2023 Maserati GranTurismo Folgore Embraces the Sound of Silence

In the United States, outside of the beautiful MC20, contemporary Maseratis have a knack for going unnoticed. However, in small-town Italy, the Trident emblem and distinct engine symphonies have the ability to stop onlookers in their tracks. Approval is delivered via thumbs up from pedestrians. The 2023 Maserati GranTurismo Folgore and its silence brings a new reaction: head scratching.

Although Maserati’s all-new GranTurismo is offered with a powerful twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V-6, the Folgore brings another powertrain option: electric. The Folgore shares the body and styling of the internal combustion version, with the only different visual cues being bronze Trident badges and brake calipers, along with the omission of tailpipes. At rest, there’s no valvetrain clatter from under the hood, but a swirling electronic soundtrack broadcast to onlookers. Heck, the Folgore’s hood can only be opened by dealer technicians.

While the Folgore’s soundtrack won’t rattle the bricks of ancient structures in the old world, it does represent Maserati’s foray into an electric future. Beneath its striking sheet metal is a massive waft of power, courtesy of three electric motors. The Maserati-specific motors—one driving the front axle and two driving the rear—are permanent-magnet synchronous units built by Marelli Motori. Each motor can rev up to 17,500 rpm and is capable of producing 402 horsepower and 332 pound-feet of thrust. Currently the maximum combined output is limited to only 818 horsepower. The 83.0-kWh lithium-ion battery pack that limits the cars from their true potential. Maserati has built more capacity into the motors and converters in preparation for the next advancement in battery technology, which is believed to be a few years away.

The Folgore shares the same overall structure – albeit strengthened to accommodate the added mass of the battery – as the petrol-powered model, but while other manufacturers install mattress-sized battery packs in the floor, Maserati takes a different approach. The center section, part of the “engine” bay, and some real estate behind the back seat is the dog-bone shaped battery. Maserati admits that stuffing a larger, solid brick of lithium in the middle of the car raises the center of gravity relative to a vehicle with a flat battery pack, but the beauty of this design is that the floorpan remains low and no effect on passenger did not. space.

Series, you ask?

Maserati designed the Folgore to be a performance weapon, with a focus on distance as an accessory. Although the official EPA ratings are still a while away, we estimate that the Folgore should travel 240 miles on a charge. Its 800-volt architecture allows electrons to be quickly topped up on a DC fast charger at a peak of 270 kW, and recharging from 20 to 80 percent should take 18 minutes, according to Maserati. For Level 2 AC recharging, the onboard charger will deliver up to 22.0 kW to the pack, meaning the Folgore can take full advantage of the most powerful home charging equipment.

Behind the wheel in the richly appointed leather cabin, forward visibility is improved over the previous generation GranTurismo courtesy of reshaped metal and slimmer A-pillars. This is a good thing, as the Folgore is capable of blurring the world ahead.

No fewer than four drive modes are selectable via a steering wheel-mounted knob. Max Range states the obvious, extracting every mile possible from the battery by dialing back power and limiting top speed to 81 mph. The default setting, GT, keeps the standard air springs and electronically controlled dampers relaxed and allows up to 80 percent of the powerplant’s output. The real Folgore experience starts with Sport mode, where full power is uncorked and the pumped-in sound is amplified. The synthesized soundtrack can also be turned off.

Thrill seekers should continue to the Corsa environment. It dials back the traction and stability control parameters, lowers the air springs and stiffens the dampers. In addition, the 12.2-inch digital instrument cluster displays the thermal state of the battery. Within the Corsa setting, and when the battery’s state of charge exceeds 80 percent, Max Boost is accessible through the familiar Uconnect-based center touchscreen. Max Boost prepares the battery pack for maximum acceleration and releases all 818 horses. With launch control engaged, releasing the brake pedal pushes shoulder blades into the comfortable backrest with chiropractor-adjustment power. Maserati claims 60 mph arrives in 2.7 seconds. We believe it. Max Boost also unlocks three selectable torque vectoring and traction control settings. There is also an endurance feature within Corsa to maximize the battery pack for track use.

Slowing things down a bit, the Folgore quickly navigates the winding hill roads north of Rome. The steering is always on the lighter side of the spectrum, and cool January weather and winter tires kept us from pushing the limits. There’s a fair amount of rattle from the multi-link front and rear suspension, but admittedly Maserati says it has a few months to fine-tune the ride quality. Stopping power comes from brakes shared with the gas-powered GranTurismo. Up front, six-piston calipers clamp 15.0-inch cross-drilled rotors, while 13.8-inch cross-drilled rear rotors are pinched by four-pot calipers. The pedal feels light, and the added mass in the Folgore works the brakes hard. That’s a bit concerning, as the Folgore’s top speed is a claimed 202 mph, making it one of the fastest EVs on the road.

Overall, the GranTurismo Folgore is a great coupe with plenty of room for four adults. And while it lacks the character of the brand’s internal combustion engines, both past and present, it’s certainly not short on speed. We estimate the Folgore will start at $215,000 when it arrives this fall. Whether the upcharge over the gas-powered variants is worth it for the Maserati faithful remains to be seen. We think they won’t mind. It’s all about being seen, not heard.