I recently drove the 2025 Maserati GranCabrio around Italy in both gas-powered Trofeo and fully electric Folgore guises and while I really enjoyed my time with both cars, I can’t get over just how good the Folgore EV is to drive. Honestly, I think it’s the best driving electric vehicle that money can buy right now, and this feat comes down to the overall engineering and vehicle design choices made by the team behind the GranCabrio. I’ll break it all down for you.
Most of today’s electric vehicles, regardless of price, all share one thing in common: a skateboard architecture. Basically, the batteries are arranged in a sort of “skateboard” layout below the floor. That puts a lot of the weight down low, but it has the issue of putting perhaps too much weight near the corners, causing many EVs to understeer when you’re making a quick turn. The GranCabrio Folgore bucks this trend, as it has a T-shaped battery pack — just like what’s used by the Rimac Nevera and Pininfarina Battista — and the Folgore is all the better for it.
Instead of placing the battery cells as low-down as possible, they’re stacked in a T-shape inside the GranCabrio’s gear tunnel and under the rear seats. It’s a really efficient packaging solution that doesn’t take up any real room inside the fairly spacious four-seat cabin. In fact, the only way I could tell the Folgore’s interior was different from the gas-powered Trofeo was the taller rear center console, but hand on heart, that was it. That’s some really impressive engineering, folks.
The two GranCabrio exterior designs aren’t too different, either, also thanks to the battery packaging. The Folgore is no taller than the Trofeo, something that wouldn’t be possible with a skateboard setup according to chief designer Klaus Busse. That also means the driving position is still low-down in the car. Fantastic. The only visual tells that you’re looking at an electric GranCabrio are the wheel designs, a blocked-off grille, a Folgore badge on the fender and the lack of exhaust tips. It’s perfect if you don’t feel the need to advertise to the world that you went electric.
Its design is all well and good, but the really fantastic thing about the GranCabrio Folgore is how it drives. In the many moons I’ve been an automotive journalist, I’ve had the opportunity to drive some of the most high-powered and performance-oriented EVs you can buy. I can confidently say the GranTurismo Folgore drives better than them — not just in a straight line, but going around corners, something most EVs struggle with.
Simply put, the GranCabrio Folgore feels like a Maserati, and even though the company was on a downswing for a few years, it still knows how to make a high-dollar car feel special to drive. It doesn’t have that heavy “riding on rails” feel that most other EVs have, which is a bit unnatural if you ask me. It corners and steers like a well-tuned gas-powered car, neutral and well-balanced in the corners, and very similar to the Trofeo. Thank that T-shaped battery pack again. It’s super engaging to drive, and that doesn’t even take into account the massive power it provides.
And it is massive power. The Folgore makes 751 horsepower (or 818 using the MaxBoost function) and a wild 996 pound-feet of torque from three motors, one at the front axle and two at the rear. Said torque goes to all four wheels, and Maserati says the 5,250-pound car can get from 0 to 60 mph in just 2.7 seconds and go on to a top speed of 180 mph. That’s wacky, man. All the while, its relatively small 92.5-kWh battery pack will give you 233 miles of range — more than enough for what the average Folgore buyer will do, I suspect.
That natural driving experience continues with the regenerative braking. Its severity is controlled with the column-mounted paddles behind the steering wheel, and it can go from non-existent to pretty much one-pedal driving (though it can’t bring you to a complete stop). The whole system blends really well, leading to a confidence-inspiring braking setup.
All of that is why I prefer the electric Folgore to the gas Trofeo. This eclectic car makes the lovely-sounding Trofeo’s twin-turbo 3.0-liter V6 feel like yesterday’s news. It’s certainly not perfect, especially for the price — the car I drove was spec’d up to a bit under $240,000 (including destination), and that’s a lot of cash for a car with Chrysler buttons inside. But, if you’re ready for the switch to EVs and give a shit about driving, the Maserati GranCabrio Folgore is hard to beat at any price.
