Maserati’s baby GT joins CC fold

Bella bambino! Maserati’s GranTurismo is getting a little brother – and here’s an exclusive preview of the striking new car.

Set to slot in below the GranTurismo in the Italian firm’s range, the model is likely to be badged Spyder and will target Porsche’s 911 with similar dimensions, a 2+2 layout and a price in the region of £60,000. Other rivals will include the Jaguar XK and BMW 6-Series.

Its looks will be inspired by its bigger brother, but there will be one crucial difference – the baby model will get a folding metal roof. And our spies have caught the first prototype on test.

Look closely and you can see the separate sections of the hood, while the neat little rear seats can be removed, too. The top will be electrically operated, disappearing into the boot in double-quick time, and is similar in principle to the folding roof used on the California from Maserati sister company Ferrari.

Under the bonnet will lie a detuned version of the GranTurismo’s 4.2-litre V8. While the latter produces 400bhp, the Spyder will deliver around 350bhp. However, as the drop-top will weigh less than the coupé, it should sprint from 0-60mph in a similar time of around five seconds and on to a top speed in excess of 170mph. As it’s smaller, it will be sportier to drive than the GranTurismo. It also gets a stiffer suspension set-up, in addition to a tweaked version of Maserati’s DuoSelect paddleshift transmission, rather than a full automatic gearbox.

Expect the Spyder to be revealed at a major motor show in 2009, with sales starting towards the end of that year. Maserati is also planning a folding hard-top version of the GranTurismo, which will arrive next year. However, it will be considerably more expensive than the Spyder – with a price tag of around £90,000, it will be a rival for Aston Martin’s V8 Vantage Roadster and the Mercedes SL63 AMG.