For an enthusiast, raising the garage door or turning the corner to get a glimpse of their car can be one of two things. First, it could be a soul-crushing reminder that their ride isn’t up to snuff. Or, preferably, it’s the first look of the day at something treasured, be it a sports car, capable off-roader, classic, or elegant grand tourer. Now, getting your ideal example of one of those, more often than not, requires a substantial amount of money. But not always.In fact, there are a few world-class GT cars out there that, thanks to depreciation, you can get for much, much less than the original sticker price. One such European grand tourer can be had for less than the starting price of a new Honda Civic. And it comes with a soundtrack you certainly won’t find from the Civic section of the orchestra. The GT Car Formula Aston Martin So, just what makes a car a “GT?” Well, if you guessed that it was an initialism, you’d be right. It stands for “gran turismo” in Italian, or “grand touring.” There’s more to it than a cool-sounding set of initials, though. In terms of automotive anatomy, the GT car falls between the family-friendly luxury sedan and the taut sports car.Mercedes-AMG Typically, the formula calls for two doors, a powerful engine up front (bonus points for a pleasing auditory accompaniment), a stylish exterior, and a posh, comfortable interior. That last part is important, considering the touring part; a proper GT needs to be able to sail across countries and conquer highways in comfort. Oh, and it also needs to delight and prompt smiles at a moment's notice. Think Aston Martin Vantage, Bentley Continental GT, BMW 8 Series, or Mercedes-AMG GT. Depreciation For The Win Jaguar Here’s the thing, though: a new luxury grand tourer can easily creep into six-figure starting price territory. Take the Aston Martin Vantage, for example. The “base” model coupe starts at an eye-watering $194,500. Opting for the S version tacks on an additional five grand.Bentley Fortunately, you can tap into some of that grand magic without breaking the bank. And you’ve got depreciation to thank for that much. Depending on the year, make, and model, you can find a GT car with a powerful, characterful engine, striking styling, and grand tourer credentials for the price of a sensible Honda sedan. The First-Gen Maserati GranTurismo: Ballin’ On A Budget A Maserati GranTurismo parked in a city plaza during the daytimeThe first-generation Maserati GranTurismo ran for 12 model years from 2008 to 2019. That means plenty of pre-owned options for the first-gen, M145 GranTurismo. And surprise: the early models are quite affordable by today’s standards. Especially when you compare an early first-gen model to a brand-new example. For 2026, the base GranTurismo and the upper-trim GranTurismo Trofeo start at $147,495 and $168,495, respectively. That said, with the oldest versions of the GranTurismo approaching the big two-oh, depreciation has brought the average sales price for the early M145 down to attainable levels. Cheaper Than A New Honda Civic Honda So, just how affordable is one of these Trident-bearing grand tourers? You can get one for less (in some cases, considerably less) than a new Honda Civic. For 2026, the range-topping Civic Sport Touring starts at $33,590. Configure that top-trim Civic as a hatchback, and the price rises to $34,790. Here comes the good news: last year, the average sales price for an M145 Maserati GranTurismo sat at around $31,069. That’s right; for less than you would spend on a Civic, you can get a head-turning, snarling example of an Italian GT car.Things get even more affordable when you consider an older model. For instance, the 2008 Maserati GranTurismo had an average sales price of $18,644. Considering the base-model 2026 Honda Civic LX starts at $25,890, there’s an M145 GranTurismo to beat the price of everything in the Civic lineup. A Ferrari-Developed Engine Maserati The second-generation Maserati GT car is a strictly six-cylinder affair: a 483-horsepower twin-turbo V6 or a 542-horsepower version in the Trofeo. The older first-gen GranTurismos, on the other hand, were exclusively eight-cylinder cars. So, what’s the big deal? The comparable Jaguar XKR X150 of the day also packed a V8, and a supercharged one to boot. Well, the earlier GranTurismo packed a 405-horsepower, 4.2-liter wet-sump sibling of the Ferrari F430’s 490-horsepower 4.3-liter mill. Ferrari-derived might in a Maserati GT car.Maserati Move further down the first-gen GranTurismo’s bloodline, and you’ll find a 454-horsepower 4.7-liter version. But that doesn’t mean Maserati shrugged off the Ferrari-ness. The larger of the two V8s is again a wet-sump version of a thumping-great Ferrari engine, this time the strikingly seductive 458. A Classic Automatic Maserati Backing the Maserati GranTurismo’s silky smooth and musical V8 is a traditional automatic. That might sound like a letdown, but the ZF six-speed automatic is quick-shifting and responsive. Better yet, you can choose one of three ways to operate the auto-box. Like having your hand where a traditional stick would be? Try pushing and pulling the center lever. Want to blip through shifts with both hands on the wheel? Grab a hold of the paddle shifters. Then, of course, when you’re stuck in traffic, you could leave it in the traditional automatic mode. 2008 Maserati GranTurismo Specs So, Should You Buy One? Maserati The question of buying a first-generation Maserati GranTurismo could be solved with a flow chart. A chart with prompts like “Are you brave?” And “do you have a healthy maintenance budget?” Because, let’s face it, you’re going to run into the occasional gremlin. But if you can manage, a M145 GranTurismo can be a unique, howling addition to a garage for less than the price of a new Civic.Maserati Of course, pricing might be the only serious way these two match up. Comparing a new Honda Civic and an aging, albeit striking, Maserati is like comparing a single-family home with a maintenance-intensive luxury boat. You know which one is more practical. But the average car enthusiast knows exactly which one they’d rather have.Sources: Maserati, Edmunds, KBB
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