Maserati's GranCabrio delivers what it promises

The switches on most modern car dashboards that say "Sport" vary in terms of functionality as we move across segments. Today, most manufacturers have taken that word for granted and have added it to their cars without the slightest hesitation.

Making the ‘switch'

Today we find small segment cars with 1.3-litre engines (that can hardly make the 0 to 100 km/h in less than 15 seconds) with paddle shift gear boxes and a "Sport" button, and sometimes with a badge that says the same at the rear as well. More often than not, engaging this mode in these cars does nothing more than create a lot more noise. I've got nothing against cars with Sport modes except when it comes to completely defying the logic behind the word.

As we move up the segment ladder, the word starts taking on a whole new meaning. Pressing the button not only activates a light that says the same in the instrument cluster, it also optimises gear shifts and suspension stiffness to levels that show significant changes in performance and feel. The car suddenly takes ona new personality as it churns out the best from the engine and delivers it to the wheels. This is exactly how I felt when I activated the Sport mode on the 2010 Maserati GranCabrio.

Delivering what it promises

The Maserati is one of the few cars that has managed to hold on to its character and feel over the years. Most sports cars in this segment are Nürburgring-friendly and rarelydo they feel great to drive.

What I've felt with Maserati is a no-compromise approach to the feeling that the car imparts to the driver without an overrated emphasis on performance. This in my opinion makes complete sense. Performance can only be an add-on to the feel factor and this is what many car manufacturers overlook.

The 2010 GranCabrio comes with the same 4.7 litre V8 as the GranTurismo Coupé and produces a maximum of 440 horsepower and a peak 490Nm of torque. The 0-100km/hour sprint time is a little over5 seconds. At a price of Dh599,000, what Maserati offers you is a lot of Italian craftsmanship, style and a unique driving experience. Some may argue that a lot of other brands offer a lot more performance/reliability at slightly lower prices, but again in these segments the relationship between value and cost is not something that can be measured using a mathematical formula.

Pretty on the outside...

The exteriors are very appealing as with most Maserati models and the unmistakable stance with the Trident on the front grille gives it a bold road presence. The convertible soft roof is available in a range of colours to either blend in or contrast with the body colour. With the roof open,the GranCabrio has a look that's quite eye-catching.

The hardtop GranTurismo, however, beats its sibling in terms of looks with the roof closed.

The interiors are exactly the same as the GranTurismo, complete with high-quality leather and comfortable seating for four adults. This is another unique feature about the GranCabrio that very few sports coupés offer in terms of space in the second row. There's also a lot of headroom in spite of the low soft roof.

...and comfy on the inside

The rear seats are Isofix child seat compatible which also makes it suitable for small families if you don't carry around a lot of luggage because the boot space is quite reduced. Controls for the retractable top are situated next to the gear shift lever.It takes around 25 seconds to open up fully and can do so at up to speedsof 30km/h.

The dashboard layout is simple, sporty and elegant, with the minimum amount of gadgetry.

At this price range, it's quite easy to get a mid-segment sedan that offers ten times as much in terms of electronic gadgets and features, but what the Maserati offers for this price is a larger-than-life driving experience. To me the GranCabrio is like a stepping stone or a missing link between the super-sophisticated Japanese or German sports coupés and the Italian premium super cars -a sort of transition as one matures into the finer aspects of motoring instead of being stuck with the rather boring performance aspects that are rarely usable on public roads.

Overall

The GranCabrio is indeed a good car to drive. I've had the pleasure of driving it for a couple of days in the city and on the highways and I must admit that it does both with grace and finesse. Its rear-wheel drive configuration and the slightly tight steering feels good on the highways.

The suspension on Normal mode is quite capable of handling most of the imperfections on the road. Riding over humps however can be quite tricky, especially if you have passengers in the rear since the relatively soft suspension does tend to travel a lot and you might end up with the chassis having close contact with the speed breaker. This, however, can be avoided by negotiating the humpat an angle.

Within the city, the steering does feel a bit too tight, especially when parking the car. The parking sensors, although not as sophisticated as in most modern cars, do a decent job in helping fit the heavily contoured body into tight spaces. Acceleration and handling are the GranCabrio's strong points and the Maserati Stability Programme helps keep things under control, especially in Sport mode. Turning the stability off is fun but not really advisable on crowded roads, especially when it's slippery.

I really enjoyed the few daysI had with this Maserati and asI mentioned before, it does seem like the kind of car that people would buy as they start their journey towards the league of Italian sports coupés. It's not the best performer out there, but it does embody a lot of character and style that its fans value, irrespective of what it costs to own - and that is a privilege that very few brands can boast about.

- Philip Shane is a Dubai-based motoring enthusiast and a member of theGuild of Motoring Writers, UK