For those with a yen for good-looking fast cars that also have a sizeable bank account, Maserati’s GranTurismo line offers a bit of a change for 2013. This 4-seat Italian beauty, known for its distinctive front fascia and grille and again available in coupe or convertible (cabriolet) versions, is built from the ground up with luxurious touring in mind, but fast corners and radar-less desert highways certainly won’t faze it. Nor will higher gas prices.

In any case, the 2013 GranTurismo lineup, allegedly to be on the market early this fall, is expected to consist of the base S Automatic Coupe, the Convertible (aka GranCabrio in Europe), the Sport Convertible, the new-for-2013 Sport Coupe and the MC Coupe. The debuting Sport edition replaces the S trim and comes with an up-powered 4.7-liter V8 that significantly amps up both ponies and torque. Curiously, this places what had been positioned as a touring coupe above the GranTurismo’s sportier MC version in terms of power, though not yet in terms of price. Don’t be surprised, however, if Maserati adds this beefed-up powerplant to its sport-tuned MC, known as the MC Stradale in Europe, at some point in the near future.

The Sport trim features, in addition to its tweaked V8, larger air dams, reworked headlight housings, LED daytime running lights, slightly darker taillight lenses, redesigned sport front seats and a sportier steering wheel. Trunk space, alas, remains a somewhat cramped 9.1 cubic feet in coupe versions and only 6.1 cubic feet in convertible editions. Finally, both the Convertible and the Convertible Sport trims feature a power-opening soft-top roof with glass rear window.

The brand new 4.7-liter variable-valve-timed (VVT) V8 that now graces the 2013 GranTurismo Sport Coupe trim is matched with a shiftable 6-speed automatic transmission (in U.S.-bound versions) and puts out 453 hp and 384 lb-ft of torque. This is a significant increase over the 434-hp 4.7-liter V8 that’s anticipated to remain in the S Automatic and Convertible trims. These extra ponies top the more nimble Convertible Sport and the MC Coupe, each of which seems destined to retain last year’s 444-hp/376-lb-ft/torque 4.7-liter V8, at least at the moment. Both trims, of course, also sport the shiftable automatic 6-speed. Mileage for both the 434-hp and the 444-hp V8 is expected to remain at 13 mpg city/21 highway, while the new Sport trim has no mileage figures available but is proclaimed by Maserati to be marginally more efficient than the others.

Features-wise, all GranTurismo trims should again be elegantly endowed with 20-inch alloy wheels mounting performance tires, premium leather upholstery, suede leather, genuine wood, alloy and optional carbon fiber cabin accents, along with heated power-adjustable sport bucket front seats. Remote power door locks, power windows and heated power-adjustable outside mirrors should, of course, remain standard. Then there are expected to be such obligatory items as cruise control, memory for driver's settings, telescoping tilt-wheel steering, rear parking sensors, dual-zone climate control and a universal remote garage door opener. Entertainment aboard all trims is again expected to consist of Bose premium audio equipment that includes a single-CD player, auxiliary iPod input and 7.1 Surround Sound pumped through 11 speakers, as well as satellite radio and a USB connection. Finally, Bluetooth hands-free communications should again be standard, as should the well-wrought voice-activated hard-drive-based navigation system.

Maserati boasts that its GranTurismo lineup can be custom-designed to client specs regarding interior colors, upholstery, stitching and trim, and including various carbon fiber packages to significantly enhance what is already an ultra-spiffy interior. Exteriors can also be customized to personal taste with various unique colors, including a choice of colors for the oversize brake calipers.

Standard safety features in Maserati's 2013 GranTurismo should once more include 4-wheel antilock brakes, traction and stability control and front side-mounted airbags with head protection chambers. Additionally, look for daytime running lights, front fog/driving lights, self-leveling high-intensity-discharge (HID) headlights, a post-collision safety system and a remote antitheft alarm. Standard aboard convertible trims is a unique auto-activated roll-bar behind the rear seats that functions like the airbag system in automatically deploying when a rollover is sensed. Front parking sensors, meanwhile, are expected to remain a safety option throughout the lineup.