MOTORS
THE MASERATI GRANCABRIO
THE TIMELESS DESIGN OF THE MASERATI GRANCABRIO IS ACCOMPANIED BY THE EXHILARATING PERFORMANCE OF A NATURALLY ASPIRATED, MARANELLO-BUILT V8 ENGINE AND THE HANDCRAFTED COMFORT OF FOUR INDIVIDUAL POLTRONA FRAU ® SEATS. IN SHORT, THE GRANCABRIO IS THE ULTIMATE EXPRESSION OF LUXURIOUS, OPEN-TOP GRAND TOURING AT ITS AUTHENTIC BEST.
The GranCabrio range has been streamlined for 2018 and two well-defined versions will be offered – Sport and MC. The 4.2-litre GranCabrio has been discontinued, while the Sport and MC share the same powertrain and interior personalisation packages. Both the GranCabrio MC( Maserati Corse) and the GranTurismo MC take on important ambassadorial roles for the entire Maserati range, representing the company’ s long and illustrious racing heritage.
Both the GranCabrio Sport and GranCabrio MC are equipped with the legendary 4.7-litre V8 engine, producing 460hp at 7,000rpm and 520Nm at 4,750rpm. The naturally aspirated unit is hand assembled by Ferrari in Maranello and weighs only 175kg.
The Sport and MC share the same basic features, although the central splitter is the element that most clearly distinguishes the two versions, and the GranCabrio MC boasts an even more pronounced design, giving greater emphasis to the motor racing pedigree.
While the sleek body of the GranCabrio remains untouched, the rear bumper has been redesigned with the sole aim of emphasising the natural elegance of this iconic convertible.
With its neater, more cohesive design, the new bumper further accentuates the impression of stability while adding a graceful finishing touch to the car’ s unmistakable silhouette.
The central diffuser is specific to each version. The emphasis is on elegance with the GranCabrio Sport, with the oval exhaust outlets appearing at the bumper’ s edges. The GranCabrio MC is decisively sportier, with round outlets coming through the central, transparent diffuser. The exhaust system of the MC version is lighter and has a totally different shape and function. When in Sport mode, a valve channels exhaust gases so they completely bypass the silencer, reducing back pressure and creating a classic‘ sporty’ sound. The elegant interior of the GranCabrio offers unparalleled comfort thanks to its four individual, Poltrona Frau ® leather seats with integrated headrests. For 2018, the dashboard features a more sculptured design in the passenger area, complemented in highfashion style by stitched leather finishes.
The centrepiece of the dashboard is now a high-resolution, 8.4” capacitive touchscreen. The GranCabrio system is in line with those featured in the other Maserati models and compatible with both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone mirroring functions. Both models also now feature the high-end Harman Kardon Premium Sound system as standard.
In addition, the central console area is still significantly neater, with fewer buttons than before. The lower console is redesigned to accommodate a user-friendly, double rotary dial – now a standard feature in all Maserati models – positioned next to the gear lever, this a high-quality component in forged aluminium. The driving modes button cluster is now in front of the gear lever.
For 2018, there are eight interior colours and five interior trim options – from carbon fibre to walnut briarwood. All are available on the Sport and MC. There are also three‘ special edition’ interior packages as well as an optional new‘ Centennial Pack’ in four colour combinations) for both GranCabrio versions.
Motorline Maserati Maidstone www. motorline. co. uk / maserati 01622 233111
158