By definition, a grand tourer car should be capable of taking a driver and passenger on a long-distance journey across a wide range of countries with the performance of a sportscar and the refinement of a luxury saloon . It’s a tall order, but the best ones are considered some of the greatest cars ever made . The Aston Martin DB5 , Jaguar E-Type and Bugatti Veyron are all examples of grand tourers.
Unquestionably, however, one brand synonymous with grand touring is Maserati , with models like the Khamsin, Ghibli, and 3200GT all fitting the bill. The Modena-based company’s latest range of grand tourers is, quite logically, the GranTurismo and, more recently, the GranCabrio. Both are available with a classic V6 petrol engine or as an electric car , known as the Folgore.
However, can an electric car really work as a grand tourer? To find out, I spent some time behind the wheel of the latest GranCabrio Folgore, soaking in a rare bit of British sun as I put the zero-emission Italian through its paces. There’s no doubt about it. The Maserati GranCabrio has all the traits of a classic grand tourer.
It’s low-slung, has sweeping curves, a long bonnet, and a heavily sloped windscreen. However, compared to rivals like the Mercedes-Benz SL and Jaguar F-Type, I would argue that the GranCabrio is a lot less aggressive looking, with its fairly large set of vertical headlights and near-oval-shaped grille – something we’ve seen on Maserati grand tourers since the 3200GT of the lat.
