Looking at them next to each other, the new GranTurismo Trofeo and Folgore look practically identical, except for some finishing elements (including the identifying lettering) and the wheel rims.
But the extremely elegant bodywork, in which the whole history of Maserati is condensed, hides a substantial difference, indeed a secret.
GranTurismo Folgore, with no need for stylistic refinements or particular aesthetic treatments, is in fact the first Trident model in which the internal combustion engine and fuel tank are replaced by three electric units - for a total of 1200 HP of nominal power - and by a 92. 5 kWh which - like an ideal hyper-technological 'telepass' - raises the bar for the passage towards electromobility.
As befits a Maserati, the GranTurismo Folgore represents the Modena company's idea of 'sporty electric mobility' where performance remains one of the main factors.
That's why the Folgore propulsion system was developed around cutting-edge 800 Volt technology, currently 'state of the art' in terms of performance and recharging times.
And that's why this version of the new GranTurismo - which we were also able to put to the test on the track at the Vallelunga Autodromo Piero Taruffi, on the outskirts of Rome - uses three high-tech electric motors (one front and two rear) for a total installed power of over 1200 HP (830 available).
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GranTurismo Folgore, Maserati DNA accompanies an electric future
Designed for an exclusive Maserati application, these units reach higher power density levels (9.2 kW/kg) and are driven by SiC (Silicon carbide) technology inverters derived from that found in Formula E single-seaters. rear motors, being totally decoupled, enable the possibility of sending torque to each single side independently according to the Torque-Vectoring principle.
This feature allows you to manage the yaw level of the GranTurismo Folgore not only during acceleration, but also when coasting and braking.
As it was possible to verify on the track, this system - exploiting the instantaneous reactivity of the electric motors - acts even faster than an electronically controlled differential - however sophisticated - in an ICE sports car.
The Maserati technicians explain that oversizing the power of the engines with respect to the battery is another important factor in optimizing the performance of the GranTurismo Folgore.
The new Maserati is capable of discharging 100% of the available power even with only the rear axle in pure Rear-Wheel-Drive configuration or discharging up to 400 HP on a single rear wheel.
It should be noted that the maximum torque available is 1350 Nm.
To get the most out of the GranTurismo Folgore (and also discover the many advantages of electric propulsion) it is evidently necessary to 'enter' in total confidence with the system which offers the four different driving modes: Max Range, Gt, Sport and Corsa selectable with the lever on the steering wheel.
In particular, the Sport mode offers the best dynamic performance with the propulsion system expressing 100% performance and the suspension setup enhancing driving dynamics.
The torque vectoring minimizes the car's understeer both when pulling back and when coasting, while the traction control leaves greater freedom to control by the driver who can also decide to deactivate the ESC.
The Corsa mode is an 'extreme' experience which should be reserved for use on the track.
The car adopts idle control strategies, leaving the driver free to put his skills to the test.
In this mode the accelerator pedal becomes very direct and the torque arrives super fast from the three motors.
Torque vectoring maximizes performance when entering, traveling and exiting corners.
The suspension increases the level of damping and it is possible (as in Sport mode) to activate Launch Control using the paddles and following the procedure indicated on the digital dashboard.
0-100 km/h takes 2.7 seconds.
At the wheel of the GranTurismo Folgore, you also need to become familiar with the four-level energy recovery regulation using the paddles, which can be varied while driving according to needs and as an alternative to using the brakes.
Even at higher speeds, the GranTurismo Folgore does not lose the typical characteristics of the Maserati DNA, including its operating sound.
The House of the Trident has carried out outstanding engineering work and the natural sounds of the electric motors have been digitally shaped and integrated with the typical sound contributions extracted from the traditional Maserati V8 sound.
The sound is generated naturally by the car, to achieve a unique sound experience, intimately linked to the car, but with the sound tuning function delegated to sophisticated signal processing software.
In collaboration with:
Maserati