At last, electric horsepower with some wind in your hair to go with it.
Today in the seaside town of Rimini, Italy, Maserati unveiled its latest all-electric machine: the long-awaited GranCabrio Folgore. Claiming the title “first luxury EV convertible," the GranCabrio Folgore made its debut with the usual Maserati panache, including a celebrity Italian DJ.
The Italian brand is serious about this vehicle. Boasting 800-volt technology and developed with technology reportedly cribbed from Formula E, the GranCabrio Folgore appears to be lightning fast and sleek and we’re looking forward to driving it in the near future. It’s part of Maserati’s plan to electrify its entire lineup by 2028, a timeline that was moved up from 2030 earlier this year.
The cabriolet version of the brand’s first EV, the GranTurismo Folgore, shares many of the same attributes as its hardtop sibling. Design differences between the coupe and the convertible are slim, in fact. Engineering is also nearly identical, boasting three 300-kilowatt permanent magnet motors and 800-volt technology for fast charging.
Head of design Klaus Busse has been with the Italian brand since 2015 and says the journey to electrification started eight years ago. Incidentally (or ironically, considering his size), the 6’7” designer also penned Fiat’s tiny 500e, which was just released in the North American market. Conversely, the GranCabrio offers generous seating for four average-sized adults.
Busse said he didn’t want the GranCabrio EV to be a “faceless car,” opting to invert the convex grille so that it has a distinct look for the EV lineup and promotes air cooling but maintains the Maserati feel. In essence, the solid bars represented on the gas-powered Maserati models are open vents instead, so it looks familiar but different.
Speaking of familiar but different, Maserati’s V8 is dying this year, which could mean the end of its trademark soundtrack. To perhaps tempt buyers who want to keep the vroom-vroom noises of a Maserati gas-powered engine, the brand’s Innovation Lab created a 3D sound system designed to emulate the rumbles of the ICE version.
Trident engineers mapped the frequencies of the eight-cylinder roar and digitized it for its Folgore lineup, feeding it through one of two audio systems by Italian speaker manufacturer Sonus Faber. In standard format, the audio system includes 13 speakers and 2D surround, with an 815-watt output; upgrade to the 16-speaker system for 2D and 3D surround sound with amplification up to 1060 watts.
Weighing in at more than 5,100 pounds, the convertible rides on a platform adaptable to ICE or EV, herefitted with a “T-Bone” battery pack. Impressively, the designers say no power is sacrificed at the droptop altar, and the difference in weight between the GranTurismo Folgore and GranCabrio Folgore is a mere 176 pounds. The automaker says it looked at the entirety of the vehicle, including its interior materials, to ensure the difference was slight.
Similarly to Audi’s S5 Cabriolet, the GranCabrio Folgore’s soft top can be opened even while driving up to about 31 mph. In 14 seconds, the car is converted to an open-air vehicle (and 16 seconds to close). Also like the S5 convertible, the GranCabrio Folgore includes neck warmers to keep the driver and front passenger comfortable with the top down.
The new GranCabrio Folgore can run in four drive modes: Max Range, GT, Sport, and Corsa. Max Range saves the most battery, and Maserati recommends running this mode when the power level dips below 16 percent. Maximum speed is throttled down to 80 mph and limits climate control as well. GT is touring mode for long drives, and both power and sound are decreased to 80 percent. Sport is for spirited driving, and Corsa offers up the whole cannoli (because “the whole enchilada” doesn’t work as well for an Italian car) of power.
Like the newest Ram 1500 pickup truck in the Stellantis lineup, Maserati’s new EV is built with the Atlantis High electrical architecture, previously seen in the GranTurismo. Equipped with “advanced cyber-security and flash-over-the-air features,” the EV convertible uses Maserati-designed software.
Available in 27 special Folgore finishes and the option to customize the GranCabrio through Maserati’s bespoke program, the GranCabrio includes six different wheel designs. The wheels are staggered, with 21-inch rims in the back and 20-inch versions up front. Inside, the brand continues to use recycled materials made from nylon waste from fishing nets and carpeting.
It remains to be seen if Maserati customers will embrace the EV technology in the lineup. With a $200,000 to $205,000 starting price that’s similar to its gas-powered cars and a soundtrack to ease buyers into the EV transition, it has a fighting chance and it sure looks tempting. Ciao bella, indeed.
Gallery: 2024 Maserati GranCabrio Folgore
