Maserati GT-C

Despite sporting more black vinyl than Pete Tong’s record bag, there’s no mistaking the shape of this sleek coupe, caught testing in Italy by our spies. The pronounced wheel arches, steeply sloped bonnet and familiar rear lights tell us this is a Maserati GranTurismo.

However, what isn’t so familiar is the bulky rear end seen on this mule, which can mean only one thing: this is a convertible. Sun seekers rejoice!

Maserati bosses couldn’t resist giving their stunning GT the chop top treatment in an effort to meet ambitious sales targets, and it’s set to follow in the footsteps of the Ferrari California by featuring a folding hard top.

In every other sense the convertible will be the same as its fixed head sister, although it is likely the 434bhp 4.7-litre V8 from the current GranTurismo S will feature as standard to compensate for the extra burden of a complicated folding roof – the coupe already tips the scales at over 1,800kg.

Maserati’s GranTurismo Convertible will hit showrooms in March 2009.