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The 2010 Maserati GranTurismo goes topless in Canada!

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Luc Gagné
Montreal — The 2010 Maserati GranTurismo Convertible was launched in Canada last week as two major retailers in Toronto and Montreal introduced the first few units to select customers.

The GranTurismo Convertible comes from a long lineage of refined sports cars that dates back to the 1956 Maserati A6G Spyder by Frua. The new model, however, was designed by Italian coachbuilder Pininfarina. (Photo: Matthieu Lambert/Auto123.com)

Known as GranCabrio in Europe, this new convertible originally made its debut at the 2009 Frankfurt Auto Show, in Germany. It will be hand-built in Modena, Italy.

The GranTurismo Convertible comes from a long lineage of refined sports cars that dates back to the 1956 Maserati A6G Spyder by Frua. The new model, however, was designed by famous coachbuilder Pininfarina, a masterpiece that Jeff Ehoodin likens to Italian haute couture.

"Regardless of the buyer’s motivation, the Pininfarina signature makes all the difference, that’s for sure," says the brand’s public relations manager for North America.

Is it the reason why the GranTurismo Convertible could potentially enjoy immense success among female customers? Mr. Ehoodin indeed expects the car to appeal equally to men and women.

Definite exclusiveness
During our meeting at Ferrari Maserati Quebec, he stated that the 2010 Maserati GranTurismo Convertible will become a very exclusive automobile. "About 600 units will be allotted to the North American market, with no more than a hundred coming to Canada."

At $169,000, the GranTurismo Convertible obviously features a lengthy list of standard amenities. Among the available options are a windstop, a front parking sensor and aluminum pedals. The catalogue also includes 14 different paint colours and six roof colours, offering buyers a wide range of possibilities for customization.

20 seconds to open-air motoring!
The retractable top was designed with maximum acoustic isolation and weatherproofness in mind. Even better, it folds away in just 20 seconds. Add another eight seconds for the four windows to drop all the way down.

Ferrari Maserati Quebec is the only Maserati retailer in the province. Here is the president Umberto Bonfa (left) and sales director Richard Gaglewicz. (Photo: Matthieu Lambert/Auto123.com)
Luc Gagné
Luc Gagné
Automotive expert
  • More than 30 years of experience as an automotive journalist
  • Over 59 test drives in the past year
  • Attended over 150 new vehicle launches in the presence of the brand's technical specialists