Maserati GranCabrio 2010 Review

What we liked
>> Sweet Italian V8 soundtrack
>> Proper four-seat accommodation
>> Easy day-to-day driveability

Not so much
>> Overly complicated infotainment functionality
>> Transmission reluctant to stay in manual mode
>> A-pillar visibility

About our ratings

Not that convertible models like the new GranCabrio are anything new for the Trident brand. With a top-down heritage stretching back decades, the Italian manufacturer knows a thing or two about top down design, performance and desirable elegance. Consider models such as the A6G Frua Spyder, the 3500 GT Vignale, the Mistral Spyder and the Ghibli Spyder. Each is a classic, proving that when it comes to top-down motoring, Maserati has a way of weaving a magic that doesn't weary with the passage of time.

The GranCabrio marks a new start for Maserati as the release of its first true four-seat convertible. It marries breathtaking looks, unabashed performance, and jaw-dropping beauty to a truly usable four-seater that allows an enjoyment of the road which only an open top car can provide.

The topless Trident car features a sonorous 4.7-litre V8 engine mated exclusively to a six-speed automatic transmission, an automated folding soft-top and four very comfortable leather-clad seats.

The standard kit list includes every conceivable modern convenience, all of which are electronically controlled, a thorough array of safety equipment and a uniquely tuned sound system designed specifically and exclusively for the dynamics of a car with two very separate acoustic personalities.

Of course, like all Maseratis, the GranCabrio is extensively customisable with over 2000 possible colour and trim combinations available.

Electronically controlled, the three-layer fabric, steel-framed roof is deployed in 28 seconds (including glass, 20 seconds without) at speeds up to 30km/h and can also be retracted by the driver's door key remotely. Weighing in at only 65kg the hood has minimal impact of the car's performance and is specially designed to prevent 'ballooning' at high speeds, while also being insulated for both temperature and wind noise.

The engine is controllable via two modes -- normal and sport -- switchable from the right-hand side of the centre stack. In 'normal' mode the GranCabrio is almost docile and pleasurably easy to drive, while in 'sport', a more aggressive transmission shift pattern and vocal exhaust note are adopted, none-too-subtly hinting at the performance credentials lurking so patiently beneath your right foot.

Mated exclusively to a Sachs ZF 6HP26 six-speed automatic transmission, which is tuned specifically for the high-revving V8 engine, GranCabrio offers steering wheel-mounted paddle shift manual override for a sportier driving experience. Drive is to the rear wheels (of course) via an asymmetric limited slip differential (25 per cent in traction, 45 per cent in release) with a final drive ratio of 3.73:1.

Sprinting from rest to 0-100km/h in just 5.3 seconds, the GranCabrio boasts a top speed of 283km/h with the car closed (274km/h with car open), its flexible in-gear acceleration covering the 80-120km/h jaunt in only 4.2 seconds. Combined cycle fuel consumption is 15.4L/100km and CO2 emissions tally 358g/km.

The GranCabrio rides on 20-inch alloy wheels and is suspended by Maserati's 'skyhook' suspension which features continuously variable damping. Both front and rear suspension is fitted with hollow anti-roll bars to reduce body roll and mass, increasing both handling and ride comfort -- this impressive blend a standout highlight on our choppy test route.

Based on the Quattroporte's four-door limo's multi-material monocoque body, the GranCabrio has been stiffened in several key areas to maintain torsional rigidity (an important element in any sports-orientated car and one often lost in the conversion to an open top). Its wheelbase (2942mm) and rear overhang have both both reduced and several integrated stiffeners are included to supplement the frame for poised, flat and ultimately controllable cornering.

As outlined in our European launch review of the GranCabrio, the soft-top is more than simply a chopped version of the Gran Tourismo coupe.

Measuring in at 4881mm in length, the GranCabrio is 2056mm wide (including mirrors, 1915mm without) and 1353mm high. It features a front track of 1586mm and rear track just slightly wider at 1590mm. Weight distribution of the GranCabrio's 1980kg kerb mass remains close to the ideal 50:50 split, the figure shifting to 49:51 (front to rear) with the roof up and 48:52 when the roof is retracted.

Purposefully strong braking is provided via a dual-circuit hydraulic system with electronic assistance, its four-wheel discs measuring 360x32mm at the front and 330x28mm at the rear for an impressive 100-0km/h stopping distance of only 35 metres. Steering is also hydraulically assisted for a turning circle of 10.7 metres.

PACKAGING

The hi-fi system, co-developed between Maserati and BOSE, features 12 speakers located at key positions throughout the cabin to ensure sound quality is maintained even without the roof to act as a resonating chamber in a triumph of tonal quality Maserati refer to as "GranCabrio concert hall". Audiophiles and technology buffs alike will adore this sound system, for not only does it deliver true clarity, but also offers the ultimate flexibility in musical formats with CD, MP3, 30GB hard disc, SD and USB interfaces all included. Full iPod integration is available upon request.

The system also utilises a specifically developed AudioPilot system which uses a small dashboard-mounted microphone to detect noise levels within the cabin space and adjusts the sound equalisation accordingly.

Similarly, the intelligent dual-zone climate control system is also able to adapt itself to either state, fine-tuned to deliver the correct flow rate whether the soft top is up or down. The intensity of the fan and air temperature is carefully metered as not to be too invasive, especially when returning to the car in extreme hot or cold.

Satellite navigation, forming part of the seven-inch high resolution centre screen also allows Bluetooth connectivity, itself clever enough to read SMS messages to you whilst driving. Concise, beautifully presented instrumentation provides ample information at a glance with trip computer and vehicle information displayed on a small screen located between the two outer ring gauges.

Rear seat passengers are afforded a generous level of accommodation, the front seat electronically retracting and replacing itself once a rear passenger is detected, positioning itself back in place while allowing enough legroom for comfortable rear seat legroom.

Maserati say that even with the roof in place, the rear seat provides proportion ample enough to cater for the proportions of 62.5 per cent of the population.

Storage in GranCabrio's boot is said to be large enough to hold the standard measure set of golf clubs, or for those with other interests, approximately 173-litres. Two different yet matching luggage sets, in numerous complementary colours, are also available. Expect to pay around $7500.

On the downside, A-pillar visibility is somewhat restricted thanks to the thick windscreen support required for roll-over protection, which can make looking through certain right-hand bends a touch difficult.

Stability and traction control feature as standard, as does an antilock braking system with brake-force distribution, et al. Six airbags are also offered including specially designed side-impact airbags, deployed from the door to act as a curtain airbag in the event of a side collision.

Extendable roll bars are deployed from behind the rear seats in 190 milliseconds, should they ever be required, forming a protective barrier in conjunction with the reinforced (front) A-pillars.

ISOFIX child seat fixings are fitted, and for Australian residents, the standard bolt-type child seat anchor points are also included in both rear seat positions. Importantly, the airbag system operates accordingly to the size of the occupant in the car making GranCabrio one convertible that's very protective of its younger passengers.

COMPETITORS

Further, a small number of Audi R8 Spyder, Mercedes-Benz CLK and even Ferrari California owners could also find themselves swayed toward the incontestable combination of practicality and performance offered by the Pininfarina-designed four-seat convertible.

The wide-ranging appeal of the GranCabrio is an obvious and persuasive drawcard, and Maserati makes no apologies for reaching out to a broader audience.

Female and family buyers are showing a particular interest in the top-down Trident car -- a first for the traditionally male dominated demographic. The combination of added interior space, everyday practicality and stand-out good looks (not to mention athletic performance) is seducing many shopping within the $200-500K range away from more conservative luxury marques, says Maserati.

Though the coarse B- and C-roads of our drive route were an unlikely stage for GranCabrio's outright performance (a necessary detour to avoid road works), they quickly proved the car's suspension set-up is compliant, yet still tenaciously sporty. In fact the only noticeable failing in the car's suspension setup, a slight chatter from the steering column over particularly choppy sections of unkempt Queensland back roads.

Roof up there's just the faintest hint of wind noise when travelling at pace through open valleys, swift corners and undulating crests, all raising only a mild, muted distraction over that sweet V8 Italian soundtrack pulsing beneath the bonnet. Take the roof off and GranCabrio reveals itself as a true open sportscar, the exhaust an orchestra of sound from its polished dual oval outlets with an intoxicating burble on overrun and crisp crackle on downshifts, an aural pleasure that makes you want to swap cogs over and again, just to hear the noise.

There's a little draft present between the outboard edges of the (front) seats and the door at highway speeds, a small issue the seat heaters more than compensate for.

With the ZF transmission set in Drive, the GranCabrio is no harder to drive than a Volvo C70. Deceptively subdued and forgiving, it's hard to anticipate the maelstrom of Italian passion and pure horsepower that can erupt at the mere prod of your right foot -- and that's before we hit Sports mode.

Sports mode selected, the GranCabrio is sharp, responsive, alive. The transmission changes quickly and decisively between cogs, almost negating the need for intervention from the steering wheel-mounted paddle shifts. Though perhaps that's just as well, because when you really want to hold a gear between corners, the car has other ideas -- in Automatic mode at least -- changing up a gear without any input from the driver. By slipping the shift lever across to Manual mode, the GranCabrio will hold gears and, in fact, will only change gears on demand from the driver. A quick tap of the downshifting paddle and the transmission selects the correct ratio, in time to drive with rapid momentum through the next corner, and the next... Addictive stuff.

Parked at our lunch destination, the GranCabrio draws longing looks from passers-by young and old, the chemistry of its sculpture an enduring pleasure, correct from every angle.

It's often difficult to compose a four-seat convertible in the correct proportions without losing the style an open top car commands, but truly Maserati have triumphed -- an accommodating and alluring creation, the GranCabrio is a future classic in every sense.

Read the latest Carsales Network news and reviews on your mobile, iPhone or PDA at www.carsales.mobi.