The review: Maserati GranCabrio is a great tourer reborn
by Noelle Faulkner
Photography by Jin Cheng Wong
Shot on location at the Sirius Residences in Sydney, Australia.
Supercars may dominate our social media feeds as SUVs crowd our streets, but when it comes to capturing the joy of the open road, neither can compete with the poise and sophistication of a grand tourer. These days, there are many cars that have ‘GT’ stamped on their tail, offering a driving experience that’s equally thrilling and effortlessly composed—which is indeed the marker of a great tourer. However, in its truest form, a pure grand tourer should be a testament to meticulous engineering and discerning taste, but it must also have feeling, soul, and an air of romance about it. It’s no wonder that, as the saying goes, the Italians do it best.
Historically speaking, few brands possess as much experience in the fine art of GT perfection as Maserati. For more than 75 years, the Modena-based marque has garnered a reputation for creating GTs that equally thrill when pushed, maintain composure and comfort during long-distance journeys, and cut a handsome and stylish figure, via an appreciation for and focus on craftsmanship.
Top: The Maserati GranCabrio Trofeo in front of the designer penthouse, Sirius Residences in Sydney, Australia.
Today, the new two-door Maserati GranTurismo, and its drop-top sibling, the GranCabrio, are no exception. First introduced in 2007, the Maserati GranTurismo held court within the Trident’s lineup as its most formidable tourer, at least up until it ceased production in 2019. Now, nearing 20 years on, the sculptural two-plus-two-seater has undergone an extensive overhaul to compete with the ever-widening (and electrified) landscape of the GT.
The new Maserati GranTurismo arrives in three variants across a coupe and convertible (GranCabrio) body shape. This includes two petrol-powered variants, the Modena, the high-performance Trofeo, and a new pure electric-powered Folgore. We opted to test-drive the high-powered GranCabrio Trofeo for this review, because there’s no other way to experience the full romance of a GT than with the top-down.
Redesigned from the ground up, the new GranTurismo has been stepped up in every way—though, we admit, fans of the original Ferrari-developed 4.2-litre V8 might not wholly agree; but hear us out. Yes, sadly, the mighty V8 is out and in its place is the lovely Maserati-developed ‘Nettuno’ 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6, which has plenty to brag about when it comes to efficiency, weight and emissions.
When it first debuted in the Maserati MC20 supercar, the Nettuno V6 was the first production car engine to adopt an innovative pre-chamber combustion system with twin-spark plugs, drawn specifically from Formula 1. In the GranCabrio Trofeo, this results in a highly engaging, charming, responsive and rev-happy engine, with 404kW of power and 660Nm of torque, and is almost as sonorous as its V8 relative, despite losing a couple of cylinders.
Tech-wise, the new generation GT has also had a total over-haul, and has all the safety and luxury accoutrements you’d expect from a prestige marque in 2025, including a fantastic 12- or 14-speaker Sonus Faber Premium Audio System, advanced adaptive tech with crystal-clear surround view cameras and intelligent speed assist. The new 12.3-inch media touchscreen is not groundbreaking, but it is lovely and unfussy to use—it’s not distracting, it’s not trying to be too futuristic (read: it still has plenty of Italian charm), and it is easy to personalise for when you’re on the open road and need shortcuts to get to your favourite settings. This is helpful, because the GranTurismo Trofeo is a joy to drive. It’s quick (0-100km/h in 3.9 seconds) and, despite the cylinder downgrade, it still elicits a sonorous crack when corralled into action.
The most appealing feature of the GranCabrio, which not every fancy new super-GT can claim (particularly the more ostentatious ones), is that it’s a wonderful and charming daily driver, and an alluring work of sculpture—two things Maserati’s best GTs have always strived to achieve.
In this increasingly crowded category of cars, it might not be the most popular. But as a flame carrier for the modern-day Italian cruiser, with a near-perfect balance of power, prestige, and panache, the Maserati GranTurismo might just be the most underrated GT on the road.
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