Maserati completes its product line-up of the weirdly named, Quattroporte and GranTurismo with the inclusion of the GranCabrio. This will be the first open-top four-seater that Maserati produces. Maserati smartly takes advantage of this fact and states “the rear passengers are not merely supporting actors, but co-stars of the journey”

This 433 bhp, 4.7 Litre V8 convertible has one of the longest wheelbase in its class, and keeping in line with the Maserati tradition, the roof is canvas made. This is not surprising since it would be hard to imagine how they would manage to hide a hard-top under those sleek contours. The canvas top can be lowered or raised in 28 seconds even while travelling at 18 mph.

It is claimed to attain a top speed of over 283 km/h with the car closed, while accelerating from 0 – 100 km/h in just 5.4s.

It comes equipped with a Skyhook suspension, a top-of-the-line Bose Sound System and dual-zone climate control air-conditioning. It is expected to go on sale next Spring, for around £95,000.

Press Release after the jump.

PRESS RELEASE:

The new Maserati GranCabrio

The introduction of the GranCabrio – the Trident’s third prong – completes Maserati’s product line-up that now consists of three different families of models: Quattroporte, GranTurismo, GranCabrio.

The GranCabrio represents the very essence of Maserati in terms of open-top cars. It’s a Maserati in the purest sense of the word: from the unmistakable style by Pininfarina to the spacious interior, from the craftsmanship of each detail to the driving pleasure and performance. The Maserati GranCabrio enriches all five senses in a shared open-air experience, without sacrificing comfort and performance. A dream car designed and built for men and women who love to live life in an understated – though sophisticated – manner. Like all the made in Maserati open-top convertibles: special cars aimed at refined connoisseurs.

The GranCabrio is continuing the Maserati tradition in open-top fine automobiles, beginning with the 1950 A6G Frua Spyder, and continuing through a long list of significant and thrilling open air models. However, in adding to this tradition, the GranCabrio opens a new chapter, because never before have four-seater top-down models ever been produced at the Viale Ciro Menotti Maserati factory in Modena. Four proper seats are provided, so that the rear passengers are not merely supporting actors, but co-stars of the journey.

The GranCabrio is powered by a 4.7 liter V8, 323 kW engine and is the convertible with the longest wheelbase on the market (versus its direct competitors). The GranCabrio’s roof is strictly canvas-made, emphasizing the link with the Maserati tradition.

The Maserati GranCabrio will be marketed starting next winter, and experienced by customers the world over from the following spring.

Technical specifications

Body

High-strength steel bearing monocoque with box-section panels and structure constructed in sheet galvanized, two-door cabriolet, four seats, longitudinal centre-front engine (between the two axles), rear wheel drive.

Cx 0.35 with car closed and 0.39 with car open.

Monocoque

Multi-material bearing monocoque, passive safety performance conforming to “worldwide” regulations, integration of various design technologies for weight/performance optimization: steel structural part, aluminum bonnet and bumper front reinforcement cross member, boot lid in thermosetting composite material.

Frame

Derived from the Quattroporte structure, with reduced wheelbase and rear overhang, designed to satisfy the most stringent American crash standards (FMVSS208, Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard), front structure compliant with ACEA1 “pedestrian impact” standards.
Constructed in high-strength steel boxed sections; it integrates a tubular structure in the rear part to support suspensions and differential; front serves to support the suspensions and engine.
Aluminum sub-floor structural reinforcements.

Suspension

Standard Skyhook system.
Front: quadrilateral with forged aluminum hub carriers and struts, basic aluminum gas dampers with continuous damping variation and acceleration sensors on each wheel (Skyhook), coaxial helical springs.
Rear: with quadrilaterals with forged aluminum hub carriers and struts, additional radius bar for toe-in control; basic aluminum dampers with continuous damping variation and acceleration sensors on each wheel (Skyhook).
Front and rear suspension fitted with hollow bars that reduce roll and mass, and increase driving comfort.

Steering

Hydraulic steering box with tacho-sensitive servo assistance with on road steering ratio 64 mm/rev.
Steering diameter (from pavement to pavement): 10.7 m.

Transmission

Architecture with front transmission in unit with the engine, drive shaft, rear differential. 6-speed hydraulic torque converter gearbox (ZF 6HP26).

Transmission gear ratios: 1st gear 4,171; 2nd gear 2,340; 3rd gear 1,521; 4th gear 1,143; 5th gear 0,867; 6th gear 0,691; R 3,403.
Asymmetric limited slip differential (25% in traction, 45% in release) with bevel drive with final ratio 3.73 (15/56).

Steel drive shaft, 69 mm diameter, articulated in two pieces with three constant-velocity joints, and supported at the centre with a bearing which is integral with a support cross member tightened to the chassis, with an interposed rubber ring.

Traction control and Maserati Stability Program (MSP) incorporating the traction control (ASR), release torque (MSR), anti-lock braking (ABS), and electronic brake distribution (EBD) systems.

Engine

8 cylinders in 90 degree V, total displacement 4,691 cm3. Crankcase and cylinder heads in hardened and tempered aluminum alloy, crankshaft in hardened and tempered steel, balanced individually on 5 main bearings.
The timing system features double chain-driven overhead camshaft per bank; four valves per cylinder driven by hydraulic cups.
Continuous phase variator on intake camshafts.
Increased-diameter Nikasil-coated thin steel cylinder liners.
Wet sump lubrication, oil sump integral with crankcase, single oil bath pump.
Bosch integrated ignition and injection systems, and drive-by-wire accelerator.

Displacement: 4,691 cm3
Bore: 94 mm
Stroke: 84.5 mm
Compression ratio: 11.25:1
Maximum power output: 323 kW (440 CV)
Engine speed at maximum power output: 7,000 rpm
Peak torque: 490 Nm (50 kgm)
Engine speed at peak torque: 4,750 rpm
Maximum engine speed: 7,200 rpm

Dimensions and weight

Length: 4,881 mm
Width (without mirrors): 1,915 mm
Width (with mirrors): 2,056 mm
Height: 1,353 mm
Wheelbase: 2,942 mm
Front track: 1,586 mm
Rear track: 1,590 mm
Front overhang: 873 mm
Rear overhang: 1,066 mm
Trunk capacity: 173 l
Fuel tank capacity: 75 l
Dry weight (UE version): 1,887 kg
Kerb weight (UE version): 1,980 kg
Weight distribution: 49% front; 51% rear with car closed;
48% front; 52% rear with car open

Performance
Top speed: 283 km/h with car closed
Acceleration 0-100 km/h: 5,4 s
Pick-up 80 -120 km/h: 4.2 s
Stopping distance from 100 Km/h – 0: 35 m