Beautiful Maserati GranCabrio now £35k cheaper thanks to new 483bhp base version
The stunning V6-powered four-seat drop-top is now much more affordable… if you have a spare £131k to hand
Maserati has revealed a more conservative entry-level model for its elegant Gran Cabrio range, which comes with a reduction in both power and price.
The new 483bhp variant will cost from £131,325, which is nearly £35,000 less than the Trofeo, and promises to focus a bit more on the grand tourer side of its personality.
While the high-spec 542bhp Trofeo is extremely impressive, we found that its excess of power doesn’t really add to the overall package. It makes short work of the GranCabrio’s surprisingly reasonable mass, but the new model will be no different, still demolishing the 0-62mph sprint in just 4.0 seconds – only 0.2 more than the Trofeo.
The powertrain itself is essentially shared with the Trofeo, and features a 3.0-litre V6 petrol engine aided by two turbochargers and a snappy eight-speed automatic transmission tucked in behind the front axle. Top speed is rated at 188mph, just 8mph down on the Trofeo.
Power is sent to a clever all-wheel-drive system which has a significant rear bias, only bringing the front wheels into action to clean up any traction loss. There’s also no change to the chassis set-up – meaning that the air-suspension and its clever active ride height functionality is also unchanged.
There’s little between the new model and the existing Trofeo for specification, either, with the GranCabrio still featuring Maserati’s beautifully finished interior, plus the same dual-touch screen set-up. These join a digital driver’s display and a fourth screen that replaces the traditional Maserati clock.
Some elements, such as Matrix LED headlights and the excellent Sonus Faber stereo, are now relegated to the options list, though.
Alongside the introduction of the new base-level car, there has been a subtle suite of model year changes including a slightly larger palette of standard exterior colours, plus the new option of a tan leather interior package.
The new model was introduced alongside a one-off GranCabrio Trofeo ONE-of-ONE, a special commission built for the ICE concours in St Moritz, Switzerland. This model has been fitted with white-painted wheels, white badging and light blue three-layer paintwork.
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