Maserati GranCabrio reached Australia only a few short weeks ago and we have had the pleasure of spending a weekend road testing it for this review. This open topped automotive masterpiece from Italy is almost a full four-seater, not the two-seater we have reviewed in our previous road tests. At least that’s our excuse for once again sampling one of our favourite marques.

The new Maserati GranCabrio is based on the GranTourismo two-door coupe, however Maserati tells us it has made so many changes to the body that it should be regarded as a separate new model.

Keeping good body rigidity is a vital feature in four-seat convertibles, and that’s not easy to engineer due to the large size of the cabin opening. If the cabriolet’s body is too soft then handling, road holding and ride comfort can all suffer. The Italian engineers have worked hard at this and there's little feel of the dreaded scuttle shake that can afflict an open-top car unless the Maserati GranCabrio is on poor road surfaces.

The folding roof of the GranCabrio follows the classic path of being a soft-top, not a hardtop. So even when the roof is up the Maserati still cries out that it's a cabriolet. ‘Our’ GranCabrio (wish it was ours…) had its roof in a deep red shade that beautifully matched the rich red of the leather on the dashboard top. Trim that framed the traditional Maserati analog clock that sat proudly in the centre of the dash. Horizontal dark timber strips completed the look of the dash, nicely complementing the red leather.

Rather than using red leather throughout the remained of the interior this car had cream seats and door trims. Which worked well and probably suited the slightly conservative nature of the Aussie buyer, but we reckon the dark-grey car would have looked great in a flamboyant Italian manner with a full red cabin!

The roof opens in 20 seconds and closes in 28 seconds, it's not the fastest in its class, indeed we were reluctant to try using it at a red traffic light. But it does have to cover a large area so its speed is acceptable. The soft-top roof can be raised and lowered at speeds up to 30 km/h. The Maserati cabriolet’s roof can be opened from outside the car using controls on the key fob – which really impresses those who happen to be walking past the car at the time you perform this trick.

Cleverly, lowering or raising the Maserati's soft-top roof automatically alters the settings on the ventilation system and the audio system to keep comfort at a max no matter what your driving mood.

New Maserati GranCabrio uses a 435 horsepower 4.7-litre V8 engine we have admired in previous road tests. Arguably, the best feature of this engine is a sound that’s sure to bring a big smile to the face of any car lover. It produces a deep growl at lower revs that changes to an Italian supercar howl as the revs rise.

There's a most satisfying push in the back when you do get the engine operating to the max by way of the Sport button on the dashboard. This button not only changes the mapping on the engine’s electronic control unit (ECU), but also the shift points on the automatic transmission. Maserati GranCabrio covers the zero to 100 km/h spring in 5.3 seconds on its way to a top speed of 283 km/h where conditions permit.

Transmission to the rear wheels is via a six-speed automatic specially developed for this high-revving V8.

The Maserati Skyhook suspension system as used in the new GranCabrio continuously varies the suspension damping so that it changes moment by moment according to surface conditions and the G-forces detected at the wheels. Skyhook provides the best possible handling and comfort for most circumstances, but is further firmed up by the use of the aforementioned Sport button.

Road grip is tremendous, though this is a heavy car and you wouldn’t really describe it as being nimble. However it's happy to change direction when asked to do so on demanding roads and the driving pleasure the grip engenders is smile inducing.

Maserati's latest open-top car looks stunning, has a huge presence on the road and is a delight to drive. While a price of $338,000 may not put it into everyone’s league it's relatively affordable for this class.

AT A GLANCE

MODEL RANGE
Maserati GranCabrio 4.7-litre two-door convertible: $338,000 (automatic)

FEATURES
ABS Brakes: Standard
Air Conditioning: Standard
Automatic Transmission: Standard
CD Player: Standard
Cruise Control: Standard
Dual Front Airbags: Standard
Front Side Airbags: Standard
Stability Control: Standard
Traction Control: Standard

SPECIFICATIONS (Maserati GranCabrio 4.7-litre two-door convertible)

ENGINE:
Capacity: 4.691 litres
Configuration: V8
Head Design: DOHC, four valves per cylinder
Compression Ratio: 11.25:1
Bore/Stroke: 94.0 x 84.5 mm
Maximum Power: 323 kW @ 7000 rpm
Maximum Torque: 490 Nm @ 4750 rpm

DRIVELINE:
Driven Wheels: Rear
Manual Transmission: Not offered
Automatic Transmission: Six-speed
Final Drive Ratio: 3.73:1

DIMENSIONS, WEIGHT AND CAPACITIES:
Length: 4881 mm
Wheelbase: 2942 mm
Width: 1915 mm
Height: 1353 mm
Turning Circle: Not available
Kerb Mass: 1980 kg
Boot Capacity: 173 litres
Fuel Tank Capacity: 75 litres
Towing Ability: Not available

SUSPENSION AND BRAKES:
Front Suspension: Standard Skyhook system, struts, aluminium gas dampers, coaxial helical springs
Rear Suspension: Standard Skyhook system, aluminium hub carriers, aluminium dampers
Front Brakes: Ventilated disc
Rear Brakes: Ventilated disc

PERFORMANCE:
0-100 km/h: 5.3 seconds

FUEL CONSUMPTION:
Type: Petrol 98RON
Consumption - Combined Cycle: 23.9 L/100km

GREEN VEHICLE GUIDE RATINGS:
Greenhouse Rating: Not rated
Air Pollution Rating: Not rated

STANDARD WARRANTY:
Three years/unlimited km