Maserati ends GranTurismo production with one-off Zèda model

MODENA, Italy — Maserati celebrated the end of the GranTurismo's 12-year production run by building a one-off example called Zèda, which is the name of the letter Z in the Modenese dialect. The Italian firm unveiled the milestone car in the historic Modena, Italy, factory it's preparing to re-tool for a new addition to its range due out in early 2020.

The Zèda is not the last GranTurismo off the production line; Autoblog visited the Modena factory minutes before the car's unveiling and spotted the last dozen or so cars behind it, but a company spokesperson explained all of the unfinished models have already been spoken for. The commemorative coupe is the last GranTurismo that hasn't been sold yet. It stands out from the roughly 40,000 examples made since the model broke cover during the 2007 Geneva Motor Show with an eye-catching paint job that starts with a deep blue applied to the front part of the car and ends with a light satin finish. The rear almost looks like bare metal in person. Edition-specific emblems on the front fenders add a finishing touch to the look. 

There are no changes under the hood. The Zèda is powered by a 4.7-liter V8 engine developed with input from former sister company Ferrari and tuned to deliver 460 horsepower at 7,000 rpm and 383 pound-feet of torque at 4,740 rpm. The eight-cylinder spins the rear wheels via a six-speed automatic transmission that can be left in drive or shifted manually using paddles.

Maserati hasn't decided what it will do with the GranTurismo Zèda yet. It might keep the car in its private collection, or it could sell it to a collector. Either way, the coupe will remain a one-of-a-kind example, one that marks the start of a new era for the 105-year old Italian automaker. The plant that currently builds the GranTurismo (and the Alfa Romeo 4C, which is also being phased out) will begin manufacturing a sports car that Maserati will unveil during the 2020 Geneva auto show. It's expected to arrive as a two-seater that will draw inspiration from the Alfieri concept introduced during the 2014 edition of the event. It will be a sharper, more driver-focused model than the GranTurismo, which is a grand tourer by definition. Its rivals will include the Porsche 911 and the Jaguar F-Type.

Maserati also re-affirmed its commitment to releasing a next-generation GranTurismo (which will again spawn a convertible named GranCabrio), and announced production of both models will shift to Turin, Italy. Technical details haven't been publicly announced yet, but Maserati pointed out the next-gen Gran-badged models will be its first series-produced electric cars. The hardtop will arrive in 2021, so likely in time for the 2022 model year, and the convertible will follow about a year later.