Maserati GranCabrio Folgore revealed as 761hp convertible EV

Maserati has unveiled the new GranCabrio Folgore, a soft-roofed electric GT that promises to meld high-performance thrills with a tranquil open-air driving experience. The Folgore (Italian for lightning) swaps its combustion-engined sibling’s twin-turbocharged 3.0-litre V6 for three electric motors from the hard-roofed Maserati GranTurismo Folgore.

One is mounted on the front axle and the other two are at the rear. Bosses have told our sister publication Autocar UK that each produces a whopping 408hp, although their combined outputs are pegged at 761hp and 1,350Nm.

1. GranCabrio EV range is claimed to be up to 447km
2. GranCabrio Folgore about 90kg heavier than GranTurismo EV
3. 0-100kph takes 2.8 seconds; 0.4secs quicker than MG Cyberster

Maserati GranTurismo Folgore battery

The 83kWh (usable) battery can only discharge up to 600kW (816hp) at any one time. Our sister publication Autocar UK understands this limit could be raised as battery technology is improved and the car is facelifted. Maserati claims a range of up to 447km for the drop-top GranCabrio, which is a similar figure to the 450km offered by the electric GranTurismo.

The Grancabrio Folgore’s structure is reinforced around the sills and the rear tray to maintain ride quality. The company prioritised comfort over agility for the convertible, according to Davide Danesin, engineering chief for the GT and Quattroporte product lines.

He told Autocar UK, “The customer of GranCabrio is different from a customer of the GT. The GranCabrio customer is not usually a hard driver looking for the best performance from the car – it's a different way to enjoy the product.”

Although the extra steel on the Grancabrio Folgore adds around 90kg to the coupe, its straight-line performance is almost identical. It offers a 2.8 second 0-100kph sprint, just 0.1 seconds behind the GranTurismo Folgore, and 0.4 seconds quicker than the dual-motor MG Cyberster. The MG, however, will be significantly less expensive than the GranCabrio.

Maserati GranTurismo Folgore design

Visually, the Folgore swaps the slatted grille of its petrol equivalent for ‘inverted’ surfacing. This is to say that each grille pillar on the petrol model is an open area on the EV, and vice versa. Maserati design chief Klaus Busse explained that he opted to reinvent the grille, rather than move to a flat surface to avoid having a “faceless” car. “You get a true Maserati face whether it's the Folgore, GranTurismo [ICE] or Grecale,” he said.

The GranCabrio Folgore uses the same folding fabric lid as the petrol version, which can be lowered or raised in 14 seconds, at speeds of up to 50kph. A neck-warming system comes as standard, offering three levels of heat output. A wind deflector, which reduces turbulence over the passengers, is an optional extra.

For now, there's no word on when the GranCabrio Folgore is coming to India. Maserati currently has the Levante SUV and MC20 sportscar, along with the Ghibli and Quattroporte sedans in its India line-up. The new Grecale SUV is scheduled to arrive this year, along with the GranTurismo in both petrol and electric form.