GHIBLI, Mistral, Vignale, Spyder - great names from the past which have made Maserati convertibles among the most desirable in the world.

Now comes the GranCabrio, a £95,000 V8 super soft top which is a true four seater.

Styled by Pininfarina it's nothing short of a masterpiece - simply gorgeous with a profile like no other.

Sleek and sensuous lines, a wheelbase of almost three meters and with a delightful flick at the tail, the car brings a new dimension to open top driving for the elite.

The GranCabrio is part of the new generation of Maseratis - the Quattroporte and the GranTurismo - which have burst on to the scene in the past 18 months causing a renaissance in the famous Italian brand.

The cabrio completes the new Maserati line up and it is powered to inspire true supercar fans.

Its 4.7-litre V8 develops 440bhp which can blast the GranCabrio from standstill to 60mph in 5.4 seconds. Top speed is a claimed 175mph and the roar from the exhaust under acceleration is a dream.

The sound is even more satisfying when sports mode is selected on the six-speed auto box which electronically changes baffle settings in the exhaust increasing the growl.

Sharing much of its technology with the cheaper GranTurismo - that one costs from £79,905 - the GranCabrio's electronics include a beefed up braking system added to the traction and stability controls that can shave some 25 feet off stopping distance.

Because it's a soft top extra rigidity has been created in the body and suspension.

However, the GranCabrio weighs in at almost two tons making it a relative heavyweight among large convertibles and the stiffened body coupled with low profile tyres produce an extremely harsh ride on all but the smoothest of surfaces.

In this upper echelon of the open top sector there is some very capable machinery including the likes of the Bentley Continental, the Mercedes SL and the Jaguar XKR - all of which are superior to the Maserati when it comes to ride quality.

Yet none compare when it comes to looks and this alone makes the GranCabrio ultra desirable.

Anyone around 5ft 8ins tall can fit in the back comfortably. Six footers would find legroom tight but the car is a genuine four seater.

Leather and veneer finishes and sculptured seats are text book Italian sports car traits but the dashboard is let down by cheap looking switchgear below the full colour navigation display.

The multi-layer fabric roof takes less than 30 seconds to foldaway electronically while a high fidelity Bose sound system and the car's air conditioning adjust automatically when exposed to the elements.

Roof down and there is only slight buffeting in the front at cruising speeds but it is decidedly more blustery in the rear. With the roof up the sound insulation is excellent and there is little more wind and road noise in the cockpit than that on the metal-topped GranTurismo.

The GranCabrio is more of a true Grand Tourer than pure sports car - although boot space is only for a couple of bags. Serious luggage would have to go on the rear seats and securing straps are available for that very purpose.

There is even a bespoke set of luggage which Maserati is offering costing anything from £1,175 to £3,525 for four pieces in full leather finish.

Without a doubt the GranCabrio is the automotive place to be seen. It is perfect equipment for the glitterati driving the coastal strip in the south of France on a summer's day.

It will be on sale towards the end of April and most will be decked out at well over £100,000 after extras have been added to the £95,630 list price.

The GranCabrio is joining an illustrious lineage of Maserati convertibles and becomes another milestone for the brand as its first production four seat open top.

Such has been their appeal that even Henry Ford ll was regularly spotted driving around Detroit in a Spyder in the 1960s famously saying that it would remain in his parking slot until Ford's designers created a car which was as good looking.

Maserati knows full well the value of crafting beautiful cars and perhaps the GranCabrio is its best yet.