Maserati is working exhausting to get out of the stoop that was the Levante, Ghibli and Quattroporte period, and with its newest editions to its vary — the GranCabrio Folgore and Trofeo — the iconic Italian automaker lastly appears to be leaving that period behind. The GranTurismo coupe, and by extension its GranCabrio droptop sibling, function a type of North Star for Maserati. Positive, it has the MC20 supercar, however the two-door four-seater is equally as, if no more essential to the corporate. Maserati had to ensure it received this automotive proper if it needed to shake off the ghost of the three FCA horsemen of the apocalypse and the drained picture its predecessor exhibited to the world.
I’m right here to report that the GranCabrio, in each electrical Folgore and gas-powered Trofeo guise, does simply that… for essentially the most half. It’s a hell of so much nicer than the Maseratis that dominated the earth just some years in the past, however there are only a few issues holding it again from being really spectacular.
Full Disclosure: Maserati flew me to northern Italy, put me up in a few pricey resorts and fed me a lot fish I by no means need to contact the stuff once more all so I may check out the brand new GranCabrio Trofeo and Folgore.
Regardless of the way you slice it, the Maserati GranCabrio is an especially putting automotive. Its lengthy hood, bulbous fenders and tight tail give it these basic Maserati appears we’ve come to understand, and slicing the roof off simply heightens that look when you ask me. It’s low-slung like all driver’s automobiles ought to be. That’s why, when creating the Folgore, the engineers determined in opposition to a skateboard-style battery pack. As an alternative, it runs in a T-shape down the middle of the automotive. Not solely does this support in dealing with (we’ll get to that later), but it surely additionally means Maserati may hold the GranCabrio Folgore low to the bottom.
Designers of the automotive would be the first to confess the brand new GranCabrio doesn’t look drastically totally different than the outdated one, and why ought to it? The outdated GC was a fantastic-looking automotive for your complete 11-year run. I don’t see this as a difficulty, as a result of the automotive nonetheless appears nice in my eyes. Why mess with factor, ya know? When it comes to differentations between the 2 automobiles – effectively there aren’t too many, and that’s shocking given how vastly totally different their powerplants are. The one actual inform that you simply’re a Folgore and never a Trofeo is a fender badge, some closed-off vents and extra aerodynamic wheels. It actually doesn’t scream EV to those that see it.
One factor Maserati did mess with is the GranCabrio’s inside. The outdated automotive had tech that dated again to the early days of the Obama administration and construct high quality to match that of a Canal Road “Gucci” bag. Now, we’re in a unique world with cutting-edge tech, a very fairly design and the construct high quality of a very nice pocketbook from Nordstrom. It’s an enchancment, however there’s nonetheless a approach to go.
Inside tech is the place each the Trofeo and Folgore shine. The 2 automobiles are practically similar inside aside from a number of trim items and materials decisions. All of them include a highly-customizable gauge cluster display, a fundamental infotainment touchscreen, a secondary angled touchscreen beneath that for core automobile features like HVAC and seat controls, and a tiny round display within the sprint that may function a clock, a g-meter, a compass or a battery degree indicator when you’re within the Folgore. It’s foolish, positive, however who stated automobiles wanted to be critical on a regular basis? Anyway, all of those programs work rather well collectively and make the GranCabrio really feel like a completely fashionable automotive — one thing that might not be stated concerning the first-generation GC. Add some really great leathers, metals and premium-feeling plastics and also you’ve received a very tasty stew going.
Oh, and you possibly can honest-to-God get 4 adults on this factor. I’m not saying will probably be essentially the most snug expertise on the earth, however you are able to do it. You may even match a few of their stuff within the trunk.
Nonetheless, it doesn’t matter what drivetrain you choose, the GranCabrio can’t fully shake its Stellantis roots. Any Jeep fanatic will instantly be capable of acknowledge the window switches, the actually good infotainment system and the buttons mounted on the again of the steering wheel. I had a 2004 Grand Cherokee years in the past, and the buttons behind the wheel have been precisely the identical as what’s within the Maserati. That’s a tricky capsule to swallow whenever you’re spending upwards of $220,000 on an Italian sports activities automotive.
One other factor concerning the inside that actually grinds my gears is how Maserati determined to implement the gear selector. As an alternative of a shifter or lever, it’s 4 buttons on the dashboard between the 2 central screens. That’s not likely the issue. I don’t love button shifters, however I can get previous it. My actual problem lies with how shitty they’re to the touch and to make use of. They’re simply 4 low cost items of piano black plastic that wiggle round whenever you press them and don’t exude cutting-edge luxurious the way in which the remainder of the inside does. This stinks as a result of each single time you drive your GranCabrio, you’ve received to work together with these buttons. Would these buttons cease me from shopping for the automotive? No, however I’d anticipate extra from an organization that’s attempting actually exhausting to distance itself from its extra pedestrian automotive stablemates.
All that being stated, the place the GranCabrio Folgore and Trofeo stand atop their automotive stablemates is how they drive. We’ll get to propulsion strategies in a second, however I simply need to spotlight what a revelation these automobiles are to drive in any circumstance whether or not you’re simply above idle round city or banging off the rev limiter on a backroad someplace. Regardless of the way you spec it the facility is there, however to me, the true spotlight is how the GranCabrio handles. These automobiles like to be tossed round corners, with a seemingly countless quantity of grip (thanks partly to the summer season tires), a very nice and progressive brake really feel, and a few of the finest steering suggestions I’ve ever skilled.
Maserati was actually capable of seize that direct and light-weight steering really feel Italian automobiles are identified for. The easiest way to explain it’s delicate. The smallest inputs end in a directional change, and but it doesn’t really feel darty. On high of that, the wheel actually talks to you. In the event you drive over a pebble you’ll be capable of inform what kind of rock it chipped off of. It’s actually spectacular stuff that heightens your complete expertise of the GranCabrio. Even in Folgore guise, due to the T-shaped battery, turn-in and dealing with remains to be fabulous. It’s an actual feat of engineering to get this 5,249-pound automotive (Trofeo weighs 4,316 kilos) to bounce the way in which it does. The suspension tuning of each automobiles can also be unbelievable. They’re pretty related, although I’d say the Folgore is a bit softer. Regardless, each are arrange completely to cope with the less-than-perfect roads of northern Italy. They take in bumps rather well however nonetheless are responsive sufficient for even essentially the most spirited drive.
So, the Folgore and Trofeo are very related autos each inside and out of doors, however they’re worlds aside beneath. The Trofeo is powered by Maserati’s new front-mid-mounted Nettuno twin-turbocharged V6 that pumps out 542 horsepower and 479 pound-feet of torque by a ZF eight-speed computerized. That’s sufficient energy to maneuver the grand tourer from 0 to 60 mph in simply 3.6 seconds. These are all very respectable numbers, however they pale compared to what the Folgore involves play with.
Maserati says the Folgore’s three electrical motors (two within the rear and one up entrance) produce an astronomical 818 horsepower and 996 lb-ft of torque. God rattling. That’s sufficient to get the Folgore from 0 to 60 in a nauseating 2.7 seconds. It feels each bit as fast as that, too, and it’ll hold accelerating all the way in which to 180 mph. That’ll do for positive. A 92.5-kWh battery ( of which 83 kWh is usable) gives the juice for these monstrous motors, and Maserati claims it’ll get about 233 miles of vary in response to the corporate (EPA scores are coming). Whenever you do run out of juice, it isn’t a chore to replenish, both. Due to the system’s 800-volt structure, the Folgore can DC quick cost at as much as 270 kW, sufficient to cost from 20 to 80 p.c in about 18 minutes. Not too shabby.
In numerous methods, the Folgore is type of in a category of its personal. The Trofeo has different basic opponents like the just lately refreshed and improved Bentley Continental GT, Mercedes-AMG SL, BMW 8 Sequence and numerous Aston Martins (when you don’t take note of worth), however the GranCabrio Folgore is on an island of 1. I suppose arguments will be made for automobiles just like the Tesla Mannequin S Plaid and Lucid Air Sapphire, however even these are a stretch.
I imply “island of 1” actually. This isn’t simply the one absolutely electrical luxurious convertible — that is the one absolutely electrical convertible you should purchase within the U.S. on the whole… when you don’t really feel the GMC Hummer EV is an actual convertible. That’s a very cool factor Maserati has carried out, and it’s packaged in a manner that gained’t intimidate new EV adopters. Sadly, you’ve received to pay up for this exclusivity, and that’s the place GranCabrio’s greatest problem lies: It is just too costly. Costs begin at $206,995 (together with vacation spot) and it ought to be hitting vendor flooring this fall. I assume you’re paying that worth to be in a celebration of 1, and I type of get that.
The Trofeo begins at a still-wildly-high $193,995 (together with vacation spot) earlier than you even add a single choice. It places the automotive in a bizarre no-man’s land relating to worth. It prices much more than stuff just like the Lexus LC 500, BMW M8, Mercedes SL and Porsche 911. The Maserati’s solely actual competitors at its worth level is the Bentley Continental GT, and that automotive comes with a greater motor and nicer supplies inside. It doesn’t drive fairly as effectively and appears are subjective, so I suppose it’s all about what you want. To be sincere, I’d be much more snug if this automotive was about $50,000 cheaper, however I suppose model cache — even when it’s been broken over the previous decade — remains to be price one thing. In the event you inform somebody who doesn’t know an excessive amount of about automobiles that you simply driving a Maserati, they’re going to be extra impressed than when you inform them you drive a BMW or a Mercedes. That might be price it to you.
Each the Maserati GranCabrio Trofeo and Folgore are actually glorious, full grand touring automobiles with a little bit of a sporty edge to them. I’m positive that whoever spends their hard-earned cash on one in every of them gained’t remorse it. They’ve simply received to be prepared to cope with some touchpoints that aren’t top-notch and need to pay for a model that’s presently on the upswing. I wouldn’t blame anybody who buys one in every of these automobiles over the competitors, they completely drive in a manner that justifies their costs — there are only a few issues that maintain them again from being true class leaders.
As for which one is my favourite and which one I’d purchase, effectively, let’s simply say this: The Trofeo’s V6 doesn’t sound nearly as good because the Folgore’s electrical motors make me really feel.
