I just lately 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 vehicles, I can’t recover from simply how good the Folgore EV is to drive. Truthfully, I feel it’s the perfect driving electrical car that cash can purchase proper now, and this feat comes all the way down to the general engineering and car design decisions made by the staff behind the GranCabrio. I’ll break all of it down for you.
Most of at present’s electrical automobiles, no matter worth, all share one factor in frequent: a skateboard structure. Principally, the batteries are organized in a kind of “skateboard” format under the ground. That places quite a lot of the load down low, however it has the problem of placing maybe an excessive amount of weight close to the corners, inflicting many EVs to understeer whenever you’re making a fast flip. The GranCabrio Folgore bucks this development, because it has a T-shaped battery pack — similar to what’s utilized by the Rimac Nevera and Pininfarina Battista — and the Folgore is all the higher for it.
As an alternative of putting the battery cells as low-down as potential, they’re stacked in a T-shape contained in the GranCabrio’s gear tunnel and beneath the rear seats. It’s a extremely environment friendly packaging answer that doesn’t take up any actual room contained in the pretty spacious four-seat cabin. In truth, the one manner I might inform the Folgore’s inside was totally 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 totally different, both, additionally because of the battery packaging. The Folgore isn’t any taller than the Trofeo, one thing that wouldn’t be potential with a skateboard setup based on chief designer Klaus Busse. That additionally means the driving place continues to be low-down within the automotive. Improbable. 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 in case you don’t really feel the necessity to promote to the world that you simply went electrical.
Its design is all nicely and good, however the actually improbable factor concerning 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 buy. 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 battle with.
Merely put, the GranCabrio Folgore feels like a Maserati, and regardless that 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 the majority different EVs have, which is a bit unnatural in case 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 participating to drive, and that doesn’t even take into consideration the large energy it offers.
And it’s large 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. Stated 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 velocity 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 typical Folgore purchaser will do, I think.
That pure driving expertise continues with the regenerative braking. Its severity is managed with the column-mounted paddles behind the steering wheel, and it may well go from non-existent to just about one-pedal driving (although it may well’t deliver you to an entire cease). The entire system blends very well, resulting in a confidence-inspiring braking setup.
All of that’s the reason I desire the electrical Folgore to the fuel 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 beneath $240,000 (together with vacation spot), and that’s quite a lot of money for a automotive with Chrysler buttons inside. However, in case you’re prepared for the swap to EVs and provides a shit about driving, the Maserati GranCabrio Folgore is tough to beat at any worth.
