Spy Shots – Maserati GranTurismo E

Slated to arrive in a matter of months, the Maserati GranTurismo and GranCabriolet will be offered in electric as well as gasoline and hybrid forms, with the duo set to play a rather traditional role in Maserati’s lineup. The Italian automaker, part of Stellantis, revealed several teaser images of the upcoming GranTurismo and GranCabriolet with internal combustion engines, giving us the first official look at the two models. The coupe is expected to arrive in 2022, with the GranCabriolet arriving towards the end of the year. While we’ve so far seen the ICE models only, our spies in the cold just snapped the first tele photo images of the all-electric version. It differs in several ways from the petrol version: Not only are the air-intakes in the front bumper fake openings, for obvious reasons the four exhaust tips of the ICE version are missing on the EV and so is the fuel filler cap in the left rear wing. Instead, there is a cap on the left side of the rear registration plate, likely hiding the charging socket. To round the picture, the wheels seem to be more aerodynamic, too.

In all other aspects, however, the GranTurismo E will follow in the footsteps of its predecessors when it comes to layout and design, offering plenty of room for two and their luggage, as well as fairly generous exterior dimensions intended to give the model presence on the road. As these spy shots demonstrate again, the GranTurismo will feature relatively understated styling, declining to follow other automakers down some treacherous paths when it comes to exterior design.

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“The new Maserati GranTurismo will be the Brand’s first car to adopt a 100% electric solution,” the automaker says. “Ahead of the launch of the new model, the prototype cars are currently undergoing a period of intensive road and circuit testing, in various conditions of use, to acquire vital data for the preparation of the final setup.”

Maserati hasn’t shared details about their powerplant lineup for the duo, so it’s a little too early to pick apart the specs. But the stakes for Maserati are perhaps not as high as they might seem, since the EV version will be one of just three powerplants available in the coupe and cabrio, with the Levante doing the heavy lifting in the automaker’s lineup. The lineup is still that of a boutique automaker, so we’re not talking about tens of thousands of units per year for the EV, but rather something a little more exclusive.

From a wider vantage point, the battery-electric versions of the GranTurismo and GranCabriolet will be the first EV models offering these bodystyles, as most other automakers are busy with SUVs, crossovers and sedans at the moment. So these two will be among the first sort-of-affordable electric coupes and cabriolets that at least someone will be able to buy.