There’s some debate about exactly who invented the grand touring coupé but very little about where, in national terms, it happened.
The popular response to the question of what the first and defining example was is the 1951 Lancia Aurelia B20 GT (extra credit if you reel off the whole lot in a mockney twang, like Paul Whitehouse in his grocer’s apron).
It could have been the 1948 Ferrari 166 Inter, though, or the 1947 Maserati A6 – or something pre-war, even. Wherever the credit eventually comes to rest, however, the gran turismo was definitely given life and then popularised in Italy.
And rather regrettably, it might have just been slaughtered in Warwickshire. That’s because, as far as Aston Martin is concerned, the grand tourer concept, although fine for the likes of its own DB5, Mercedes-Benz’s 300 SL, Jaguar’s E-Type and Ferrari’s Daytona, just isn’t ‘grand’ enough to effectively describe its new DB12.
We’re to call this a super tourer, apparently.
Introducing the Aston Martin DB12, Maserati Granturismo, and Ferrari Roma
Quick links: Introduction - Exterior design - Powertrains - Interiors - Driving dynamics - Verdict - Full specs
Luckily, we can now leave Aston’s marketing spiel far behind, because this widely updated coupé is about to test its worth by becoming the British beef in an Italian panino sandwich.
On one flank is the brand-new Maserati Granturismo Trofeo, on test here in left-hand-drive form but due to arrive in the UK very soon in right-hand drive.
On the other is the car that its DB11 predecessor could never quite topple: the painfully pretty, wonderfully agile and demonstrative Ferrari Roma.
Whatever you want from a GT, be it beauty, elegance, pedigree, pace, luxury, touring practicality, excitement, noise or just the most worshipful status in the golf club car park, you will find it here.
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Every one is a masterpiece, you'd be thrilled to drive one, but twist my arm and - DAMN - the DB12 is just the perfect brute-in-a-suit Brit GT. Great England FTW!!!
Matt Sunders starts his article by posing the question ‘Who invented the Grand Tourer’ and goes on to say the popular answer is the 1951 Lancia Aurelia B20 GT. Somewhat strange I thought, given that both the 1948 Ferrari 166 Inter and 1947 Maserati A6 predate it.What’s more, especially as the article concerns Ferrari, Maserati and Aston Martin, why not mention the Aston DB2? Introduced in 1950 with WO Bentley’s sublime 2.6 litre twin cam, straight six it’s surely worth more of a shout as an early example of a GT than the Lancia. A case of the forgotten Astons from Feltham? Matt must know there was a life for Aston Martin before the DB5!