LAKE MAGGIORE, Italy — Driving the Maserati GranCabrio Folgore on its picturesque home turf, and studying Maserati’s press materials, I’m convinced the Italian automaker has buried the lede. Especially when every auto journalist is questioning a pricing strategy that finds some GranTurismo coupes and GranCabrio convertibles brushing past $200,000. That gets into Cloud 9, Bentley-and-Aston-Martin territory.
Honestly, the Bentley’s only decisive win is its gorgeously wrought London library that doubles as a car interior. The Aston’s cabin also tops the Maserati’s in materials and execution. So score one win for Team Brexit, and four for Maserati. Hmm: Maybe it’s the Bentley and Aston that are overpriced?
2024 Maserati GranCabrio Trofeo View 17 Photos The start is a great opportunity to soak up morning rays and listen to a Sonus Faber audio system by the U.K. audiophile company, which is among the best and clearest I’ve experienced in a convertible. Even at highway speeds, music sounds like, well, music. At any speed, on any road, this GranCabrio is a joy to drive, or to ride shotgun in: Fluid and relaxed, but ready to spring into action and fly through these shore-hugging curves.
A company-estimated 2.8-second surge to 60 mph feels like sandbagging, based on the seat of my pants. A 9.1-second rip to 124 mph beats even Porsche’s Taycan Turbo S coupe by 0.5 seconds. And it’s about 4.5 seconds quicker than that 650-hp GT Speed convertible. Buh-bye, Bentley.