Maserati is working hard to get out of the slump that was the Levante, Ghibli and Quattroporte era, and with its latest editions to its range — the GranCabrio Folgore and Trofeo — the iconic Italian automaker finally appears to be leaving that era behind. The GranTurismo coupe, and by extension its GranCabrio droptop sibling, function a kind of North Star for Maserati. Sure, it has the MC20 supercar, however the two-door four-seater is equally as, if no more necessary to the corporate. Maserati needed to be sure it got this automotive right if it desired to shake off the ghost of the three FCA horsemen of the apocalypse and the drained image its predecessor exhibited to the world.
I’m here to report that the GranCabrio, in each electric Folgore and gas-powered Trofeo guise, does just that… for essentially the most part. It’s a hell of loads nicer than the Maseratis that ruled the earth just a number of years ago, but there are only a number of things holding it back from being truly spectacular.
Full Disclosure: Maserati flew me to northern Italy, put me up in a few costly hotels and fed me a lot fish I never need to touch the stuff again all so I could check out the brand new GranCabrio Trofeo and Folgore.
Regardless of the way you slice it, the Maserati GranCabrio is a particularly striking automotive. Its long hood, bulbous fenders and tight tail give it those classic Maserati looks we’ve come to understand, and cutting the roof off just heightens that look if you happen to ask me. It’s low-slung like all driver’s cars needs to be. That’s why, when developing the Folgore, the engineers decided against a skateboard-style battery pack. As a substitute, it runs in a T-shape down the middle of the automotive. Not only does this aid in handling (we’ll get to that later), nevertheless it also means Maserati could keep the GranCabrio Folgore low to the bottom.
Designers of the automotive can be the primary to confess the brand new GranCabrio doesn’t look drastically different than the old one, and why should it? The old GC was a fantastic-looking automotive for all the 11-year run. I don’t see this as a problem, since the automotive still looks great in my eyes. Why mess with a very good thing, ya know? When it comes to differentations between the 2 cars – well there aren’t too many, and that’s surprising given how vastly different their powerplants are. The one real tell that you simply’re a Folgore and never a Trofeo is a fender badge, some closed-off vents and more aerodynamic wheels. It actually doesn’t scream EV to those that see it.
One thing Maserati did mess with is the GranCabrio’s interior. The old automotive had tech that dated back to the early days of the Obama administration and construct quality to match that of a Canal Street “Gucci” bag. Now, we’re in a special world with cutting-edge tech, a very pretty design and the construct quality of a very nice pocketbook from Nordstrom. It’s an improvement, but there’s still a strategy to go.
Interior tech is where each the Trofeo and Folgore shine. The 2 cars are nearly equivalent inside aside from a number of trim pieces and material decisions. All of them include a highly-customizable gauge cluster screen, a predominant infotainment touchscreen, a secondary angled touchscreen below that for core vehicle functions like HVAC and seat controls, and a tiny circular screen within the dash that may function a clock, a g-meter, a compass or a battery level indicator if you happen to’re within the Folgore. It’s silly, sure, but who said cars needed to be serious on a regular basis? Anyway, all of those systems work rather well together and make the GranCabrio feel like a thoroughly modern automotive — something that might not be said in regards to the first-generation GC. Add some truly wonderful leathers, metals and premium-feeling plastics and also you’ve got a very tasty stew going.
Oh, and you may honest-to-God get 4 adults on this thing. I’m not saying it would be essentially the most comfortable experience on this planet, but you may do it. You possibly can even fit a few of their stuff within the trunk.
Still, irrespective of what drivetrain you choose, the GranCabrio cannot completely shake its Stellantis roots. Any Jeep enthusiast will immediately have the ability to acknowledge the window switches, the really good infotainment system and the buttons mounted on the back of the steering wheel. I had a 2004 Grand Cherokee years ago, and the buttons behind the wheel were the exact same as what’s within the Maserati. That’s a troublesome pill to swallow whenever you’re spending upwards of $220,000 on an Italian sports automotive.
One other thing in regards to the interior that actually grinds my gears is how Maserati decided to implement the gear selector. As a substitute 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, but I can get past it. My real issue lies with how shitty they’re to the touch and to make use of. They’re just 4 low cost pieces of piano black plastic that wiggle around whenever you press them and don’t exude cutting-edge luxury the way in which the remainder of the inside does. This stinks because each time you drive your GranCabrio, you’ve got to interact with these buttons. Would these buttons stop me from buying the automotive? No, but I’d expect more from an organization that’s trying really hard to distance itself from its more pedestrian automotive stablemates.
All that being said, where the GranCabrio Folgore and Trofeo stand atop their automotive stablemates is how they drive. We’ll get to propulsion methods in a moment, but I just want to spotlight what a revelation these cars are to drive in any circumstance whether you’re just above idle around town or banging off the rev limiter on a backroad somewhere. Regardless of the way you spec it the ability is there, but to me, the actual highlight is how the GranCabrio handles. These cars like to be tossed around corners, with a seemingly countless amount of grip (thanks partially to the summer tires), a very nice and progressive brake feel, and a few of one of the best steering feedback I’ve ever experienced.
Maserati was really in a position to capture that direct and lightweight steering feel Italian cars are known for. The very best strategy to describe it’s delicate. The smallest inputs end in a directional change, and yet it doesn’t feel darty. On top of that, the wheel really talks to you. When you drive over a pebble you’ll have the ability to inform what kind of rock it chipped off of. It’s really impressive stuff that heightens all the experience of the GranCabrio. Even in Folgore guise, due to the T-shaped battery, turn-in and handling remains to be fabulous. It’s an actual feat of engineering to get this 5,249-pound automotive (Trofeo weighs 4,316 kilos) to bop the way in which it does. The suspension tuning of each cars can also be unbelievable. They’re fairly similar, though I might say the Folgore is a bit softer. Regardless, each are arrange perfectly to take care of the less-than-perfect roads of northern Italy. They absorb bumps rather well but still are responsive enough for even essentially the most spirited drive.
So, the Folgore and Trofeo are very similar vehicles each inside and outdoors, but they’re worlds apart underneath. The Trofeo is powered by Maserati’s latest front-mid-mounted Nettuno twin-turbocharged V6 that pumps out 542 horsepower and 479 pound-feet of torque through a ZF eight-speed automatic. That’s enough power to maneuver the grand tourer from 0 to 60 mph in only 3.6 seconds. Those are all very respectable numbers, but they pale compared to what the Folgore involves play with.
Maserati says the Folgore’s three electric motors (two within the rear and one up front) produce an astronomical 818 horsepower and 996 lb-ft of torque. God rattling. That’s enough to get the Folgore from 0 to 60 in a nauseating 2.7 seconds. It feels every bit as quick as that, too, and it’ll keep accelerating all of the strategy to 180 mph. That’ll do of course. A 92.5-kWh battery ( of which 83 kWh is usable) provides the juice for these monstrous motors, and Maserati claims it’ll get about 233 miles of range in accordance with the corporate (EPA rankings are coming). If you do run out of juice, it isn’t a chore to replenish, either. Due to the system’s 800-volt architecture, the Folgore can DC fast charge at as much as 270 kW, enough to charge from 20 to 80 percent in about 18 minutes. Not too shabby.
In a variety of ways, the Folgore is kind of in a category of its own. The Trofeo has other classic competitors like the recently refreshed and improved Bentley Continental GT, Mercedes-AMG SL, BMW 8 Series and various Aston Martins (if you happen to don’t listen to cost), however the GranCabrio Folgore is on an island of 1. I suppose arguments could be made for cars just like the Tesla Model S Plaid and Lucid Air Sapphire, but even those are a stretch.
I mean “island of 1” literally. This isn’t just the one fully electric luxury convertible — that is the one fully electric convertible you may buy within the U.S. generally… if you happen to don’t feel the GMC Hummer EV is an actual convertible. That’s a very cool thing Maserati has done, and it’s packaged in a way that won’t intimidate latest EV adopters. Unfortunately, you’ve got to pay up for this exclusivity, and that’s where GranCabrio’s biggest issue lies: It is solely too expensive. Prices start at $206,995 (including destination) and it needs to be hitting dealer floors this fall. I suppose you’re paying that price to be in a celebration of 1, and I kind of get that.
The Trofeo starts at a still-wildly-high $193,995 (including destination) before you even add a single option. It puts the automotive in a weird no-man’s land with regards to price. It costs loads greater than stuff just like the Lexus LC 500, BMW M8, Mercedes SL and Porsche 911. The Maserati’s only real competition at its price point is the Bentley Continental GT, and that automotive comes with a greater motor and nicer materials inside. It doesn’t drive quite as well and appears are subjective, so I suppose it’s all about what you want. To be honest, I’d be loads more comfortable if this automotive was about $50,000 cheaper, but I suppose brand cache — even when it’s been damaged over the past decade — remains to be price something. When you tell someone who doesn’t know an excessive amount of about cars that you simply driving a Maserati, they’re going to be more impressed than if you happen to tell them you drive a BMW or a Mercedes. That may very well be price it to you.
Each the Maserati GranCabrio Trofeo and Folgore are really excellent, complete grand touring cars with a little bit of a sporty edge to them. I’m sure that whoever spends their hard-earned money on one in every of them won’t regret it. They’ve just got to be willing to take care of some touchpoints that aren’t top-notch and wish to pay for a brand that’s currently on the upswing. I wouldn’t blame anyone who buys one in every of these cars over the competition, they absolutely drive in a way that justifies their prices — there are only a number of things that hold them back from being true class leaders.
As for which one is my favorite and which one I’d buy, well, let’s just say this: The Trofeo’s V6 doesn’t sound nearly as good because the Folgore’s electric motors make me feel.
This Article First Appeared At jalopnik.com
