Maserati

 

Maserati – GranCabrio

The topless version of the Maserati GranTurismo debuts with a V6, followed by the electric-powered Folgore version

It’s pretty brave to launch a convertible in Rome, given how much ‘character’ the roads of this ancient capital have. Turbulent asphalt, Belgian pavé-style cobbled surfaces, Fiat 500-sized pot holes… if an open car is going to shake, shudder or shimmy, it’ll do it here. And if any type of car is likely to suffer more than most, it’ll be a long-wheelbase convertible that was born as a coupe.

Meet the Maserati GranCabrio, the four-seat, open-top version of the long-wheelbase GranTurismo. It looks fabulous, at least as good as the hard-top – with the roof down you can see all four headrests and better understand why its wheelbase is so long.

In fact it’s hard to believe that it wasn’t designed to be a convertible at the concept stage, so clean and elegant are its lines. But it wasn’t, and beneath the skin there’s extensive strengthening of the sills, the screen surround, what remains of the other pillars, and the cross beams, plus additional diagonal bracing to ensure the robustness and stability of the suspension pick-up points.

Surprisingly, the weight penalty exacted for all this strengthening, plus the electrically powered triple-layer fabric roof and pop-up roll-over protection behind the rear headrests is just 100kg. And yet, say Maserati’s engineers, the GranCabrio is very nearly as torsionally stiff as the coupe and so drives pretty much the same too; with the roof up, you could think you were in the hard top, they say. Perhaps the choice of Rome as the launch venue wasn't an act of bravery on Maserati's part, more a reflection of its confidence.   

The Maserati GranCabrio looks sexier compared to its donor GranTurismo due to being a convertible. The fabric roof is retained, and can be easily controlled via the infotainment screen or with simple gestures. The roof retracts in 14 seconds, even while cruising at speeds of up to 50 km/h.

Designed for optimal comfort, the soft top offers exceptional thermal and sound insulation and is available in five different colors. To distinguish it from the GranTurismo, in addition to the soft top, the GranCabrio boasts a redesigned rear end that adds a unique touch to its aesthetics. In the interior, the 2+2 seating principle has been retained.

The digital cockpit consists of a 12.2-inch instrument panel, an optional head-up display, a 12.3-inch touchscreen for infotainment and an 8.8-inch touchscreen for climate controls. To make open-air driving more enjoyable, Maserati has equipped the GranCabrio with standard neck warmers for the driver and front passenger, offering three levels of intensity.

An optional deflector is offered that reduces turbulence in the cabin, although its use covers the rear seats. Under the hood is Maserati's three-liter twin-turbo V6 Nettuno engine, which delivers 550 horsepower and 650 Nm of torque in its most powerful configuration. It is paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission that drives the rear wheels.

Performance is slightly affected compared to the coupe due to the increased weight of 100 kg. It overcomes the sprint from 0-100 km/h in 3.6 seconds and reaches a maximum speed of 316 km/h. Most likely, the "trident" will offer the GranCabrio the "weaker" version of the V6 that has 490 hp.

It has been officially confirmed that there will be an all-electric GranCabrio Folgore, joining Maserati's zero-emission lineup. It is also expected to be equipped with three engines, like the GranTurismo Folgore, with a combined power of 761 hp. Sales will begin in the coming months. As with other convertible variants of sports cars, the GranCabrio is sure to be slightly more expensive than the equivalent GranTurismo trim.

The Maserati GranTurismo and GranCabrio are a series of grand tourers produced by the Italian manufacturer Maserati, succeeding the Maserati Coupé and Spyder. The first generation GranTurismo (M145) was introduced at the 2007 Geneva Motor Show and was produced from 2007 to December 2019. It set a record for the fastest development of a car, going from design to production in just nine months. The model featured a 4.2-litre V8 engine initially, which was later upgraded to a 4.7-liter engine in the GranTurismo S variant. The GranTurismo MC, a racing version developed for the FIA GT4 European Cup, and the GranTurismo MC Sport Line, a customisation programme, were also part of the lineup.

The GranTurismo Sport, introduced in 2012, replaced the GranTurismo S and featured a revised 4.7-litre engine rated at 460 PS (340 kW; 450 hp). The GranTurismo MC Stradale, unveiled in 2011, is a more aerodynamic version with a 450 PS (330 kW; 440 hp) engine and reaching a top speed of 303 kilometres per hour (188 mph). The GranCabrio, the convertible version, was unveiled at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show and produced from 2010 to 2019. The GranCabrio Sport, introduced in 2011, featured a 450 PS (330 kW; 440 hp) engine. The GranCabrio MC, launched in 2013, had improved aerodynamics and a 460 PS (340 kW; 450 hp) engine.

The second generation, GranTurismo II (M189), was revealed in 2022 and began production in April 2023. It offers three models: Modena, Trofeo, and Folgore (electric). Based on the Giorgio Sport platform, petrol engined models feature a newly-developed 3.0-litre Nettuno twin-turbocharged V6 engine, with the Trofeo variant being the most powerful at 550 PS (400 kW; 540 hp). The Folgore model is a battery electric version with a range of 450 kilometres (280 mi).

The ride is very well judged, remaining firm yet supple over all manner of surfaces, and the suggestion in Rome that the GranCabrio had lost little of the sharpness and poise of its coupe sister is borne out when we finally locate a decent driving road close to the coast. Turn in and the GranCabrio turns, crisp and precise, and picking up the throttle shifts the weight, sets it subtly onto its rear wheels and offers the keen driver a number of options. This may be a large, weighty car – a convertible, too – but it manages to feel like a smaller, lighter and more agile one. Yes, it will slide its tail but, in truth, you have to be determined as there’s not an over-abundance of torque. But that rather misses the point anyhow; all the joy is in the way it covers the ground rather than the lines it can lay on it.