I not too long ago drove the 2025 Maserati GranCabrio round Italy in each gas-powered Trofeo and totally electrical Folgore guises and whereas I actually loved my time with each automobiles, I can’t recover from simply how good the Folgore EV is to drive. Truthfully, I feel it’s one of the best driving electrical automobile that cash can purchase proper now, and this feat comes right down to the general engineering and automobile design selections made by the crew behind the GranCabrio. I’ll break all of it down for you.
Most of in the present day’s electrical autos, no matter value, all share one factor in widespread: a skateboard structure. Principally, the batteries are organized in a type of “skateboard” structure beneath the ground. That places loads of the burden down low, however it has the problem of placing maybe an excessive amount of weight close to the corners, inflicting many EVs to understeer if you’re making a fast flip. The GranCabrio Folgore bucks this development, because it has a T-shaped battery pack — identical to what’s utilized by the Rimac Nevera and Pininfarina Battista — and the Folgore is all the higher for it.
As a substitute of putting the battery cells as low-down as doable, they’re stacked in a T-shape contained in the GranCabrio’s gear tunnel and underneath the rear seats. It’s a very environment friendly packaging resolution that doesn’t take up any actual room contained in the pretty spacious four-seat cabin. In actual fact, the one manner I may inform the Folgore’s inside was completely different from the gas-powered Trofeo was the taller rear heart console, however hand on coronary heart, that was it. That’s some actually spectacular engineering, of us.
The 2 GranCabrio exterior designs aren’t too completely different, both, additionally due to the battery packaging. The Folgore isn’t any taller than the Trofeo, one thing that wouldn’t be doable with a skateboard setup based on chief designer Klaus Busse. That additionally means the driving place continues to be low-down within the automotive. Implausible. The one visible tells that you simply’re an electrical GranCabrio are the wheel designs, a blocked-off grille, a Folgore badge on the fender and the shortage of exhaust ideas. It’s good should you don’t really feel the necessity to promote to the world that you simply went electrical.
Its design is all effectively and good, however the actually improbable factor in regards to the GranCabrio Folgore is how it drives. Within the many moons I’ve been an automotive journalist, I’ve had the chance to drive a number of the most high-powered and performance-oriented EVs you should purchase. I can confidently say the GranTurismo Folgore drives higher than them — not simply in a straight line, however going round corners, one thing most EVs wrestle with.
Merely put, the GranCabrio Folgore feels like a Maserati, and although the firm was on a downswing for a number of years, it nonetheless is aware of tips on how to make a high-dollar automotive really feel particular to drive. It doesn’t have that heavy “driving on rails” really feel that almost all different EVs have, which is a bit unnatural should you ask me. It corners and steers like a well-tuned gas-powered automotive, impartial and well-balanced within the corners, and similar to the Trofeo. Thank that T-shaped battery pack once more. It’s tremendous partaking to drive, and that doesn’t even keep in mind the huge energy it gives.
And it’s huge energy. The Folgore makes 751 horsepower (or 818 utilizing the MaxBoost operate) and a wild 996 pound-feet of torque from three motors, one on the entrance axle and two on the rear. Mentioned torque goes to all 4 wheels, and Maserati says the 5,250-pound automotive can get from 0 to 60 mph in simply 2.7 seconds and go on to a prime pace of 180 mph. That’s wacky, man. All of the whereas, its comparatively small 92.5-kWh battery pack gives you 233 miles of vary — greater than sufficient for what the common Folgore purchaser will do, I believe.
That pure driving expertise continues with the regenerative braking. Its severity is managed with the column-mounted paddles behind the steering wheel, and it could actually go from non-existent to just about one-pedal driving (although it could actually’t carry you to a whole cease). The entire system blends very well, resulting in a confidence-inspiring braking setup.
All of that’s the reason I want the electrical Folgore to the gasoline Trofeo. This eclectic automotive makes the lovely-sounding Trofeo’s twin-turbo 3.0-liter V6 really feel like yesterday’s information. It’s actually not good, particularly for the worth — the automotive I drove was spec’d as much as a bit underneath $240,000 (together with vacation spot), and that’s loads of money for a automotive with Chrysler buttons inside. However, should you’re prepared for the change to EVs and provides a shit about driving, the Maserati GranCabrio Folgore is tough to beat at any value.
