Luxury car hire: Maserati Gran Cabrio

Hire a unique car: Maserati Gran Cabrio

Maserati GranCabrio marks a new and important chapter in Maserati’s history. It is a Maserati unlike any seen before

Imagine being at the roadside on the Via Emilia - the heart of a region famed for its motoring links - on a cool summer morning. You hear the unmistakable sound of an engine before a powerful car appears. On the car’s grille sits the Maserati badge. The car is a cabriolet. There can be no mistake: it is the GranCabrio. The name, GranCabrio, evokes Maserati’s renowned traditions and experience, tying the new vehicle to the GranTurismo concept and bringing to life past GranSports. At the same time, the name underlines how much the car differs from every model that has preceded it. The GranCabrio redefines the idea of a cabriolet. The open-top, four-seater GranCabrio offers the chance to share a fantastic driving experience with those you love, one enhanced by top quality materials, the aroma of prestigious woods and refined leather. GranCabrio is Maserati’s exclusive take on the need to live exciting experiences in company as opposed to the mania of owning things just for the sake of it. GranCabrio is designed for those who take pleasure from good taste and who appreciate Italian power and elegance. However, they do not want to be limited by using the car just as a couple or not being able to at all because there is a new addition to the family. In the GranCabrio the joy of sharing experiences reaches previously unattainable heights.

The Maserati GranCabrio manages to be both dynamic and elegant. The car draws its inspiration from the GranTurismo, an example of the perfect synthesis of modernity, sensuality and passion. Created by master coachbuilder Pininfarina, the GranCabrio is characterised by its soft-top roof. This styling bonds the GranCabrio closely with the company’s refined traditions. When closed, the rear pillar – one that does not, in fact, exist – is mimicked in the hood’s smart, forward-slanting design, giving the GranCabrio the dashing looks of a coupé. Once open, the Maserati GranCabrio transforms into an astounding cabriolet, free to show off all its sinuous, feline beauty. The vibrant side-on view is accentuated by the reduced ground clearance and long bonnet. A stylish ‘V’ points towards the grille, in the middle of which is a large chrome Trident. The flanks also feature chrome elements that give the GranCabrio some added gloss. One particularly goodlooking feature is the continuous chrome trim that encircles the cabin and integrates with the third rear stop light. Towards the back of the car, the triangular light cluster is formed by 96 LEDs with a wide diffuser that further underlines the car’s athletic poise. This sporty feel is also seen in the generous 20” wheel rims that reflect the Trident design. The shape of the GranCabrio is the result of extensive aerodynamic testing aimed at limiting the drag typical of droptop cars. The GranCabrio boasts a Cx coefficient that is one of the best in its class: 0.35 with the hood up and 0.39 with it down. The spoiler and rear diffuser both contribute to obtaining top draw roadholding.

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The Maserati GranCabrio is the only real droptop in its class to offer enough space for four adults, seated in an elegant and luxurious cabin. The space inside is much greater than the average for its category and ensures the maximum comfort even for passengers in the rear. The interior is divided by a central tunnel that distributes the space between the occupants along the car’s length. The dashboard extends horizontally and its upper section features a characteristic ‘V’, a distinctive Maserati symbol. The GranCabrio’s cabin is easy on the eye and invites you to touch it. Only the finest materials were employed in its build: the leather was handcrafted by Poltrona Frau® and a selection of prestigious woods was used for the dashboard, door panel and rear flank features. The level of craftsmanship and attention to detail can also be seen in the chrome rings that enhance the dashboard switches and steering wheel as well as the Alcantara finish on the back of the steering wheel paddles. Adding to the on-board comfort is the canvas hood, one made up of three layers to censure excellent acoustic isolation. With the top down and with just two on board, it is possible to minimise interior air flow thanks to the windstop developed specially for the GranCabrio (available as an option). On the Maserati GranCabrio, the air conditioning has been tweaked to offer the maximum comfort levels both with the top up or down. The system recognises how the car is being used by automatically reprogramming the emissions mixed with air to maintain the set temperature.

The engine on the Maserati GranCabrio is an eight cylinder, 4691cc V90° capable of developing 440 bhp at 7000 rpm and with a peak torque of 490 Nm at 4750 rpm. The power unit uses the advanced technology typical of all Maserati engines. This allows the declared power figures to be reached, ensures smooth gear changes and a quiet engine. The timing is actioned by two overhead camshafts per bank and four valves per cylinder controlled by hydraulic tappets. The overhead camshafts on the aspirated side are controlled by a low pressure, continual phase variator, a technical solution that, together with the optimisation of the combustion chamber, allows 82% of the maximum torque from 2500 rpm for a superb overtaking, even in high gears.

The Maserati GranCabrio features a six-speed, ZF automatic transmission with a hydraulic torque converter to give extremely fluid gear shifts while maintaining the characteristics of the sporty V8 engine. The transmission has four modes and is also fitted with self-adapting control that adjusts the type of gear change to the driving style and road conditions. In Manual mode, gear changes are sequentially made by the driver via the steering column mounted paddles or the gearstick.

The weight distribution on the Maserati GranCabrio is slightly biased towards the rear with 49% over the front and 51% over the back with the hood up. With the hood down, the front-rear split is 48-52%. This set up was achieved by stationing the engine behind the front axle and results in true and predictable handling that makes driving easier and renders the car more stable. The new loadbearing chassis is constructed from a blend of materials with an eye on keeping the weight down. The framework is made from toughened steel apart from the bonnet and front bumper bar, in aluminium, and the boot lid in heat treated plastic that uses Sheet Moulding Compound technology. The chassis was developed to provide maximum stiffness even without a roof. The result is that the Maserati GranCabrio is able to offer the same driving pleasure as any quality closed-top car.

The dynamic handling on the GranCabrio is assisted by the electronically controlled Maserati Stability Programme (MSP). The technology was developed to optimise the driving dynamics and safety when on the move. The system is supervised by a series of sensors that pick up any unsteadiness to adjust the brakes and engine and provide ideal traction. The high performance brakes on the GranCabrio were built by Brembo and feature four self-ventilating drilled discs. The 360 mm front brakes make the most of co-cast disc technology (cast iron for the braking surface and an aluminium hat). This solution, teamed with callipers actioned by six pistons in a single aluminium block, ensure unbeatable stopping power and are highly resistant to fade even under intense use. MSP works in harmony with the ABS to stop the wheels locking under braking, and EBD, to distribute the braking between the front and rear axles. The Electric Park Brake (EPB) replaces the traditional mechanical handbrake with an electronic control on the central tunnel. The EPB system is engaged automatically when the engine is switched off and is only deactivated when the accelerator pedal is pressed. EPB also plays an important role in terms of safety as, in an emergency, it acts on all four wheels and can be employed with the vehicle in movement, without compromising stability, until the switch is released. The Brake Assist System (BAS) has been introduced on the Maserati GranCabrio to improve safety. Thanks to a dedicated sensor, BAS recognises panic braking by measuring the speed at which the brake pedal is depressed and clamps the brake pad to the disc before the driver even begun braking. This shortens the stopping distance in emergency situations. The Maserati GranCabrio is fitted with new generation airbags, using the intelligent technology first employed on the Maserati Quattroporte S. The passenger side airbag, with its ‘Low Risk Deployment’, adapts the intensity of its inflation in crash situations to the size of the occupant. New head and chest airbags set in the front seats provide protection from side impacts while seatbelts are equipped with the latest pre-tensioners and load limiters to securely contain all four occupants. The main introduction in terms of passive safety is the extendable roll bars set behind the rear seats. The roll bars are hidden by the hood cover and are activated in just 190 milliseconds when needed. The extendable roll bars were developed to offer occupants the maximum protection both with the hood raised or tucked away. A Maserati copyrighted technical solution allows the roll bars to extend by shattering the rear window without any risk for the occupants.

Technical characteristics - Maserati Gran Cabrio