Here’s Your First Look At The New Maserati GranCabrio

Maserati has shared some teaser images of its upcoming convertible sports car, called the GranCabrio.

Essentially a canvas-roofed version of the GranTurismo, which is also currently in development, the GranCabrio will also be offered with a choice of powertrains. When they arrive in the first half of 2023, they will be available with a V6 engine or a fully-electric drivetrain, called the Folgore.

Not much is known about either system for now, but it will be interesting to see how each version compares, given the different packaging requirements of internal combustion of electric drivetrains. It’ll also be interesting to experience a high-performance electric convertible, as this is a sector of the market yet to see much in the way of battery power.

The pictures released by Maserati this week don’t give much away. Taken at night, they show a camouflage GranCabrio prototype, and it looks like this is the V6 model, assuming the four tailpipes sprouting from its rear aren’t fake. Much of the hard-topped GranTurismo’s design is carried over to the convertible, including the redesigned headlights and wide front grille. The overall look is fairly similar to its predecessor too.

Maserati hasn’t released any new information about the electric powertrain, but has previously said how the GranTurismo coupe will have three motors, all-wheel-drive and a total power output of about 740 horsepower. This might be detuned slightly for the convertible, given the lack of a metal roof is likely to reduce stiffness, but there’s no doubt that it’ll still be properly quick.

The company has also previously said how the GranTurismo, pictured below, will be powered by a 93 kWh battery pack and the range is a claimed 281 miles. This might fall slightly for the convertible, given the extra weight of the roof-folding mechanism and chassis strengthening usually required by open-top cars. It will be interesting to see if Maserati provides a range estimate for when the roof is down, as the extra drag will surely make a difference.

Both cars will use an 800-volt system architecture, which should mean super-fast charging of up to 300 kW – as long as you’re plugged into an equally rapid charger, of course. Other 800-volt cars like the Porsche Taycan, can charge their battery from around 10 to 80 per cent in about 20 to 25 minutes, so the pair of Maseratis should be similarly speedy.

As for the gas version, the GranTurismo will be offered with a 3.0-liter, twin-turbocharged V6 engine, and the same is also expected in the GranCabrio too. The convertible should have a similar 0-62mph (100km/h) sprint time to the GranTurismo, of 3.5 seconds. No performance figures for the EV have been shared yet, but it could well be quicker given the instant torque deployed by an electric motor.