What is Grand tourer?
A two-seat or 2+2 high-performance car designed for high-speed long-distance travel, balancing comfort and performance.
Grand tourer (often abbreviated GT) describes a category of high-performance cars designed for high-speed long-distance travel. The defining philosophy is balanced: fast enough to be exciting on a back road but comfortable enough for cross-continental driving with luggage. The body style is typically two-door coupe (or occasionally four-door), with two seats or 2+2 configuration. The engine is typically front-mounted (occasionally mid-mounted) and powerful (V8, V10, V12, or twin-turbo six-cylinder).
The category traces to the GT classification used in motorsport (Gran Turismo Omologato, the Italian term for grand touring homologated). Cars in the category include the Ferrari 250 GT, Aston Martin DB5, Mercedes-Benz 300SL, and Maserati 3500 GT of the classic era. Modern grand tourers include the Bentley Continental GT, Aston Martin DB12 and Vantage, Ferrari Roma and 12Cilindri, Mercedes-AMG GT, and the recent BMW 8 Series.
The grand tourer differs from a supercar in priority: supercars optimize for outright performance (often at the cost of comfort), while grand tourers maintain comfort and luxury alongside performance. Supercars typically have more aggressive styling and seating positions; grand tourers have more refined interiors and quieter cabins.
Related terms
Frequently asked questions
Grand tourer on the blog
Range Rover posted a video on October 26 of the camouflaged GT finishing a test drive to the Nürburgring. It calls the electric GT its most aerodynamic model ever, with the lowest center of gravity of any Range Rover, and the video keeps calling it a car.
Michael Jordan's 1997 Ferrari 550 Maranello, the car behind the Air Jordan XIV, sold for $2.7 million on Joopiter on September 30. That more than doubled the $1.3 million high estimate and set an auction record for the model.

The Kia Stinger ran from 2017 to 2023 and sold just 5,452 cars in its final US year. Designed by ex-Audi and ex-BMW people, it was the best-looking Kia ever built and it still failed. Here's what Kia was trying to do, why it ended, and why it mattered anyway.
Michael Jordan's custom 1997 Ferrari 550 Maranello, the car Tinker Hatfield used to design the Air Jordan XIV, has resurfaced after 25 years and goes to auction on Joopiter September 15 to 30 with a $700,000 to $1.3 million estimate. A normal 550 is worth under $300,000. The rest is Jordan.
