Maserati gets ready to show the GranCabrio at Frankfurt

This is Maserati's new convertible. What's different about it? Well, it will be the first full four-seat open car that the Italian manufacturer has built in-house. "Rear passengers are not merely supporting actors but co-stars of the journey," the company says. Corny, but likely to be true, because the GranCabrio is a real looker.

Like other makers of expensive convertibles – Bentley is another example – Maserati has stuck with a fabric hood rather than going for a metal folding roof of the type that is so popular for mid-priced open cars, presumably because this choice makes it easier to achieve an elegant top-up roofline, as well as being more in keeping with Maserati tradition. The GranCabrio will be on display at the Franfurt Motor Show and the first customers will get their hands on their cars next spring.