Maserati Launch GranCabrio Folgore in Rimini Italy - Made in Thunder
Maserati launched the new GranCabrio in Rimini, Italy early this week. I flew over to Bologna before transferring to the Grand Hotel Rimini overlooking fabulous ornate gardens and the long beach for which the town is famous.
It was a glamorous event right from the start. After a quick swim in the sea which was a balmy 20 degrees in April, we sat down to a delightful dinner with the hugely talented and charming designers and engineers who worked on the new GranCabrio. The excitement for the launch was palpable as they had poured their heart and souls into this new electric convertible supercar. The first luxury all-electric convertible in the world.
The next morning we head over to the Rimini Fiera, a dramatic exhibition centre completed in 2001, with soaring towers and water fountains set over 129,000 square metres. There we are treated to a view of the Grecale Folgore and the GranTurismo Folgore, before the main event that evening, the piece de resistance, the Maserati GranCabrio Folgore.
As dusk fell we were treated to a mesmerising and captivating auditory journey curated by the globally acclaimed Italian artist and ally of the Trident, Dardust, who played piano before giant twin screens lit by lightning bolts.
Stepping into the limelight next were the dynamic duo of Italian talent: the enchanting Matilda De Angelis and the astrophysicist and science communicator, Edwige Pezzulli—Trident's VIPs for the evening. Together, they guided the audience through a journey back in time to explore Maserati’s illustrious 110-year history. And what better day to embark on this historical voyage than the birthday of Italy's most illuminating mind, Leonardo Da Vinci.
Finally, the Maserati GanCabrio Folgore was driven through a curtain of rain as more thunderbolts lit up the stage. Roof down, the lines looked magnificent, paraded to momentous applause in a fabulous rose gold colour. Victor Eumenidi, head of planning for Maserati, confessed to me that he had been unsure about the colour when proposed but loved it once he saw it in action. Make no mistake, it is stunning.
Quentin Amore, Exterior Chief Designer, looked on with pride as the journalists crowded around the car. As we watched I overhead two French car journalists profess that it was the most beautiful convertible they had ever seen. When it comes to soft-tops the French are very picky, London has more convertibles than the whole of France.
The GranCabrio interior is nothing short of a triumph, a veritable ode to the charms of the South of France. Picture this: Denim blue and Ice white hues dance in harmonious contrast, adorning swooping panels that seem to echo the graceful curves of Mediterranean waves. And the dashboard—luxurious yet elegantly stripped down, inviting you to revel in the sheer pleasure of simplicity. It's as if they distilled the essence of a sun-soaked afternoon in Provence and infused it into every stitch and surface of the car.
Other influences were taken from phenomena such as the Aurora Borealis, inspired by the electric power in nature, a softer more gentle representation than the lightning.
The spectacle marched on, as Klaus Busse and Davide Grasso took the stage to deliver their speeches. Klaus Busse, the maestro behind Maserati's design prowess, embarked on a captivating journey. With each word, he unfurled the allure and soul of the GranCabrio Folgore, inviting the audience to immerse themselves in its beauty and spirit. It was more than a presentation—it was a voyage of discovery, where every curve and contour whispered tales of innovation and elegance.
The GranCabrio represents the essence of a true driver's car, meticulously crafted to enhance the driving experience. The spacious interior features a large screen strategically positioned to provide essential information seamlessly, ensuring minimal distraction. The GranCabrio also offers reasonable rear space, ideal for comfortable journeys with four passengers on reasonable-length trips, although its core identity remains that of a refined urban tourer. Maserati's acclaimed Sonus Faber sound system, winner of best sound system for three consecutive years, further elevates the driving pleasure with its unparalleled audio excellence
Another touch that particularly stood out for me was the use of a new eco-friendly material, Econyl. A fully recycled nylon made from fishing nets that mimics leather yet is even softer to the touch and hard-wearing.
The Maserati GranCabrio Folgore is a major leap forward in electric car design. A genuine long-distance tourer where you will arrive at your destination feeling better than when you left and look spectacular all the way. Plus there are plenty of nods to Maserati’s historic DNA and many exciting innovations.
The new grille uses long vertical lines to direct airflow to cool the batteries, whilst maintaining an impressive airflow coefficient of .27 for the car overall. The wheels themselves have been developed for airflow efficiency as well as continuing the Trident theme, which is carried throughout the car's design. Known as the Tri-Identity. Trident-shaped lights, wheels and vents.
As Klaus Busse said, “When you have such a godlike weapon as Neptune's trident, you keep on using it".
The future design of Maserati can be summarised by its adherence to the five pillars of the brand DNA.
-Born From Racing
-Balance Of Opposites
-Visual Longevity
-Tridentity
-Science Creates Art
Whilst Maserati designed everything using virtual software for live feedback with every change, they brought the celebrated car designer and sculptor Marcello Gandini back from retirement to create a clay model of the Folgore. We were treated to a few brief images of this process and it was inspiring to say the least.
Flavio Manzoni, chief design officer at Ferrari, said Gandini was "probably the greatest car designer ever".
Another design touch is the use of laser etching both on the metal body of the car and in the leather interior to develop a three-dimensional aspect to the materials. Believe me when I say that the interior conveys utter luxury through this use of multiple layering, achieving shapes, textures and patterns of extreme beauty.
Maserati plans on being all-electric by 2028, though ICE versions may still be available in some select parts of the world. Another word the designers used was Metamorphosys, indicating the change from ICE to electric, but also the amazing possibilities that the next few years will bring as the Maserati designers embrace innovation and new engineering technologies.
They have also partnered with over 90% of all the electric charging stations across Europe so you can easily find, charge and pay with one Maserati app, thereby dispensing with the faff of signing up with a billion charging companies.
Victor was keen for me to experience the handling of the Gran Turismo and GranCabrio as he had tested it over 1500 km and felt it handed even better than it looked. I cannot wait and will be reviewing both in-depth soon with some exciting tours.
And did I mention that this electric beauty will do 0-62 mph in 2.7 seconds? Though the time has come to admit that we are beyond facts and figures, they only tell a small part of the story, it is the emotion that counts. And with a range of 450 Km, touring should be relatively easy. Powered by two 300 Kw motors at the back and a single 300 Kw motor at the front, the Folgore gives you a total of 751 bhp with an 800 V ’T-bone” battery layout, which improves the handling.
The GranCabrio is a massive leap forward, the first high-performance luxury convertible all-electric supercar. Maserati got there first. Bravo. I'll leave you with the Maserati Folgore motto.
Excitement ON
Passion ON
Life ON
Maserati GranCabrio Folgore - Klauss Busse
