By: xOUCNx AV3NG3R
From: FM.net
STUNNING MASERATI HITS THE FORZA MARKETPLACE – IS IT ANY GOOD?Maserati GranTurismo - MC GT4 - B500
Dewstain was a well renowned tuner and painter on Forza Motorsport 2, turning cars into racing machines that most people in the community would sell their favourite grandmother for. His work with tuning company SW2 is at the forefront of tuning in Forza Motorsport and in Forza 3 Dewstain is already aiming to accelerate towards even higher realms of success.
Dewstain graces the world of Forza Motorsport 3 with his first tune of many, the Maserati GranTurismo. The car is based around, and attempts to be an exact replica of the MC GT4 race car. This beast is sold by Maserati as a more pumped up, testosterone fuelled, in your face version of the standard road going model. In the real world Maserati seems to have hit the nail on the head with the MC GT4, providing enthusiasts with a car that commands respect on the race track. This is all very well and good, but has Dewstain managed to pull the same feat off with his Forza 3 version of the MC GT4?
The standard GranTurismo is no slouch in the game and is definitely regarded as a solid B Class car. It looks absolutely stunning, one of my all time favourite looking cars. Despite the GranTurismo setting the world on fire in the looks department, it fails to really outperform other B Class contenders. Dewstain has clearly aimed to change this fact whilst building on the car’s aesthetically pleasing qualities. The livery is clean, stylish and sexy, and if anything the already jaw-dropping GranTursimo is made to look even better thanks to Dewstain’s mastery with the Forza 3 painting tools. Yes, the livery design was already generated for him by Maserati themselves who use an identical livery on their MC GT4’s, but take nothing away from Dewstain as he has replicated the entire livery to perfection, which is no easy task.
So with this new paint from Dewstain the GranTurismo is looking better than ever, but has the performance of the car been improved? Well the short answer is yes, and it’s a big yes! This tune is extremely quick and I defy anyone not to set impressive lap times around virtually all the tracks on Forza Motorsport 3. Firstly, I took the car to the Amalfi coast to see what it could do the results were fairly impressive. It was effortless to drive and failed to throw any tantrums. Nevertheless, I finished my drive around Amalfi feeling slightly under-whelmed, the car felt good, but nothing special.
However, I was not prepared to give up on the MC GT4 and I went in search for more, heading off to Mugello, a place where this car can rightfully call its home. A stunning track nestled among the Italian hills. This car was built for the track, not necessarily the tight and twisty, slow speed stuff that Amalfi has to offer. The second the MC GT4 completed its first lap of the Mugello circuit I knew Dewstain had created a winner. This car certainly belongs on the classic archetypal race circuit.
The way it handles is simply sublime, everything is so manageable and smooth, it really is a joy to drive and it is through the corners where this car destroys anything else out there in B Class. The MC GT4 lets the driver carry stupid amounts of speed into a corner, yet come out the other side with no fuss and a whole lot of pace. You literally sit there thinking right I’m just going to understeer straight off into the gravel trap because I’ve carried way too much speed on entry. But with this tune there is so much response from the front end that you are magically pulled around towards the apex of the corner. It’s quite simply. Breathtaking. When things do get out of shape, and this only occurs on rare occasions as the rear is pretty stable, it’s easy to regain control of with just the faintest dab of opposite lock.
It is just as well that the MC GT4 is so strong through the corners, because on the straights it will hardly fly away from competitors. The tune has only given the car an extra 2hp over the standard GranTurismo leaving it with a total of 407hp. This minimal increase in hp is made worse by the car gaining an extra 14lbs in weight. In a drag race the MC GT4 would be eaten alive by the likes of Aston Martins, Jaguars, Porsches, Ferraris, or any other B class car for that matter. It’s not that the MC GT4 is painfully slow, its speed is what you would call adequate, but it just doesn’t match up with its fantastic handling.
Never mind, perhaps its ability off the line will give it a helping hand. Not a chance. Off the line the Maserati is mediocre at best. In fact a two year old child learning to walk could move away quicker than the MC GT4. So the way the car handles through the corners is mesmerising, its speed down the straights isn’t brilliant, and the less said about its acceleration the better. Along with the wonderful handling, the braking capabilities of the MC GT4 are something to behold. The brakes are so good that virtually all the time you lose through poor straight line speed and lacklustre starts can be made up almost instantly.
After driving this tune it’s clear that Dewstain has produced a fine machine, which will leave competitors scared beyond belief and searching for their comfort blanket through the corners. The MC GT4 is bound to set some very impressive times on the leader board. I managed a top forty lap time at Mugello easily, so the performance is definitely there. Dewstain’s first Forza 3 tune is sure to make a huge impression and I for one cannot wait to see what other wonders he will provide the community with in the future. Until his next tune I’ll happily pound around the track in the MC GT4. Although I will be trying to avoid the straights.
