As the rest of us are bundling up for fall, Maserati is stripping down for the spring and summer. The Italian carmaker introduced its new GranTurismo Convertible last week in New York.

While Maserati has long been know for crafting gorgeous open-air cars, what makes the GranTurismo stand out is that this is the first convertible they’ve built for four people. And we all know what that means: Road Trip!

The GranTurismo – which will be sold in the U.S. as the GranCabrio – is built with functionality in mind, which means that back seat actually holds two adults comfortably. (Hooray! That means less whining from those who weren’t fast enough to call “Shotgun.”)

The automatic roof can be opened in just 24 seconds, and the fact that it’s a four-seater hasn’t detracted a bit from its racecar heritage. Designers have made this beauty every bit as sporty and sexy as its two-seat siblings. Customization options include 10 seat colors, six interior trims and six roof color choices, so you can truly make this your own.

What’s even better is that the trunk is equally spacious whether the top is up or down. (This is definitely shaping up to be the best car ever for a shopping trip!) And, that hand-built 4.7 liter V8 can go from 0 to 60 in 5.3 seconds and has a top speed of 176 mph, so getting from point A to point B is both stylish and speedy.

The only bad news is that, while you can place an order now, you’ll have to wait until Spring 2010 for delivery.

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