2024 Maserati GranCabrio

First came the revived GranTurismo, a coupe made for rapid progress while still decked out in opulence. Now Maserati has unveiled its soft-top variant, the GranCabrio. Gran refers to “grand” and cabrio is short for “cabriolet,” a term often used for convertible cars with four seats. It’s a thing of beauty, with classic lines and proportions making it obvious that this is an Italian super-tourer destined to bring elegance to Rodeo Drive, the French Riviera, and beyond.

The GranCabrio is new this year, available in Trofeo trim. An all-electric version, the Folgore (Italian for “lightning”), is due as a 2025 model.

The 2024 Maserati GranCabrio starts at $204,995. That’s for the Trofeo trim, the sole choice right now. In time, a Modena trim might come in at a lower price.

This figure includes both the manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) and the $1,995 factory-to-dealer delivery fee (destination charge).

The Aston Martin Vantage V8 Convertible only has seating for two, but should be close in price to the GranCabrio. Likewise the Mercedes-AMG SL 63. For those who would like to splash out a bit more, there’s the Bentley Continental GTC from about $265K or the (stunning) Ferrari Roma Spider in the $280K region.

A twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 endows the new GranCabrio with 542 horsepower and 479 lb-ft of torque — enough muscle to catapult this cabriolet from standstill to 60 mph in a rapid 3.6 seconds. That’s a perfectly excessive amount of power and speed, competitive against the Mercedes-AMG SL 63 and not far off the Aston Martin Vantage V8 — the kind of exalted company the GranCabrio keeps.

All-wheel drive is standard, enabling optimum grip in the dry and reassurance in the wet. A standard adaptive suspension has modes going from street-comfortable to track-worthy. Maserati says that more than 65% of the GranCabrio is made of aluminum, while the company also deploys other lightweight elements like magnesium to keep heft in check. At 4,317 pounds, this convertible is only about 220 pounds heavier than its coupe stablemate, with a well-balanced 51/49 weight distribution.

Fuel Economy

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates the 2024 GranCabrio can achieve 20 mpg in combined city/highway driving. We doubt it will be a big consideration, but that does make it 4 mpg thriftier than the Mercedes-AMG SL 63.

All four seats are swathed in fine leather. And although it doesn’t look like there’s a lot of rear legroom, those back seats seem just as well-shaped and supportive as the fronts. To maximize interior space and cargo room, Maserati opted for a folding fabric roof instead of a retractable hard top. It is power-operated, though, and a single button press will see it disappear into the body in about 14 seconds, at speeds of up to 30 mph. The front seats also have neck-warming air vents, like the Mercedes-Benz Airscarf feature.

As well as traditional luxury touches, the GranCabrio comes with a 12.2-inch digital instrument cluster and a 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen, along with contemporary features like wireless phone integration. The infotainment system responds to voice commands, a head-up display is available, and the standard audio system is a 13-speaker/815-watt surround-sound setup from top Italian maker Sonus Faber.

It seems someone is making cars like they used to, if the 2024 Maserati GranCabrio is any indication. No excursions into the avant-garde, no deliberately polarizing designs, just a timeless and (to our eyes) elegant shape. Buyers have plenty of scope to make the 2024 GranCabrio their own, with 32 paint choices, and even five different finishes for the brake calipers.

In this Trofeo trim, the GranCabrio’s twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 develops 542 horsepower and 479 lb-ft of torque, going to all four wheels through an 8-speed automatic transmission.

4-Year/50,000-Mile Warranty

Maserati’s new-vehicle and powertrain warranties both last four years or 50,000 miles, whichever happens first. This is typical among European luxury car makers.

Safety

Standard safety features include forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking. A fuller package of driver assistance features — with things like blind-spot monitoring, intersection assistance, and a 360-degree camera system — is an extra $6,800.