- Maserati is creeping toward its electric future, but not before releasing some classic Italian flamboyance into the automotive world.
- In this case, building off the launch of the new GranTurismo in 2023, Maserati is dropping the top on the 2024 Maserati GranCabrio.
- With a Nettuno V6, luxury neck warmers, and five different colors of soft top, the GranCabrio is set to be the summer’s hottest convertible offering.
It seemed like only a matter of time until the engineers and designers in Modena looked at the last-year-launched GranTurismo coupe and thought ‘Let’s get rid of the roof.’ Core to the legacy that Maserati holds dear is stunning visual presence, and the new 2024 Maserati GranCabrio is a true testament to this principle, soft top included.
Sure, the name might seem a bit awkward, but the bones of Maserati’s newest droptop grand tourer are sturdy. Based on the 2024 Maserati GranTurismo (which we tested early last year), Maserati is hoping to conquer the spacious, two-door, four-seat coupe market with hardtop and convertible offerings.
Because the GranCabrio shares its beginning blueprint with the GranTurismo, differences in the chassis are relatively minimal, save for the lack of a roof. Constructed with a 65% mix of aluminum as well as steel and magnesium, the result is a marginal weight increase of 220 pounds for gas-powered convertible versions.
Maserati says the GranCabrio will be built on the same modular chassis platform as the GranTurismo, hinting at the potential for an all-electric Folgore version in the future. The Stellantis-owned Italian brand has yet to officially confirm an electric GranCabrio, though it has acknowledged the mechanical possibility is there.
Under the cofango (fender blended) hood, we find a familiar 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6 that Maserati affectionally calls the Nettuno engine. Used in everything from the MC20 supercar to Maserati’s mellowest Grecale crossover, the Nettuno V6 is a staple of the brand at this point and a damn good one at that, offering a range of power figures suited to each model.
In convertible form, Maserati is tuning the Nettuno up to 542 hp and 479 lb-ft of torque, akin to its hardtop GranTurismo Trofeo sibling. Paired with a classic ZF 8-speed automatic transmission, all GranCabrio models will send power to all four wheels through a mechanical front differential and self-locking e-differential in the rear.
However, the power split between the front and rear wheels isn’t set for the life of the car, as Maserati employs a system called Vehicle Domain Control Module (VDCM) to manage its power output. In essence, VDCM blends a series of traction and stability control systems with the adaptive suspension and differential to enable torque vectoring.
Maserati says the top-end GranCabrio Trofeo trim will make the 0-60 mph sprint in 3.6 seconds, down only 0.1 seconds from its hardtop sibling. With a claimed top speed of 196 mph, the GranCabrio Trofeo is certainly no slouch, either.
With an estimated 4300-pound curb weight, the GranCabrio will benefit from electronic driver’s aids which, based on our previous testing, are pleasantly tempered. As important as electronics, however, is the basic suspension setup, with the GranCabrio sporting a double-wishbone front and multilink rear orientation.
Electronically controlled dampers are also standard front and rear, tuned through the GranCabrio’s four different drive modes (Comfort, GT, Sport, and Corsa) alongside throttle mapping and steering weight. Brembo takes care of Maserati’s braking needs, with 6-piston fixed calipers up front and 4-piston fixed calipers in the rear.
The shared mechanical capabilities of the GranCabrio and GranTurismo are an enticing proposition, but convertible buyers are a specific breed and Maserati is well aware of this. As a result, the folks in Modena took a particular interest in crafting the perfect top-down interior.
For starters, Maserati has included a neck warmer in the headrests of the front two seats, allowing prospective buyers to show the outside world their Canada Goose jackets year-round. Similarly, an optional wind stopper can be mounted behind the front seats, reducing turbulence in the passenger compartment when the top is down.
Maserati says the canvas soft top can fold down in as little as 14 seconds and closed in 16 seconds, up to speeds of 31 mph. In another form of luxury, the GranCabrio soft top will be available in five different colors: black, blue marine, titan gray, greige, and garnet.
Overall, the interior remains largely the same when compared to its hardtop sibling. With a 12.3-inch central display, an independent 8.8-inch climate control display, and a piano key button shifter, the technology isn’t the most compelling part of the GranTurismo platform, though it makes up for it with hugging seats and a properly sized steering wheel.
Maserati has yet to reveal pricing or a production timeline for the 2024 GranCabrio. Priced at $191,995, the premier hardtop GranTurismo is expensive as is, though we suspect the GranCabrio will likely start above $200,000.
Will the convertible version sell better than the hardtop? Why or why not? Please share your thoughts below.
A New York transplant hailing from the Pacific Northwest, Emmet White has a passion for anything that goes: cars, bicycles, planes, and motorcycles. After learning to ride at 17, Emmet worked in the motorcycle industry before joining Autoweek in 2022. The woes of alternate side parking have kept his fleet moderate, with a 2014 Volkswagen Jetta GLI and a 2003 Honda Nighthawk 750 street parked in his South Brooklyn community.