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 By Ketan Patel View Comments

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Maserati Trofeo Champion 2012 Review

With the Trofeo World Series entering their third edition it appears that the rules of the competition have slightly changed and the championship features a new race format. However that's not everything that has undergone some changes this year and the Maserati GranTurismo / Maserati Trofeo race car has also been upgraded for this year's competition.

The modifications brought to the racing car are mostly in the aerodynamic department but the racing beast has also lost some weight. The results are pretty amazing and it proved to make the GranTurismo a.k.a Trofeo two and a half seconds faster than the car from last year on a lap of the Vallelunga circuit located near Rome. The racing car is motivated by the same 4.7 liter V8 power plant found in the road-going version but it's 300 kg lighter as well.

This lightness has been achieved by replacing all the panels with ones made from composite and the glass has also been replaced by polycarbonate. The doors have also been replaced by ultra-light carbon fiber ones and inside the racing car seems pretty much stripped out. That's pretty much expected, but the results are fantastic.

The dashboard has been modified but the upper part and the Maserati clock has remained unchanged. Funnily enough, unlike the models from the previous years, this year's Trofeo has a clock that is actually working. Other than that you'll find a high-tech dash and data logger, a safety cage and a central switch panel.

Driving experience has been improved not only due to aerodynamics and weight reduction but also because both the ABS and the traction control have been removed so you get a very "organic" feel when you get to drive the Trofeo. It's a proper race car and it requires a lot of skill to drive.

Another interesting fact about this year's championship is that despite the fact that during the past couple of years the competition was held almost exclusively in the Middle East ad in Europe, this year the competitors will also race on the Infineon Raceway in Sonoma California, as well as the Shanghai International Circuit.

The entry fees for this year's competition are:

- 110.000 Euros + VAT for the World Championship (1 test + 6 races)

- 70.000 Euros + VAT for the European Championship (4 races)

- 15.000 Euros + VAT for a Test race (applicable only one time)

Fees for private teams and car’s owners are:

- 35.000 Euros + VAT for the World Team Championship (6 races)

- 25.000 Euros + VAT for the European Team Championship (4 races)

Maserati Trofeo Champion 2012

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