Maserati cars are the epitome of luxury among similar high-value brands. They are beautiful to look at and their looks are only outmatched by their performance.
Most Maseratis and especially those manufactured after 2007 are equipped with either an automatic paddle gearbox called a Cambriocorsa, or a regular automatic transmission. Nowadays persons desirous of experiencing a newer model of this luxury offering will not find one with a manual transmission.
The only Maserati available on the market as of this writing is the Maserati Coupé which was manufactured for six years up to 2007.
Gear Box Uniqueness
Fiat Chrysler apparently collaborated with Ferrari to give a high-powered spin on a luxurious and beautifully designed Maserati.
The Cambriocorsa described as a “paddle-shift automated sequential transmission”, seemed to have been somewhat inspired by Formula One, and, which it appears manufacturers surmised would complement the Ferrari V8 engine.
This type of transmission is one that is typically used in racing cars and specifically those from the Formula One cars of the 1990s.
This move did not necessarily go over well with drivers and this departure from a manual shift to a not quite automatic transmission drew the ire of many.
There were numerous complaints about this type of transmission being unreliable and lagging in performance. Costly repair charges associated with unpredictable malfunctions was another reason the Cambriocorsa was unpopular.
In other spheres, the paddle-shift was thought to be resistant, unrefined, and unsophisticated for a brand of this caliber.
Eventually, Maserati moved to a true 8-speed automatic transmission such as is available in the Ghibli and ceased production of manual gear cars.
Maserati Models
Maseratis offer both high levels of comfort and speed so it satisfies the need for a plush ride without sacrificing the power that some drivers would be loath to compromise.
This could easily be among the reasons that they are considered among the top luxury car brands globally with a driving experience which is second to none.
The Italian automaker has taken every effort to ensure that each model has its own unique features so it is not very easy to compare them nor to consider that all Maseratis are the same.
From mid-size luxury to powertrain options, Maserati offers a few different models for the sophisticated luxury car purchaser.
The GranTurismo, Ghibli, Quattroporte, Levante, and the MC20 offer varying degrees of elegance, innovation, performance, size, and style to please even the most discerning buyer.
The Transmission Conundrum
Over time, luxury car makers have slowly drifted away from offering models with a manual gearbox so one would be hard-pressed to find many luxury brands still installing this option.
It is believed that the automatic transmission lends more to the refined look of these high-value vehicles and one does not lose speed and power with improved versions. Additionally in the US, electric cars have been outselling those with manual gearshifts in recent years.
There are still a few sellers who market their deluxe models with a manual transmission as there is still a demand among certain buyers.
Some of these manufacturers have, however, completely stepped away from manual gearshifts so if this is an absolute must-have, one would need to shop a different brand altogether.
Choosing A Luxury Car Based On Transmission
The likes of Jaguar, Lexus, Land Rover, and a few others no longer offer this option in any of their models. Others like Mercedes and Infiniti have manual shifts in only one model within their line-up.
Among their range of premium sports cars Porsche, BMW, Mini, and Audi have yet to completely abandon the stick-shift.
It is important to note, however, that these types of cars have a lower resale value than those with an automatic gearbox, so buyer beware.
On the other hand, some of these brands such as the Maserati become even more valuable over time especially in cases where a certain model or feature is discontinued, such as the Coupé with the 6-speed manual gearbox.
They could easily fetch well above their original value by a collector who wishes to snag a piece of history, a design that is no longer in production.
Manual gearshifts add a certain element of fun to the driving experience, one which cannot be replicated by the automatic transmission.