► All-new version of Maserati coupe
► V6 version with up 542bhp
► Or Folgore EV with up 749bhp
The last Maserati GranTurismo’s 12-year production run was one of the lengthiest in modern automotive history, but now its long-teased replacement spearheads the Italian company’s transition to the full electric age – making Maserati the first premium Italian brand to flick the switch.
It’s not all in with the plugs and out with the petrol, however, because alongside the Folgore EV (meaning ‘lightning’ in Italian), the new GranTurismo will be offered with V6 power – a move that mirrors the logic if not the hardware of Stellantis stablemates Peugeot, Citroen and Vauxhall.
Tell me more about the new Maserati GranTurismo
Both GranTurismos are two-plus-two seat grand tourers based around different versions of the same modular aluminium platform, and both logically evolve the previous GranTurismo’s slinky style and feature comparable dimensions. Rear seat space is the same regardless of powertrain, though there’s a little less luggage room for the EV. Overall, though, the look and feel is going to be pretty comparable.
Petrol models launch in the first half of 2023. All use a version of Maserati’s new Nettuno 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6 as first introduced in the mid-engined MC20, and come as standard with an automatic gearbox, four-wheel drive and air suspension – the latter two features both departures from the first-generation GranTurismo.
Entry-level Modena versions offer 483bhp, rising to 542bhp for the Trofeo. Expect 0-62mph in around 3.5sec and more than 186mph for the Trofeo.
How does the Folgore EV compare?
Very favourably, at least in terms of performance – there’s 749bhp total from three electric motors (one for each rear wheel, one for the front axle, meaning all-wheel drive), the 0-62mph time drops below 3.0 seconds and top speed is the same ‘186mph-plus’ as the V6. While it’s yet to be finalised, we’re told potential driving range ‘comes close to 450km [281 miles] on the WLTP test cycle’.
Perhaps most important is that the GranTurismo Folgore doesn’t suffer the obvious compromises that can afflict cars designed for both EV and ICE applications. Take the 93kWh lithium-ion battery, which is arranged in a bone-shape running the length of the floorpan and means the seats can drop down much lower than with a conventional ‘sandwich’ battery for a sportier driving position and lower roofline.
It’s the same kind of logic as the Porsche Taycan, as is an 800-volt architecture that gives the potential for super-fast charging at up to 300kW. The battery, silicone-carbide inverters and e-motors are all designed in-house to minimise weight and size while maximising performance.
As usual, weight is the big issue for the EV, with a total figure said to ‘beyond 2200kg’, making for a very solid 400kg-plus gain over the petrol V6.
Which Maserati GranTurismo will be the driver’s choice?
When CAR suggested to vehicle line exec Davide Danesin that the V6 might be positioned as the more exciting choice, the EV aiming more for comfort and refinement, he replied that ‘When you are driving the Folgore, you will find the experience very close to the one you are expecting for a very good ICE engine’.
With the GranTurismo Folgore due to launch later in 2023 it’s a while until we can test that out for ourselves, but we look forward to an intriguing comparison.