Maserati is taking the chance to upgrade its GranTurismo Sport for 2012 to replace the GranTurismo S. 

The front bumper of the new GranTurismo Sport is designed to get better airflow to the engine and brakes. The lights have the same design as the previous version, but daytime LEDs have been added around the edges. 

The new GranTurismo Sport is powered by a 4.7l, 460hp V8 with 520Nm of torque. It is available with either a true six-speed automatic transmission or six-speed paddle-shifted, robotized manual transmission, which will not be available in North America. Performance figures are impressive with a 300km/h top speed and acceleration to 100km/h in 4.7 seconds. The robotized manual suffers a slight performance loss with a 298km/h top speed and acceleration to 100km/h in 4.8 seconds. 

The suspension is an upgraded version of Maserati's actively damped Skyhook system that offers a variety of suspension configurations for drivers. It comes standard with 20in wheels with new, six-piston Brembo brakes in the front and four-piston Brembos in the rear. The brakes are made of cast iron and aluminum, and they cut weight by 15% in the front and 20% in the rear over the previous GranTurismo S. 

Inside there are new, thinner rear seats that add 20mm to rear legroom. There is also a new flat-bottom steering wheel

The GranTurismo Sport will go on sale first in the United States, Canada, New Zealand and Australia. Maserati has sold about 15,000 GranTurismos since its introduction in 2007. It makes up nearly half of Maserati's yearly sales.