The Maserati GranTurismo was for many years one of the most beautiful cars that money could buy. He may not have been the fastest, but he combined muscle and elegance like few know how. And everything indicates that its successor, the Maserati GranTurismo Folgore, will maintain these attributes. The next electric sports car Maserati has been hunted in California without any camouflage, revealing its sculptural lines.
It is currently being held Monterey Car Week (Monterey Car Week, in Spanish), which brings together hundreds of cars and thousands of fans and culminates next Sunday with the Pebble Beach Contest of Elegance. Altogether, it is one of the world’s biggest automotive events, bringing together authentic collector’s items that are rarely seen. Some manufacturers even take the opportunity to present news, sometimes outside the official agenda.
Such seems to be the case with the Maserati GranTurismo Folgore. The brand of the trident plans to present it within a few months, but it has been hunted in a fast charger in the surroundings of a Californian highway. And unlike the images we’ve seen so far, this time we can see it in all its glory, without any camouflage. Taking into account that the brand has not publicly announced any presentation event, everything indicates that it has taken the car to show it to dealers and future customers privately.
Like its predecessor, it will be a true grand tourer in a 2+2-seater configuration. In fact, in terms of design it is a clear evolution of the previous model. It boasts a wide and long hood, maintaining the characteristic oval-shaped front grille. Although the electric version does not need air to feed (essential for a gasoline engine), the front grille is largely open, apparently for aerodynamic reasons. Air entering the large front oval is channeled into the hood, generating downforce to paste the front axle to the asphalt. It also has two small inlets on the flanks, which could be used to cool the brakes.
The technical details and specifications of the model are still pending official confirmation. However, Maserati has been releasing some bits of information in this regard. We know that the GranTurismo Folgore will have more than 1,200 horsepower thanks to three electric motors, which will most likely be divided into two for the rear axle and one for the front axle. It will do 0-100 km/h in less than 3 seconds and will exceed 300 km/h speed. And although we do not know what battery it will use or its autonomy, the Italian firm announced that it will have an 800-volt system. This should allow fast charges above 250 kW in direct current, offering reduced charging times.
The electric version will be the most powerful in the range, a range in which gasoline engines will continue to exist. Maserati has not confirmed details in this regard, although it is most likely that it will use the V6 ‘Nettuno’ that mounts the Maserati MC20. In terms of design, the electric and petrol GranTurismo will be very similar. Although it is planned to have combustion versions, we cannot forget that, by 2030, all new Maserati cars will be electric.
The electric Maserati Granturismo will be launched on the market in 2023, which will presumably be followed by the GranCabrio convertible the following year as the company’s third electric model (the Grecale Folgore will also arrive in 2023). In 2025 the electric versions of the Quattroporte will arrive, the Levante and the MC20 will arrive in 2025, the next step towards the total electrification of Maserati.
