tommallett

My attitude towards high performance convertibles seems to be softening. I have always viewed them as an annoyance, endowed with disappointing dynamics and an excess of noise in everyday use, especially when we consider how often you can have the roof down in the UK. Not very often is the unequivocal answer.

I like the Maserati Gran Turismo, it makes a nice noise, looks lovely and rides decently, as a big GT car should. It may not be the most up to date of ‘class of 2012’ GT stable, but it still deserves its place. Not to mention the hardcore ‘Stradale’ model, which sounds epic and proves that the chassis has what it takes at 10/10ths too. (Note to Jeremy Clarkson/Top Gear: you can have a Stradale with normal seat belts). To put it mildly, I would not feel short changed if I had to drive a Gran Turismo for the rest of 2012.

However, the Gran Cabrio has never been a favorite of the press, and I hadn’t got behind the wheel of one before yesterday. Surely, this is a car I would hate. I was sure of it. Then a strange thing happened, as it sometimes does with cars like this, ones with no reputation to uphold, I ended up quite liking it. If I was writing an objective, cold-hearted road test I would be forced to criticize the handling, the lack of confidence the chassis gives you at higher speeds and the scuttle shake, not to mention the laughable boot. However, that wasn’t what I was doing, yesterday I was enjoying the weather, listening to that lovely V8 and trying to relax. You know what, sometimes you just have to take a step back and realize that is what a lot of people want. I know I enjoyed it, for once.

Maybe I’m getting old, because today I had the same experience with an Alpina. Not the diesel, but the hairy chested Six cylinder petrol B3S. Again, it doesn’t handle as well as its hard top counterpart and it is noisier when you sit on the motorway, but I liked that too. I won’t bore you with the details, but it is worth looking at the pictures of the cars. Parked up, in nice surroundings, with the sun shining these feelings make some sense. It isn’t always about the finer details points of chassis balance.

There must be something in the air. It must be the onset of spring and some warmer weather I think. I’ll be better tomorrow.