Maserati GranCabrio at Frankfurt

Maserati will be launching the Maserati GranCabrio at Frankfurt

It’s taken Maserati a year or three to cobble together the Convertible GranTurismo, but they’ve finally got there and the new car is Christened – The Maserati GranCabrio – and will launch at the Frankfurt Motor Show next month.

Unlike its cousin the Ferrari California, the GranCabrio gets a folding rag-top instead of a tin-top, which should help keep the inevitable weight gains for a cabrio in check. But it’s still not going to be light at pushing on two tonnes. But to compensate for the weight gains the GranCabrio gets the more powerful lump from the GranTurismo S – the V8, 4.7 litre with 433bhp. As a result it will also come with Maserati’s auto ‘box and paddle shifters.

But don’t expect the performance to be neck breaking. Although we have no official performance figures (which tends to suggest they are not exceptional) we would guess 0-60 mph will be mid 5 seconds and top speed around 175mph. But you should be able to that four-up, as the GranCabrio keeps the GranTurismo’s four seat configuration. Maserati are claiming the GranCabrio has the longest wheelbase of any convertible on the market (what about the Maybach Landaulet or the RR DHC?), so your back seat passengers should have a decent amount of room.

Official launch of the GranCabrio will be at Frankfurt, when we expect to get some performance figures and prices. At a guess we’d say somewhere around £85,000 when it hits showrooms in Spring 2010.

By Cars UK