2012 Maserati GranCabrio Sport on sale in Australia

The Sport model is priced from $338,000 before on-road costs, making it $10,000 more expensive than the standard Maserati GranCabrio.

The GranCabrio Sport is powered by an uprated version of Maserati’s 4.7-litre naturally aspirated V8 engine. With 331kW of power and 510Nm of torque, the GranCabrio Sport has 8kW/20Nm more grunt than the standard car, and joins the $364,900 GranTurismo MC Stradale as the most powerful vehicles in Maserati’s range.

The Sport sprints from 0-100km/h in 5.2 seconds (one tenth quicker than the GranCabrio) and has a top speed of 285km/h (2km/h faster), with the MC Auto Shift ZF six-speed sequential transmission making the engine’s extra power more accessible.

Upgrades to the Skyhook active suspension system and a more responsive ventilated, cross-drilled brake package promise improved handling and increased cornering performance.

The GranCabrio Sport’s three-layer soft-top roof weighs 65kg and can be folded away in 20 seconds. The roof was wet-weather tested on New Zealand’s South Island, as was the stability control system’s snow and ice calibration settings.

For the trainspotters, the GranCabrio Sport gets smoky black headlights and white side indicators, a black grille and trident with red accents, oval exhaust pipes, front ‘flick-up’ and restyled side skirts, 20-inch Astro alloy wheels, aluminium sports pedals, Trofeo-design Active Shifting paddles and a digital tachometer.

Read CarAdvice’s review of the Maserati GranCabrio Sport.