Frankfurt motor show: Maserati cabrio

This is the Maserati GranTurismo convertible, which was launched today at the Frankfurt motor show.

It will go on sale next March after several years of revisions to the car’s size and mechanical make-up.

The new car, called Maserati GranCabrio, is essentially a GranTurismo minus the roof rather than the shorter car that was originally developed.

See the Maserati GranCabrio picture gallery

That car formed the basis of the Ferrari California, retaining the first Maserati’s folding hard-top. The convertible Maserati now has a fabric roof instead, which will help to compensate for the extra bracing that engineers will have added to retain the car’s stiffness.

That bracing will add weight, and with the GranTurismo S weighing in at 1880kg, the GranCabrio could get very close to two tonnes. As a result it uses the more powerful 4.7-litre V8 from the GranTurismo S, with 433bhp at 7000rpm and 362lb ft at 4750rpm. Maserati’s torque converter automatic gearbox will be available with paddle shifters.

There’s no confirmation of performance from Maserati but expect it to be slightly slower than a GranTurismo S; it should crack 0-60mph in around 5.5sec and a top speed of around 180mph.

It retains the GranTurismo’s four-seat interior and Maserati says it has the longest wheelbase of any convertible on the market. That should help to give it class-leading room for rear passengers.

The GranCabrio completes the three-car Maserati family, and will add volume to the company’s sales, especially in the US, which is a crucial market and likely to be the biggest source of sales of the new convertible.

Exact pricing hasn’t been decided yet, but Maserati sources have told Autocar that it will cost up to 15 per cent more than the GranTurismo, putting the price at around £89,000.

Dan Stevens

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