Maserati GranCabrio - electrically powerful, emotional as a V6
Maserati will provide the appropriate roofless versions, named GranCabrio, following the debut of its Sportcoupes, which would hardly be worth mentioning. But there's a surprise in store. Read for yourself.
Electromobility began with an open vehicle, one could say. No, that's not entirely accurate, as there were countless electric vehicles at the dawn of automobility with an overwhelming model range, among which open variants certainly existed. But! As the beginning of modern electromobility, one could certainly consider the Tesla Roadster, with its beautiful Lotus design not only appealing to the tinkerer's spirit.
Are there electrically driven Cabrios otherwise? No, as Fiat 500 and Smart Cabrio do not count, these small cars with better folding roofs are therefore out. And while the Polestar 6 is still undergoing test drives with engineers, Maserati makes a bold move: The GranCabrio will debut as "Folgore," fully electric. The first of its kind! Maserati is a bit of a pioneer in this regard.
The first full-electric four-seater Cabrio will soon be delivered to customers and was recently driven by ntv.de. So it's not just theory, but "Rose Gold" reality in this case. This golden-copper-colored lifestyle paint job certainly catches the eye. More than the spaceship-sound of this motor, which reportedly also shines externally with loudspeakers. It's over the top, but tastes are known to differ. So Maserati also keeps the combustion engine in its lineup (more on that later).
Electric version is bear-strong
The journey begins in electric mode. It's nice that the 829 PS generating powertrain delivers torque at full load request in a surging manner. But it's still fast enough for the open candidate to be felt as a bit of a steamroller. Interesting is that in part-load, you hardly notice that you're sitting in an electric car. Since tire noise and air turbulence drown out the rest of the acoustic events. But that's just an illusion. Since a power demand triggers artificially produced "spaceship" noises and secondly, you should try to recall the sound of the three-liter Nettuno Six-cylinder engine.
But first, this 1350 Newton-meter motor will be put through its paces. A little lateral movement in the narrow turns of Piedmont shows that Maserati engineers have mastered the blazing fast electric torque vectoring, controlling 2340 kilograms with ease. No, the driver is capable of precisely handling the 4.97-meter Coupe. Swinging the rear end with a deliberate right foot and raised eyebrows works surprisingly well.
Beyond that, the emotional aspect is over. The contrast to the Trofeo is significant, as the transition shows. It can push BEVs, making your eyes water and forcing the combustion engine to take a moment before you can feel the G-force tugging at the rear axle. Authentic, intense V6 sound with racing genes roars from the exhaust in clear contrast. And the 550 PS strong Trofeo is no sad sack either.
The Doppelturbo blows you sufficiently far enough to the horizon. And thanks to rear-wheel drive, the dynamic action is quite enjoyable, if one knows how to play with its potential. Therefore, the Trofeo still has a sufficient 3.6 seconds advantage over the Folgore in the standard sprint to 100 km/h. That's almost negligible, especially since the Cabrio is, in principle, more of a cruiser.
Up to 200 km/h, the electric motor could even save the Benziner roughly three seconds (9.1 to 12.2 seconds). But one would first have to test how stable the electric power actually is, which doesn't work on Italian motorways. The powerful three-liter engine, on the other hand, has no problem releasing its maximum power. With its top speed of 316 things, the Trofeo definitely outperforms its electric counterpart (290 km/h) then definitively. Although the tempo for an electric open-top vehicle is already impressive. The amount of power the drive releases depends on the driving mode. With kickdown acceleration, it always goes full throttle forward.
A real storm only rages in the second row
From the storm under the hood to the storm under the (up to 50 km/h opening) hood, the wind behaves rather calmly at moderate speeds. But those who squeeze into the second row - only recommended for compactly built adults or children - get plenty of air in the face. And by the way, the air-suspended Maserati, despite all its sportiness, stamps down on the ground quite softly with sufficient roll stiffness.
For electric vehicle enthusiasts, a note is allowed: three machines are working hard and demanding their tribute. At a 59% battery charge, the on-board computer showed only 218 kilometers at a rather forceful highway speed. The battery pack is said to be able to be charged from 20% to 80% in 18 minutes with a maximum charging power of 270 kW. This could not be tested within this framework.
Whether the discerning customer is willing to pay at least 206,713 Euro for the Folgore and 235,035 Euro for the Trofeo remains to be seen. At least, a certain exclusivity is guaranteed to the GranCabrio driver in this respect. The GranCoupé is also far from being a mass-produced car with only 19 registered vehicles in Germany in the period from January to May 2024. A few more units would surely be welcome. Also in the eyes of Maserati.
The Maserati GranCabrio, set to debut as "Folgore," will be the first full-electric four-seater convertible from Maserati, marking their entry into the world of electric sports cars. This transition to electromobility aligns with the Maserati GranCabrio's historical roots, as electromobility originally began with open vehicles.
Despite the switch to electric power, the Maserati lineup will continue to include vehicles with combustion engines. The electric motor in the Folgore delivers torque at full load request in a surging manner, making the GranCabrio feel like a steamroller, even in electric mode.
The Tesla Roadster, with its beautiful Lotus design, is often considered the beginning of modern electromobility, not only appealing to the tinkerer's spirit but also paving the way for electric sports cars like the Maserati GranCabrio Felgore.
