THE once-fabled Maserati brand is on the comeback trail, and the drastically improved and renamed-for-2003 Coupe GT is the best proof yet that it’s succeeding. Competing in the rarified world of $200,000 super-coupes against the likes of Porsche 911, Jaguar XKR and Mercedes CLK55 AMG, the Maserati Coupe GT is irrefutable evidence the Italian V8 coupe increasingly represents a relevant alternative to the German supercar juggernaut. With sumptuous styling, unrivalled interior space, a glorious Ferrari-sourced V8 and performance and handling to rival the best of them, the popular new Coupe GT should not be dismissed lightly from any serious supercar buyer’s shopping list. Indeed, a firm ride, poor radio reception and the often intrusive (but optional) F1-style Cambiocorsa transmission seem the only blights on an otherwise beautifully crafted and meticulously engineered Italian V8 supercar.