Maserati GranCabrio 4.7 V8 2dr Car Review - March 2012

The 4.7 litre V8 engine is a high revving engine, making it hugely different from the low-revving surge from the Jaguar V8 and Bentley 6-litre W12. The V8 engine propels the Maserati from 0-62 mph in 5.4 seconds and on to a top speed of 175 mph. However, the Maserati can feel slightly slower than it looks on paper. Work it hard though, and the performance is there – with a particularly rousing soundtrack to back up its 434 bhp and 362 lb–ft of torque.

The GranCabrio has two suspension settings, normal and Sport. The sport mode firms up the ride, improving handling. Removing the roof has affected the stiffness of the chassis and the GranCabrio doesn't feel as sharp to drive as the GranTurismo on which it is based.

The rival Porsche 911 Cabriolet and Jaguar XKR have the edge when it comes to performance and handling. Like the heavy Bentley Continental GTC, the GranCabrio is capable of covering ground very quickly, but feels more comfortable at a relaxed pace.

The Maserati GranCabrio is one serious head turner and it is arguably one of the most exotic, exciting looking cars available for less than £100,000. It’s a very long car, but it appears svelte and elegant from all angles. There’s a choice of colours from pearlescent white to bright red for the soft top, giving customers the flexibility to alter the appearance of the GranCabrio quite considerably.

The interior feels incredibly special as well, but the some of the materials, such as around the clock, are not as soft to the touch as you would expect from such an expensive car. The wooden trim and steering wheel give a dated look and look out of place in such a modern Maserati. The contrasting modern leather trim, on the other hand, is superb with elegant stitching, really adding to the feeling of luxury.

Equipment wise, you get lots for your money: 7-inch touch-screen sat-nav, radio and on-board computer, 30GB hard drive, USB port in the glove box and telephone connectivity, which will also read SMS text messages aloud.

The roof is quite long, so naturally it takes a long time to close - 28 seconds - and it can only close at under 20mph. With only 170 litres of boot space, the practicality of the car is dimished and the thin shape means this space is restricted even further.

This is a true four-seater, perfectly capable of accommodating four adults but the rear seats do become uncomfortable on longer trips.

The Maserati GranTurismo coupe it has been subject to two manufacturer recalls - one to fix a potential issue with its suspension and one for its seatbelt warning buzzer. These issues should have been sorted by now so reliability-wise you should be fine. There is a three-year warranty supplied with the vehicle as standard.

Safety kit includes intelligent airbags which adapt their inflation speed to the crash situation and size of the occupants. There are pre-tensioners for the seatbelts, extendable roll bars located behind the rear seats which extend in 190 milliseconds should the car turn over, and Anti-lock brakes (ABS) and Maserati Stability Programme (MSP) are fitted as standard.

This car costs £98,250. With fuel consumption of 18.3 mpg and CO2 emissions of 354g/km, the GranCabrio is as expensive to fuel and tax as the Bentley Continental GTC, despite having around 100 bhp less.

Porsche will sell you a 911 Cabriolet for around £20k less and a Jag XKR Cabrio costs around £15k less. Both of these alternatives are faster than the GranCabrio and offer a more involving driving experience. You're paying a lot for the prestige of the Maserati brand and, unless you've got your heart set on a Maserati, you'd be well advised to buy something else.