It’s easy to be won over by the idea of a large convertible, which might explain why there remain so many around. They exist to make all onboard look and feel a million bucks, a far worthier cause than the last word in driving thrills. Drop-top GTs are typically more elegant than their hardtop stablemates, and the notion of care-free cruising in a hugely powerful cabrio is a mightily appealing one.
Maserati has lent into the vibe with its latest GranCabrio. Where so many rivals exist merely as 2+2s (and the +2s better be compact), the near-five-metre GC offers up the full four-seater experience. You’d always be popular with the Maserati, friends desperate to live up to whatever our equivalent of the la dolce vita is from the back seat of a Gran Cab. Never mind that it can get a bit blustery back there; you’d be sat more comfortably than in a Bentley or a 911. And in a Maserati convertible, which still holds some cachet.
Broadly speaking, the GranCabrio mimics much of the GranTurismo’s mechanical configuration, with the same 3.0-litre turbo V6, eight-speed auto, air suspension and all-wheel drive system. Just 100kg has been added to the kerbweight in the transition from Turismo to Cabrio, which doesn’t look bad given the roof itself is large enough to cover Centre Court. Because the platform was always designed with the drop-top in mind, there wasn’t the same requirement for huge strengthening measures. The most notable change is the deletion of the 490hp Modena from the lineup; those who want a GranCabrio will have to spend the really big bucks, either £169,585 for the 550hp Trofeo seen here, or the triple motor, £185,610 Folgore EV.
If the idea of a large Maserati convertible sounds quite appealing in theory, the reality is perhaps even more persuasive. If not quite the stop-and-stare stunner its predecessor was, this GranCabrio boasts a cohesive, attractive design, being well-proportioned and with some lovely details. The front end in particular, with a low bonnet that accentuates the curves of the arches and a Maserati grille that looks right at home, is a real highlight. It’s distinctive without trying too hard. The interior, as with the coupe, isn’t quite so brilliant. The same gripes remain, unfortunately yet predictably, centred on the fiddly, busy displays (who thought a roof mechanism by touchscreen slider was smart?), a few sub-par plastics (for the money) and a slightly offset driving position. While there are some really lovely bits, the leather trim and the gearshift paddles included, there simply aren’t enough of them to justify an as-tested price of almost £190,000.
Given this turbo V6 makes the Grecale SUV exciting, it’s hardly a shock to learn that it's the high point of the GranCabrio experience. There’s just so much energy to the engine, never happier than when fizzing and rasping its way past 7,000rpm. Which occasionally seems slightly at odds with the Maserati’s aura - but who can argue with a thrilling engine in this day and age? And there’s more than sufficient torque for brisk enough progress the rest of the time, if not the momentous V8 wallop offered by some alternatives. The eight-speed auto remains a smart match for the V6, and manual control via the paddles is irresistible given their shift action. Perhaps changes could be even faster, especially when notched up to Corsa, though you’ll probably be enjoying the experience too much to care. As with the hardtop, the V6’s sound is perhaps not the most melodic around, though neither is it unpleasant. It’s interesting, it’s different - and it’s not another huffing and puffing V8.
Roof up - which we must admit was most of the time, given it’s December - the GranTurismo is a very agreeable place to cover distance in, the roof really well insulated and the cruising experience not impacted at all. When the top does need to be dropped, it takes just 15 seconds at up to 32mph, which is impressive given just how much has to move. Again it’s all very seamless, very plush. It’ll be cosy four up and roof up, though if that’s happening on a very regular basis you probably wouldn’t be considering one.
Disappointingly, however, the GranCabrio isn’t as good to drive as it is to be seen in. Even with the V6 as a backdrop, it fails to convince either as a soothing GT or as a scintillating sports car, occupying a frustrating middle ground where elements of both characters are recognisable - yet never present in appropriate quantities to do a convincing job of swaying you one way or the other. Despite this new model family being designed with a cabrio in mind, the underlying structure never seems like the stiffest around, meaning two tonnes of Maserati is prone to wibbling and wobbling a little down the road. Not the end of the world perhaps, but a little underwhelming when you consider the heavier cabrios that make a better fist of things.
The ride always feels a tad mismatched as well, the air suspension never delivering the required isolation to feel luxurious, nor the tacked-down discipline to seem truly agile. There are drive modes aplenty, from Comfort to Corsa and with a Ferrari-style bumpy road damper button, though you’ll twist and prod in vain for a truly satisfying setting. There’s some appeal to the most aggressive configuration, because unshackled from any assists Corsa shows off how smartly done the all-wheel drive split is - but this is not the sort of Maserati you'd choose to hoon about everywhere. So you take Sport as a catch-all compromise, ensuring good progress, yet never quite content with the steering, ride or brake pedal.
This is a shame, mostly because the right ingredients are all present and correct. The engine is a long way back in the chassis, the weight distribution ever-so-slightly favours the rear, and we know what a complement to a great Maserati the Nettuno V6 can be from the MC20. But the package never quite gels in the way you'd hope, being too busy or distracted when you need it to relax; then too distant and heavy when there’s a good road ahead. Purely as a car for catching your reflection in a shop window, the GranCabrio arguably knows no open-top equal; more broadly, it leaves a bit to be desired. Which must rank as a significant missed opportunity from Maserati’s flagship.
SPECIFICATION | 2025 MASERATI GRANCABRIO TROFEO
Engine: 2,992cc, V6 twin-turbocharged
Transmission: 8-speed auto, all-wheel drive
Power (hp): 550@6,500rpm
Torque (lb ft): 479@3,000rpm
0-62mph: 3.6 secs
Top speed: 196mph
Weight: 1,895kg (Maserati kerbweight, fluids but not driver)
MPG: 26.9-27.1
CO2: 236-238g/km
Price: £169,585 (price as standard; price as tested £187,435 comprising 20/21-inch Astreo Design diamond cut wheels for £2,880, Black painted brake calipers for £390, Advanced Driver Assistance Full Package for £6,960, Sonus Faber premium sound with 16 speakers for £3,360, Lightweight sport pedals for £480, Ventilated front seats for £840, Head-up display for £2,100, Stainless steel door sills for £840)
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