Maserati GranTurismo

This is the second generation of the GranTurismo. As the name suggests, this is not a pure sports car, but rather a fast car for covering very long distances. That character remains and only the dimensions have increased slightly. Regardless of the engine chosen, the GranTurismo has a classic shape with a long bonnet and a short cabin. The bonnet cannot open, by the way, because according to Maserati, the owner has "nothing to see there".

With the "Folgore" (Italian for "lightning") driven here, all the logos are in copper. The grille is closed, as an electric car needs less cooling. The air vents in the side screens remained, but they are now purely decorative and therefore even fitted with lights.

Also purely decorative is the rear seat. While someone can sit there if they really have to, in practice the rear two seats are mainly used as extra luggage space. Space in the front is good. However, the headrests are too low for tall drivers. In addition, the front seats proved uncomfortable on long distances, which is objectionable in a car that even hints at long journeys by name.

Equipment

Maserati is joining the trend of replacing buttons with screens. However, the brand does so in its own way. In fact, in the centre of the dashboard there are two separate screens. The lower one is used to control the climate control system, the upper one for the infotainment system. Even the traditional round clock on top of the dashboard has been replaced by a screen. In every case, good use has been made of the possibilities offered by displays. For instance, the round clock can display the time, but also the battery level and remaining range if requested. Besides all these displays, Maserati also provides a head-up display, which shows essential information for the driver in his/her field of vision.

The audio system by Sonus Faber deserves a special mention. Its sound quality is not only good for in a car, it can even rival a high-quality hi-fi system at home! The sound is so clear that many may discover elements in music that were previously unnoticed. Also, the sound is very balanced, so that it balanced even at high volumes. The upshot, though, is: poorly recorded (or encoded) music also sounds bad. Only well-recorded (and encoded) music will please the ears. Despite this praise, there is still room for improvement, as in the GranTurismo the sound "sticks" in the lower left corner. The larger Maserati Grecale, thanks to its more spacious cabin, does not have this problem.

Maserati must also keep up with the times when it comes to safety. However, the Italian manufacturer has a free interpretation of the rules imposed by the European Union. Only when the driver drives too fast for a long time and systematically, a warning sounds. This is so loud and insistent that it feels like a tap on the fingers. Still, this is a lot better than other brands' nervous "assistants" that start beeping after only 1 second of 1 km/h speeding. On one point, Maserati does patronise: the car only moves if the driver is wearing a seat belt.

Electric car

Previously, Maserati had the GranTurismo's eight-cylinder engines built by Ferrari. The new generation features a six-cylinder and it is built in-house. However, its power and performance are less than the electric version. Moreover, electric driving is entirely new to Maserati, so the "Folgore" (with emphasis on the "e") has been tested. To keep the car low and streamlined, the batteries are built into the floor in a T-shape (under the centre tunnel and rear seats).

Despite this, Maserati has managed to squeeze a 92 kWh battery into the slender bodywork. In theory, this gives the GranTurismo a range of 450 km. However, it requires almost superhuman self-control to achieve that. This is because the GranTurismo is defiantly fast. That starts at the get go. After pressing the start button, a rousing artificial engine noise (cannot be turned off) sounds that involuntarily creates excitement. The response to the acclerator is very immediate and the reaction is decisive, to say the least. However, it is only a hint of what is to come. Press the pedal a little deeper and the GranTurismo accelerates so fast that the speed limit is already exceeded before the driver has time to glance at the speedometer.

The real violence comes after switching on the sport mode. On top of the decisiveness then comes an awesome amount of aggression. This is thanks to three electric motors (two on the rear wheels, one on the front wheels) that combine for 761 hp / 1,350 Nm. The sprint from standstill to 100 km/h takes 2.7 seconds, and so much violence is unleashed in the process that all four wheels spin hopelessly at first (test car was on winter tyres) before the GranTurismo shoots off mercilessly fast. The low seat and artificial engine noise add to the sense of speed, making it not only go fast, but feel even faster. Should all that not be enough, a genuine drag-strip mode is also available.

Though the sprint to 100 km/h is just a warm-up, as with other cars in this segment. The electric motors continue to deliver their overwhelming power to dizzying speeds. Officially, the top speed is 325 km/h, but as the test drive took place on public roads, that was not attempted. A fun fact: the electric motors can deliver much more power. The battery is the limiting factor and cannot provide them with more power. If a second battery were fitted, Maserati says the GranTurismo could deliver twice as much power!

It will come as no surprise that this performance takes energy. When driving sportily, expect consumption of around 35 kWh per 100 km. In standard mode, the GranTurismo allows relaxed driving, but even then consumption is relatively high. Final test consumption came to a hefty 19.8 kWh per 100 km (despite an eco rating of 98). The actual range came to 343 km, which is significantly less than promised. Fortunately, in theory, charging can be very fast: with up to 270 kW.

Handling

The GranTurismo's new platform offers another first in addition to electric drive and all-wheel drive: air suspension. In theory, this allows a greater difference between sporty and comfortable mode. In practice, however, that difference is small. Because of the short suspension travel and the intended sporty character, the suspension is either stiff or harsh. In practice, the most important contribution of the air suspension is therefore that the character can be fine-tuned very precisely.

In comfort mode, the GranTurismo is suitable as an everyday vehicle, though with the problems that come with exclusive sports cars. For instance, ground clearance is limited and the turning circle awkwardly large. The latter is strange, because since an electric motor requires far less space than a petrol engine, there should be room under the bonnet to steer the front wheels further inwards.

When steering more sportily, it is noticeable that the Folgore is very heavy (2.3 tonnes) and a lot of weight has to be forced in a certain direction. However, the centre of gravity is low, the tyres have plenty of grip and, thanks to the two electric motors, the GranTurismo has a final trick up its sleeve. When cornering, the outer motor delivers more power than the inner one, preventing "twisting" in the corner and keeping the car better balanced. It also prevents the car from swaying when accelerating. Even at full throttle, the GranTurismo therefore stays perfectly straight.

Conclusion

To secure its future, Maserati is also going to build electric cars. For a sports car manufacturer, this seems problematic. Sports cars should be light and dynamic, with the driver wanting to have optimal feel with the mechanics. Electric cars, however, are heavy and almost all mechanical parts have been replaced by electronics. After an exhilarating test drive, it can only be concluded that Maserati has turned all the disadvantages of electric driving into advantages.

A new platform allows the GranTurismo to be offered with petrol or electric engines. However, the electric version is more environmentally friendly, economical and, above all, faster. The engine power is not only overwhelming, it is also ready much faster than in a combustion engine car. Thanks to a well-chosen artificial engine sound, the GranTurismo Folgore also offers the thrill that inveterate "petrol heads" are looking for. In handling, it is noticeable that the electric GranTurismo is heavy, but thanks to the combination of the suspension (air suspension), tyre choice and electronics, the car is extremely capable. In the end, the electric GranTurismo is more comfortable on long distances and faster in sport mode, making the Folgore the better GranTurismo.