurismo features adaptive air suspension, launch control, and a Skyhook electronic active damping system, all of which add to the ultimate driving experience. Making record time, I weave through the lanes of I-5 South towards Irvine, completely owning and dominating the road. And, as I pass by every other car on the road, leaving them in my dust, I can see envious drivers staring in awe at Maserati’s latest offering.

As each day passes, I elect a new drive mode to test out performance. Comfort seems to have the best fuel economy, but Sport mode is the sweet spot, maximizing speed and power. Honestly, the Corsa mode is a bit above my paygrade. Well, I promised the folks at Maserati that I wouldn’t do any track racing during the test drive, so I stuck to my word. Besides, there’s plenty to work with here.

IN SUMMATION

It’s not really tough to put the 2024 Maserati GranTurismo Trofeo into words. It’s just that the driving experience is more akin to poetry than auto journalism.

With the 2024 GranTurismo Trofeo, Maserati has expanded the lexicon of driving technology. They’ve engineered a piece of art that goes beyond the furthest reaches of automotive design. It’s more than form, function, and fashion. It’s practically an entire new way of driving … and living.

More Car Reviews and Road Trip Tales From Dan Shapiro

Dan Shapiro is a writer, editor, musician, and producer currently based in Los Angeles. In addition to covering some of the biggest fights in combat sports history, he’s also hunted down the world’s best sushi, skied the northern hemisphere in July, and chronicled Chinese underground music for publications like CNN, the New York Daily News, VICE, and Time Out. Dan also conjured up a ghost at the Chateau Marmont while out on assignment for RoadTrippers. Follow him on X/Twitter here.
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