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Maserati GranCabrio Folgore: A healthy dose sexy Italian automotive lightning

Larry Printz, Tribune News Service on

Published in Automotive News

Ooooh. That’s pretty, isn’t it? It’s the Maserati’s newest EV, the 2025 Maserati GranCabrio Folgore, a pure battery electric, two-door, four-seat convertible, a model in a class of one. It took nearly eight years to arrive from initial conception, but there’s a reason for that.

“We knew we had to create rolling sculpture,” said Klaus Busse, head of design for Maserati. “We didn’t want a faceless car that you see from a lot of startups.”

With the introduction of the Maserati GranCabrio Folgore, the Modena, Italy-based automaker now offers a trio of battery electric luxury GTs, a move that follows the recent unveiling of the GranTurismo Folgore and started with the Grecale Folgore, the latter of which translates to Greece Lightning. There’s a clear message here when it comes to Folgore models. As if to underline it, the model was revealed in Rimini, on Italy’s Adriatic coast, near the Misano ePrix, where the automaker nabbed a podium finish this year employing technology similar to that used in the GranTurismo Folgore and GranCabrio Folgore.

While the GranCabrio is little more than the sumptuous GranTurismo with its roof removed, it enters a segment of the market with that – for now – has no competitors when it goes on sale later this year. Thankfully, the 2025 Maserati GranCabrio Folgore’s design remains visually seductive, with soft shoulders and a voluptuous beltline much like its gas-powered sibling. This contrasts to the lower half of the vehicle, which appears tauter in its surface details, quietly contrasting with its sensuous upper half.

The 2025 Maserati GranCabrio Folgore is built on the company’s new Atlantis High electrical architecture, not corporate parent Stellantis’ STLA large platform being used for the forthcoming Dodge Charger Daytona EV. Unlike the STLA large, which houses the batteries beneath the vehicle, Maserati’s Atlantis High packages the 92.5-kWh battery in a t-shape between the passengers, allowing designers to retain a low seating position and an equally low roofline. As for the battery, it powers one electric motor for the front axle and one for each wheel in the rear, which allows for torque vectoring. While each motor is capable of producing 402 horsepower and 332 pound-feet of torque, engineers are only using 83 kWh of the battery’s 92.5 kWh, limiting total power to 751 horsepower and 996 pound-feet of torque. Among the Max Range, GT, Sport and Corsa driving modes, Corsa is the one that provides the full 751 horses. Still, that’s enough to run 0 to 62 mph in 2.8 seconds on the way to a 180-mph top speed. Equally quick is recharging, which can reach 80% from 20% and takes as little as 18 minutes thanks to its 800-volt architecture. There are no plans for Maserati to transition to the North American Charging Standard (aka Tesla chargers) or to provide an adaptor for their use. Therefore, the car will use the familiar CCS charging standard. Nevertheless, GranCabrio Folgore buyers will get a Maserati-designed wall box charger that provides from 3kW to 22 kW depending on home’s electric system.

But should you need a public charging station, you’ll be happy to know that the car’s navigation system incorporates nearby CCS chargers along the route, along with their status; whether they are available, occupied or out of commission. And the Maserati owner’s app handles payments for about 90 percent of the CCS charging networks in North America, so you’ll have one place for nearly all public charging payments.

While the EPA has yet to issue mileage figures, Maserati estimates its range at 250 miles.

 

As with any convertible, the GranCarbio’s sexiness rises when it drops its top. The fabric roof disappears in as little as 14 seconds and reappears in 16 seconds at speeds up to 31 mph. But lowering the top also reduces trunk space to a meager 4.6 cubic feet from a Lilliputian 6.1 cubic feet.

The GranCabrio Folgore will be offered in six standard and 27 special-order paint colors, and can be customized through Maserati’s Fuoriserie program.

Inside, you’ll find an interior much like that of its conventionally-powered sibling, with some unique touches. Check out the cabin trim; It’s made of carbon fiber woven with copper threads. And if you don’t want leather seats, you can opt for Econyl, a man-made material made from recycled nylon offered in a plain or laser-etched patterned finish.

As you might expect, the center of the instrument panel is composed mainly of screens, which are placed lower to make them easier to reach from the steering wheel. A digital clock is perched above it, with graphics that mimic an analog clock. Better yet, its readout can be customized to show the battery status indicator, a G-force meter, accelerometer and a stopwatch.

While pricing hasn’t been announced, expect to pay somewhere north of the GranTurismo Folgore’s $210,000 starting price. Look for it to reach showrooms come fall.


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