Maserati's new GranCabrio is breathtaking and is coming as an EV

The Maserati GranCabrio is the kind of car that stops you in your tracks. It's the soft top version of the equally stunning GranTurismo coupe. It's a full Italian-made sports car available in the Trofeo trim with a 3.0-litre V6 twin turbo that delivers 550hp and 0-62mph in 3.6 seconds. 

What's really exciting though is that GranCabrio will also be coming in a Folgore version – Maserati's designation for its electric cars. No date has been stated as to exactly when that will be but, when it does, this could be the first fully electric two-seater convertible from a major manufacturer. 

Talking of speed, the fabric roof of the GranCabrio can be lowered in just 14 seconds, even when driving at up to 50km/h (31mph). Though it doesn't state how quickly you can put it back up again, you can be assured you'll be covered again before that beautiful red leather interior gets more than a few spots of rain on it. 

Maserati's first Spyder version (soft top convertible) of its sports car was unveiled in 1959 and has remained one of the highlights of the range ever since. So the fact that it will be the third model in the range to get a fully electric version (after the GranTurismo Folgore and Grecale) should come as no surprise. 

Despite being a two-door car, it still offers four luxurious seats and features a neck warmer as standard. You can also add in the optional wind stop behind the front two seats to reduce turbulence in the cabin when you don't have rear passengers. 

The petrol, Trofeo version is available to order now in the UK, priced from around £170,000. Pricing and availability for the Folgore will be announced at a later date.