The Maserati GranCabrio Sport looks like a supercar, sounds like a supercar, has a price tag similar to a supercar, but it’s not a supercar… and that’s a good thing. After a short time behind the wheel, my initial thought on the drop top beauty is that it’s not that fast at 0-100kph in 5 seconds. Its acceleration is at best, adequate, yet I didn’t really care. The GranCabrio Sport seems to fulfill all the driving pleasures you could ask for when behind the wheel of a Grand Tourer (GT). It’s effortless to drive, extremely comfortable and the roof comes off.

There’s nothing innovative inside the car. Parts of it are actually a throwback to days gone by, with some early ‘90s-style buttons for the air conditioning and some green retro ‘80s-style dials on the dash. But these things don’t seem to matter when you’re behind the wheel cruising down the highway with the wind in your hair.

Admittedly, I’m not painting a pretty picture of this car at the moment. Yes it’s slow and arguably dated. However I’d argue it’s a charming characteristic of this Italian stunner. At this point, since it all seems doom and gloom I’d also like to mention that if you keep the spare tyre in the boot (trunk) you’ll have barely enough room for a bunch of roses to take with you on your romantic journey.

So why do all these negatives really not matter? This is the supercar you can use everyday. As previously stated, it has the looks, but it’s not so low that you need to creep over every bump at 5kph. And it’s designed to be driven for many hours, so if you’re stuck in traffic, it’s a very comfortable place to be. Like other supercars out there, this car turns heads. Not just with its beautiful curves. That V8 engine generates an incredible soundtrack that you don’t need to be doing 250kph to appreciate. Without planting your foot to the floor, the Maserati sings at passers by at speeds from 30-100kph. What more do you need? It’s an especially satisfying growl when the roof is retracted – a sound I could personally never ever get tired of.

While the boot is a little short on spaced, there’s plenty in the interior. The rear seats are ‘business class’ quality even if the legroom is a bit more ‘economy’. If there’s only two of you travelling, that leaves a lot of room for your weekend bags as you cruise across the countryside. Cruising is where this car really shines. Anything over 150kph and you’re going to be buffeted by the breeze and items in the back start to fly around. Not that I’ve ever driven at that speed, of course. The Maserati encourages you to take your time. It wants to be seen and heard and once you’re on the highway the car allows you to sit back and relax, within reason of course.

Would I recommend you add one to your garage? If you spend a lot of time in a car and you’re looking for something that has pin-up poster looks, you can’t go far wrong with the Maserati GranCabrio Sport. The specs and stats may leave you feel underwhelmed considering the price tag but trust me, this car has something that just makes every drive a pleasant one. It’s not easy to find a car that makes every journey a joy. It’s certainly worth a test drive.