Maserati Grancabrio Folgore EV promises silent topless cruising

Maserati has unveiled an electric Folgore version of its Grancabrio drop-top grand tourer, two months after the petrol version made its global debut.

It follows the launch of other battery-powered models from the trident-badged Italian stable in the last year, namely the Granturismo coupé and Grecale SUV. Maserati plans to have a fully electrified range by 2028 and next on the list is the Folgore (Italian for lightning) derivative of the MC20 supercar.

The four-seat Grancabrio Folgore ensures silent topless cruising by switching its combustion-engined stablemate’s twin-turbocharged 3.0l V6 engine for three electric motors, one located at the front axle and the other two at the rear.

Their combined output of 560kW and 1,350Nm allows the topless Maserati to cover the 0-100km/h sprint in a claimed 2.8 seconds, with a driving range of 447km.

The electrically operated soft roof can be lowered or raised in 14 seconds at driving speeds of up to 50km/h. A neck-warming system comes standard while a turbulence-reducing wind deflector (for when there are two people aboard) can be optionally purchased.

The petrol Maserati Grancabrio is expected to arrive in SA in the fourth quarter of 2024. Maserati hasn’t confirmed whether the electric version is coming too.