Maserati GranCabrio MC Stradale - The Sport Model Car

Exotic four-seat convertible gets hardcore performance treatment

The MC Stradale is the flagship of the Maserati Gran Turismo range, and now you can get an MC Stradale version of the GranCabrio. It uses the same 454bhp 4.7-liter V8 as the coupé, so the soft-top MC has 10bhp more than the GranCabrio Sport.

New open-top MC Stradale is marked out by adaptive lights and sporty body kit

You won’t really notice the extra power, but you will notice the louder exhaust. While the standard car isn’t exactly quiet, this one has its circular pipes mounted more centrally in the rear bumper.

With the engine and six-speed auto in sport mode, the naturally aspirated V8 howls and crackles more than ever – it’s one of the best noises on the road, and one you can enjoy all the more by just folding the roof down.

New sports seats help hold the driver and passenger in place

Performance purists will argue that the GranTurismo MC Stradale has superior dynamics thanks to its stiffer body and lower weight, but these Maseratis, even in their sportiest flavor, aren’t at the pinnacle of performance car handling. They’re about character, style and crucially – that Ferrari-built engine, and the Cabrio lets you enjoy all three even more than in the coupé.

While the regular GranCabrio come with Skyhook adaptive dampers, the MC gets a sportier fixed-rate set-up, which provides slightly improved responses for no apparent loss in comfort. The only issue we found was a mild shake of the steering wheel as the convertible chassis flexes over bumps in the road. At nearly two tons, the GranCabrio doesn’t feel nearly as sharp as a Porsche 911 Cabriolet, but the quick steering and firm suspension keep it agile.

The MC gets a sportier fixed-rate set-up, which provides slightly improved responses for no apparent loss in comfort.

New sports seats help hold the driver and passenger in place and, because they’re thinner, rear passengers now have 20mm more legroom than before. The MC Cabrio doesn’t get the carbon-ceramic brakes of the Stradale coupé and, on a twisty descent, the discs soon start to overheat. Still, the brakes are less grabby in normal use.

The MC has a more aggressive body kit, vents in the bonnet and wings, plus new adaptive xenon headlamps with LED daytime running lights. There are some enhancements inside, too, such as the awkward-looking steering wheel with a flat top and bottom.

Really, though, next to the new Quattroporte or the Porsche 911, the GranCabrio’s interior is showing its age in terms of design and quality. But for its emotional appeal and spine-tingling engine note, there’s not much on the road that can better the GranCabrio MC.

The MC has a more aggressive body kit, vents in the bonnet and wings, plus new adaptive xenon headlamps with LED daytime running lights

Verdict

For the $12,000 premium the GranCabrio MC commands over the Sport model, you get some styling tweaks and a set of fixed-rate dampers, which boosts the handling without sacrificing ride comfort. There’s also a new, louder exhaust, which lets you enjoy the amazing 4.7-liter V8 engine all the more – and that alone is worth the extra.