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Maserati's GranTurismo is getting a little brother - and it's likely to be badged Spyder.
The new Italian stallion is a two-plus-two design with similar dimensions to the Porsche 911, one of the vehicles Maserati is targeting. Other rivals will include the Jaguar XK and BMW 6-Series.
Its looks will be inspired by its bigger GranTurismo brother, but there will be one vital difference - the baby model will get a folding metal roof.
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 Ferrari California.
Under the bonnet will be a detuned version of the GranTurismo's 4.2-litre V8. While the latter produces 298kW, the Spyder will deliver around 260kW. But as the drop-top will weigh less than the coupe, it should sprint from zero to 100km/h in a similar time of around five seconds and on to a top speed of about 275km/h.
Being smaller, it will be sportier to drive than the GranTurismo. It also gets a stiffer suspension set-up, plus a tweaked version of Maserati's DuoSelect paddle-shift transmission, rather than a full automatic gearbox.
Expect the Spyder to be revealed at the Geneva or Frankfurt motor shows next year, with sales in Europe starting towards the end of 2009.
Maserati is also planning a folding hard-top version of the GranTurismo, which will arrive next year.
But it will be more expensive than the Spyder and will rival Aston Martin's V8 Vantage Roadster and the Mercedes-Benz SL63 AMG.
