Frankfurt 2009 Preview: Maserati GranCabrio unveiled!
by Noah Joseph on Aug 24th 2009 at 8:19AM 
Maserati GranCabrio – Click above for high-res image galleryAfter what seems like years of eager anticipation, and with the weeks ticking down until the Frankfurt Motor Show, Maserati has finally unveiled its long-awaited convertible model. With the Maserati GranCabrio, it looks like the Italian automaker has done a beautiful job of translating the Pininfarina-designed GranTurismo into an open-top machine.
The questions on all our minds as we saw an endless stream of heavily-disguised test mules were whether the new convertible would have a fabric or metal roof, retain its four seats or sacrifice the back row (like its predecessor, the Spyder), and which engine would be found under that long hood.
Now we've got our answers. Unlike the Ferrari California, the GranCabrio features a cloth roof that deploys over the four-place passenger compartment, saving both weight and space. In fact, it's the first four-seat convertible in the company's history, and boasts what Maserati says is the longest wheelbase on the market. The Trident marque has also chosen to fit the convertible with the 4.7-liter 433-hp V8 from the GranTurismo S, bypassing the base 4.2-liter unit and mating it to the highly-rated ZF six-speed automatic. The new Maser's public debut is scheduled for the Frankfurt show next month, but in the meantime, follow the jump to read the press release and check out the quartet of images in the gallery below.
Gallery: Maserati GranCabrio
[Source: Maserati]
PRESS RELEASE
THE NEW MASERATI GRANCABRIO TO PREMIERE IN FRANKFURT
The Maserati GranCabrio, the first four-seater convertible in the Trident carmaker's history, will make its world wide debut on September 15 at the upcoming Frankfurt Motor Show. The introduction of the GranCabrio – the Trident's third prong – completes Maserati's product line-up that now consists of three different families of models: Quattroporte, GranTurismo, GranCabrio.
The GranCabrio represents the very essence of Maserati in terms of open-top cars. It's a Maserati in the purest sense of the word: from the unmistakable style by Pininfarina to the spacious interior, from the craftsmanship of each detail to the driving pleasure and performance. The Maserati GranCabrio enriches all five senses in a shared open-air experience, without sacrificing comfort and performance. A dream car designed and built for men and women who love to live life in an understated – though sophisticated – manner. Like all the made in Maserati open-top convertibles: special cars aimed at refined connoisseurs.
In fact the GranCabrio is continuing the Maserati tradition in open-top cars, joining models that have played such an important part in the Modena carmaker's history such as the 1950 A6G Frua Spyder, 1960 3500GT Vignale Spyder, 1964 Mistral Spyder, 1968 Ghibli Spyder and 2001 Spyder designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro, the car that marked Maserati's return to the United States. In the footsteps of tradition, the GranCabrio opens a new chapter, because never before have four-seater top-down models ever been produced at the Viale Ciro Menotti Maserati factory. Four proper seats, so that the rear passengers are not merely supporting actors, but co-stars of the journey.
The GranCabrio is powered by a 4.7 litre V8, 323 kW engine and is the convertible with the longest wheelbase on the market. The GranCabrio's roof is strictly canvas-made, emphasizing the link with the Maserati tradition.
The Maserati GranCabrio will be marketed starting next winter, and experienced by customers the world over from the following spring.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
jj 8:28AM (8/24/2009)
beautiful
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nastinupe 10:20AM (8/24/2009)
Meh.... Me thinks that this car should have been a hard top. If Pontiac and Mazda can do it, then I expect at least this much from Maserati. For a $120,000 USD car, I expect a hard top convertible.
And it's not like they are trying to shave weight? Plus, the California is basically the same car, so WTF, they already have a basic blue print on what to do. In fact, this is backward, I would have expected Ferrari to have the soft top to save weight and Maserati to have a hard top to be more upscale. What's the deal here? WTF.
zamafir 10:32AM (8/24/2009)
@nastinupe - why must you people keep making this stupid arguement. Go look at the f430, the gallardo, the zonda, R8 V10, any spider worth it's salt, not econo boxes, and tell me what sort of roof they're sporting. 'rabble rabble, infiniti has a hard top convert, rabble rabble'
Jei 1:10PM (8/24/2009)
Agreed. The Maserati Gran-series have been a beautiful set of vehicles.
Soft tops are fine these days. The manufacturers have made many functional & quality updates to this type of roof.
I would love to have one with a (dark chocolate-type color) leather roof.
Kyle 3:40PM (8/25/2009)
@zamafir I gotta agree with nastiupe on this one. Maserati should be beautiful looking and practical. The Ferrari is the one that should be trying to save weight. I personally like the GranTurismo better than the California. Its a much better looking car. The Ferrari should have gone with the soft top and the Mas could have forgone the back seats and had a hard top. It looks so ugly with this extended wheelbase, and I think that the granturismo is one of the most beautiful cars ever made. I think they made an error fitting a soft top but I think evidently the error was the back seat because that eliminated the use of a hard top because there's too much material to have to cover with the long wheel base so the soft top was a necessity.
nastinupe 4:55PM (8/25/2009)
@zamafir
You're missing, and proving my point at the same time. This Maserati is a LUXURY car, not a true sports car.
The "f430, the gallardo, the zonda, R8 V10" are all hard core sports cars. Anyone who has any sense knows that no one is about to add the extra weight of a hard top to these vehicles.
The GT is not that type of car, it's a grand tourer. It's made for blvd cruising. A hard top would have been perfect for this car. Even if that meant sacrificing the trunk and part of the back seat, they could have made it work.
And next time, I hope that you realize the CLASS of car that's up for discussion before you open your mouth. Apparently you throw all expensive exotics into the same barrel, where what you did was compare apples to oranges. The only thing they have in common are their high price tags.
neil2014 8:34AM (8/24/2009)
Haha, the 3rd pic is funny. Look at the steering wheel and then at the right front wheel. :-D
But besides of the bad use of photoshop the car is really beautiful and looks much better than the coupe version.
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DJ 8:48AM (8/24/2009)
IMO this is even better looking than the coupe. Maybe the best looking 4-place cabrio in the world right now.
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Raz 8:56AM (8/24/2009)
Great looking car! Only wish I have the money for it...
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Venom 9:01AM (8/24/2009)
Gorgeous.
The perfect car.
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mr.ed 7:46PM (8/24/2009)
Love me them Walmart fender vents.
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Malhaar 9:16AM (8/24/2009)
It is certainly nice, but I still prefer the coupe
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Xenon 9:34AM (8/24/2009)
I want to have sex with this car.
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skylin3gtr013 10:04AM (8/24/2009)
I think this is one of the hottest cars out today
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billysuwanto 10:30AM (8/24/2009)
Well done on the design Maserati. Absolutely beautiful. I think the main issue that Maserati will face is the price. It cannot be priced too close to the Ferrari California and it should charge a very hefty premium above porsche 911 4s cabrio. If they can set the price at a sweet spot, they will kick porsche's bottom and definitely will steal some other convertible market like merc SL and AUDI S5 cabrio. I know the AUDI is a bit far fetched though because it is much cheaper. In any case, I really wish Maserati will do well with this car because it is such a pure blood car company (no diesel).
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billysuwanto 10:33AM (8/24/2009)
I meant it should NOT charge a hefty premium above the porsche cabrio.
inline6 3:30PM (8/24/2009)
Fear not about the GranCabrio being priced too closely to the California.
The California starts at about $200k, as I recall. The GranCabrio will probably run between $100k and $150k.
And it looks amazing. I can't decide whether I like it or the -Turismo better. If I had the money, I'd solve that problem by getting both. They'd fit in my garage next to a 2010 Range Rover Supercharged, an XKR convertible, a Lotus Evora, a Quattroporte GT S, and an XJ SS. Oh, and an imported and federalized Lancia Ypsilon as my city car.
Art 10:42AM (8/24/2009)
how? is it possible humans can create such organically beautiful things?
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Rick 10:50AM (8/24/2009)
*drool*
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Franz 10:50AM (8/24/2009)
Love it.
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