Life’s so much better when the sun is shining. It’s even better when you’ve got a convertible to embrace the outside world in. Throw in a V6, plenty of horsepower and it’s enhanced even further. The Maserati GranCabrio Trofeo was the perfect accompaniment to the UK heatwave that seemed to have stretched out to the entire British summer in 2026. In fact, so much so that I didn’t once drive it with the roof up. I was expecting Murphy’s Law to kick in, that it had been so sunny in the weeks preceding this review that it would surely rain when I had it.
It meant that I was able to embrace the Maserati GranCabrio Trofeo in the way it feels intended for. It’s got a great slug of power on demand, but it feels at its best pootling around in GT mode. When the mood takes you, simply rotate the dial on the steering wheel round to Sport and you get an almost completely different car. It puffs out its chest and starts to make progress rather rapidly. You run it round to the redline, pull the paddle for an upshift and the exhaust rasps, surprising you and anyone in the same county.
The V6 engine is the thing that makes the GranCabrio Trofeo stand out. Maserati developed the Nettuno engine for the MC20 and has deployed it in the MC20’s follow up, the MCPura and the Grecale Trofeo and here. The GranCabrio is also available in non-Trofeo guise or as an EV in the Folgore. I really rather liked the coupe version of the Folgore.
Anyway, top down and 253 miles into a heatwave we go…
Maserati GranCabrio Trofeo key facts and figures
| Engine | 3-litre twin-turbo Nettuno V6 |
| Power | 550 hp (590 hp from MY 2026/27) |
| Torque | 650 Nm |
| Transmission | ZF 8-speed automatic |
| Drivetrain | All-wheel drive |
| Weight | 1895kg |
| 0-62 mph | 3.6 seconds |
| 0-100 mph | c.8.4 seconds |
| Top speed | 196 mph |
| Length | 4.97 m |
| Width (with mirrors) | 2.11 m |
| Seats | 4 (2+2 arrangement) |
| Price | c.£150,000; as tested £175,340 |
| Test economy | 20.3 mpg over 253 miles |
What’s the Maserati GranCabrio Trofeo like to live with?
It’s an Italian GT, so obviously it looks superb. Maserati has mildly tweaked the winning formula that was the previous generation GranCabrio. In fact, so mild are the modifications to the design, coupled with the fact this press car appears to be on an 08 plate, that more than one person thought it was a 2008 car. No V8 here, though.
The interior appears to have divided opinion amongst reviewers. I’m in the camp that quite likes it. The touchscreens are easy and intuitive to use, with simple icons to toggle between what you need. The only major irritation is the operation of the convertible roof. You have to do it via the touchscreen. Press the middle, slide the bar then hold it whilst the operation completes. It makes taking advantage of doing it on the move next to impossible. Your finger will slide off and the operation will stall with the roof half up. A central button would’ve been much easier.
The 2+2 seating is very useful, although there’s less room in the rear than you get in a Bentley Continental GTC or Aston Martin DB12 Volante. I got the kids in there easily enough, but adults would struggle. Where it comes up trumps, however, is with boot space. Even with the roof down you can slide bags a long way underneath it. Weekend jaunts to weekly shops are easily doable. The beauty of the Maserati GranCabrio Trofeo was also emphasised on a trip to Tesco, standing gracefully out from the crowd.
Another point to note? 20.3mpg might not sound great, but I spent a lot of time commuting, which is the enemy of efficiency. Motorway journeys returned figures nearer 30mpg.
What about with the roof down?
As mentioned, the sun was shining and I was keen to embrace a more Italian-appropriate approach. So I kept the roof down. On early morning commutes this meant bringing the neck scarf into play whilst the sun burnt through the clouds. It blows warm air down the back of your neck, complementing the heated seats and steering wheel, which I didn’t need.
Conversation remains free flowing without being forced to shout, even on the motorway. You need to put the windows up in such an environment, but the Maserati never gets intolerably noisy.
Where have the £25,000 of options come from?
I’ll list the ones I’d definitely go for. The Blu Emozione metallic paint looks fantastic and comes in at £1,360. That looks a bargain next to black callipers at £1,060. The 20” at the front, 21” at the rear Astreo Design wheels are also worth the outlay at £2,595.
Away from the aesthetics, I’d spec the Sonus Faber sound system at £3,915. The sound quality is excellent and you can match the ambience of your drive even with the roof down.
The advanced driver assistance full pack at £5,400 can remain a box unticked. Blind spot assistance is useful, but visibility isn’t bad rearwards anyway. All the assistance stuff with its beeps and bongs I can certainly live without. So, too, the head up display and 360-degree camera at £3,360. The parking sensors are adequate and I didn’t even realise there was a head up display because my sunglasses are polarised lenses. Did I mention it was sunny whilst I had the Maserati GranCabrio Trofeo?
Finally, the sport design pack comes in at £1,320, adding lightweight pedals and Maserati badged, stainless steel doorplates. They do look good, I’ll give them that.
What’s the Maserati GranCabrio Trofeo like to drive?
Whilst it’s a wonderful thing to cruise around in, there’s no value in opting for the Trofeo unless you’re going to lean on it now and again. The shift between GT and Sport modes is worth emphasising because it transforms the Maserati GranCabrio Trofeo. Switch to sport and it becomes taut, holds a lower gear and starts to growl. The power output doesn’t sound crazy by modern standards, but the V6 commits its 550hp and 650Nm of torque to the road with aplomb.
Aided by the all-wheel drive setup, you can attack the road with confidence. It doesn’t scrabble for traction, rather it hunkers down and strides forwards. There’s a wonderful duality to its personality.
Out on a country road, the 1895kgs start to make their presence felt. There’s plenty of lean and it starts to wash wide. It’s certainly more toward the GT end of the spectrum rather than the supercar-chasing hyper GT segment.
A 3.6sec 0-62mph time is plenty fast enough, if not staggering by today’s market. The GranCabrio Trofeo feels good value for it, though. It’s away from the numbers, however, where it most impresses. A GT should make you feel good about yourself, looking elegant in any setting. The Maserati comprehensively achieves this. Loping around in it is a wonderful experience in itself, almost relaxing in the way it goes about its business. It’s not as riotous as others in the segment, which helps it to stand out. How fast does a car need to be anyway?
On a commute to work or ambling through the countryside, it feels like a special place to be. Then you can always dive headfirst into that well of power if your mood shifts.
Maserati GranCabrio Trofeo vs Aston Martin DB12 Volante: which is the one to have?
The Maserati GranCabrio Trofeo seems to exist in its own bubble. With a starting price of around £150,000, it’s some £50,000 cheaper than the DB12 Volante. Start throwing options into the mix and the GranCabrio Trofeo reaches £175,000 whilst the DB12 rockets north of £200,000. Bizarrely, then, the Maserati is the economical choice.
They have identical 0-62mph times, although the Aston feels more aggressive. It’s billed as a hyper GT and was a signal of intent from Aston. The Maserati takes a more relaxed approach. Sure, it’s got the minerals, but it doesn’t constantly goad you into planting your right foot.
Another key question here: do you prefer a V6 or a V8? I’d certainly answer V8. Whilst the Nettuno unit is designed to be more efficient, if you’re shopping in this market you’re simply not going to care. The V8 is the more expressive, even if the V6 isn’t lacking in character.
I wouldn’t want to separate them on looks, but the Aston has a slightly more polished interior. The question is if it’s £50k more polished. I’d argue not. Rear legroom is better in the Aston, but we’re splitting hairs in a 2+2 arrangement.
I did consider bringing the Ferrari Roma Spider (still available whilst the coupe has been retired for the Amalfi) and Bentley Continental GTC into this. The Ferrari is a price league above and the Conti is designed to be far plusher and more luxurious. Which it is. I haven’t driven the Mercedes AMG SL63, so can’t comment on it here. The Maserati is £20,000 cheaper, though.
The Lexus LC500 convertible has been off the shelves for a while now, but perhaps feels the closest in character to the Maserati. This leaves the DB12 as the GranCabrio Trofeo’s most obvious competitor. Depending on the state of your finances, the Maserati would be my pick, even with the V6 unit instead of the V8. I prefer the relaxed nature over chasing supercars. I do like chasing supercars, though…
Who’s the Maserati GranCabrio Trofeo for?
With that in mind, it’s certainly aimed more at your gentleman cruiser. I loved its ability to quietly cruise around and would be perfectly happy covering long distances in it. The UK heatwave offered a tantalising glimpse of what drives in more illustrious parts of the world would be like. Top down, shades on; I could certainly think of places in which to while away my days.
There’s also what the Maserati GranCabrio Trofeo says about you. Sure, you could’ve done what everyone else does and bought a 911, straddling the line between supercar and GT with some vague pretence that one day you’ll drive it quickly or even take it on a track. Of course, you won’t do either of those things.
The Maserati suggests you appreciate aesthetics and are something of a contrarian. You’re not pretending that you’re going to go on a track day. It’s a car for those who embrace refinement yet still enjoy the ability to leave everyone else behind from time to time.
In the current financial market, too, the Maserati is for those looking for an economical entry point to the super GT landscape. It seems crazy to suggest £150,000 is an economical entry point to anything other than home ownership, but welcome to 2026. For the money and in the market in which it exists, the Maserati GranCabrio Trofeo represents good value.
Conclusion
The Maserati GranCabrio Trofeo is a welcome step back from the hyper GT genre, without actually sacrificing any power or performance. It doesn’t constantly goad you into dipping into its vast well of power on every drive, rather it embraces its GT mandate and offers a relaxing, refined ride. It’s still blisteringly fast, though, with the switch between GT and Sport mode revealing very different characters. So, if you want to languidly cruise around, top down, enjoying the sights and sounds of a good British B-road, you can. Flick the dial round to sport and you can raise a bit of hell, letting the exhaust rasp on upshifts as you approach the redline.
It’s not quite as competent round the twisty stuff as, say, the Aston Martin DB12 Volante or Ferrari Roma Spider, but that doesn’t feel like what Maserati is trying to achieve here. If you want to look good and feel good, the GranCabrio Trofeo delivers in spades. It’s a magnificent looking thing, as are all GTs at the moment to be fair, and I thoroughly enjoyed driving it. From commutes to work to countryside cruises, it delivered. I was very sad to have to take it back to Maserati.
Subjectively, I absolutely loved it. Objectively, you’re probably going to follow the herd and buy a 911. Which is a shame. Sometimes it’s good to go with your heart, which feels like a strapline which sums this car up perfectly.