Maserati GranCabrio front three quarter evening
Maserati GranCabrio front three quarter sunset
Maserati GranCabrio front cornering shot
Maserati GranCabrio front three quarter static
Maserati GranCabrio front rear quarter static
Maserati GranCabrio front static at night
Maserati GranCabrio partially obscured static image
Maserati GranCabrio side profile, masked by a man in a Maserati jacket
► New Maserati drop-top GT imminent► Should feature same V6 engine as hardtop…
► … and a 700bhp-plus electric powertrain
Maserati has released the first official pictures of the upcoming replacement for the GranCabrio. It’ll join the next-generation GranTurismo in the brand’s revamped line-up – and it’ll likely be available with the same V6 and pure-electric powertrains destined for the hardtop.
Maserati hasn’t yet nailed down a launch date for the next-generation GranCabrio, but we expect it’ll closely follow the coupe into the showrooms during the first half of 2023. Prices haven’t been confirmed either – but it’ll almost certainly be more expensive than the coupe.
Apart from the canvas roof, the prototype in Maserati’s official images looks identical to the GranTurismo. It shares the same upswept headlamps and broad radiator grille – and it looks like Maserati hasn’t extended the windscreen over the passenger compartment to be economical with canvas. So, it should look equally attractive with the roof stowed.
Come on then. Tell us about the electric model
The GranCabrio’s launch date is still a few months away, so Maserati is being rather economical with the details. However, the brand has said the car will belong to its new Folgore EV line-up and feature a “100% electric solution.” Given what we now know about the coupe, we can fill in the missing info.
The “solution” in question will be the same tri-motor, four-wheel drive 749bhp electric powertrain scheduled for the GranTurismo coupe. However, Maserati may dial back the amount of power the system produces for the convertible. Drop-tops are less stiff than hardtops – and that much power might be too much for the chassis. Let’s see how Maserati gets on.
Maserati’s 93kWh battery pack will remain a constant across the two cars. It’s way too much faff to engineer a dedicated battery for the drop-top – and that means its maximum range could get close to the hardtop’s 281-mile figure. Both cars will also feature the same 800-volt architecture, meaning both will be able to take advantage of super-fast 300kW rapid charging.
Enough. Let’s hear about the petrol one
Maserati hasn’t actually confirmed whether a petrol version of the new GranCabrio is on the way – but look closely at the company’s teaser images. The prototypes have exhaust tips poking out their rear bumpers, suggesting the GranCabrio will be available with the same twin-turbocharged 3.0-litre V6 engine as the GranTurismo. Like the hardtop, we expect it’ll be available in two states of tune, with an entry-level Modena variant producing 483bhp and a racier Trofeo model offering 542bhp.
If Maserati mirrors the specifications of the hardtop, the GranCabrio will come as standard with an automatic gearbox, four-wheel drive and air suspension. And, if Maserati can engineer the drop-top’s extra chassis bracing intelligently and keep weight down to a minimum, it might come close to the hardtop’s 3.5-second 0–62mph sprint.
Keyword: New Maserati GranCabrio teased in camouflaged prototype images