Maserati GranCabrio 4.7 V8 review

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Maserati Grancabrio 4.7 V8 Road Test

Test date 07 July 2010 Price as tested £98,200

For Elegant styling, Usable rear seats, Charismatic sound of its V8 engine

Against Compromised dynamics, Limited real-world performance, Small boot

Officially, this is the first time that Maserati has produced a four-seat convertible. Although there have been roofless cars in the past that carried both the Trident badge and four passengers, they were the work of specialist coachbuilders.

Maserati does have a rich heritage in elegant open-top sports cars, though, stretching back to the 1950s AG6 Frau Spyder.

Watch Autocar's 90-second road test video of the Maserati GranCabrio

Such heritage continues with this, the GranCabrio, because whatever talents it may prove to have in other areas, we think you’ll agree that it is a stunning-looking motor car. At least, that was the universal opinion of those we asked.

As the name suggests, the GranCabrio is based on the GranTurismo. The coupé is available with either a 4.2 or a 4.7-litre V8, and a choice of a conventional automatic or automated manual gearbox. However, there is just one GranCabrio model: a 4.7-litre automatic, priced at £96,175.

Question is, does the loss of such a large expanse of structural metal compromise the GranCabrio’s sports car credentials, and just how usable are those rear seats?