Fresh from his debut win for Scuderia Ferrari last Sunday in the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix, former two-times Formula One World Champion Fernando Alonso has "unveiled" at Ferrari's private test track, Fiorano, the Maserati GranCabrio that he has selected.

The Spanish driver has chosen for the GranCabrio elegant fixtures, preferring a darker shade for the exterior in combination with two-tone upholstery for the interior. Grigio Granito is the colour of the body, while the interior has a combination of Pearl Beige and Bordeaux leather, matching a soft top of the same shade.

The GranCabrio represents the synthesis of Maseratis in terms of top down models. It is a Maserati in the purest sense of the term: from the unmistakable style of Pininfarina to the craftsmanship of every detail, from the pleasure of driving to top performance - assured by a V8 engine of 4.7 liters and 440 hp with a 6-speed automatic transmission. Fernando Alonso was particularly impressed by the space offered by the GranCabrio, perfect for four adult passengers. The GranCabrio is in fact the first four-seat convertible in the history of Maserati.

To emphasize the link with the Maserati tradition, the roof of the GranCabrio is strictly canvas. Available in six colours, perfectly integrated into the design of the car, it folds up in only 20 seconds (28 seconds including the movement of the four independent windows).

Having made its world debut on the occasion of the 63rd Frankfurt IAA last autumn the Maserati GranCabrio is being marketed throughout Europe starting in this month of March.