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 the three electric motors from the hard-roofed Maserati GranTurismo Folgore.

One is mounted to 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. Takes 2.8 seconds to do 0-100kph; 0.4 seconds quicker than MG Cyberster

This is because the 83kWh (usable) battery can only discharge up to 600kW (816hp) at any one time. 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’s 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. They want a status product, they want to enjoy the free life in a good environment.”

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

Visually, the Folgore swaps the slatted grille of its petrol equivalent for ‘inverted’ surfacing. This is to say that each