We drove a gorgeous $160,000 Maserati convertible with a Ferrari engine around LA to see if it's worth the money - here's the verdict

Benjamin Zhang/Business Insider

• The Maserati GranTurismo is one of the beautiful cars in the world.
• The GranTurismo debuted 2008 and was joined by the convertible variant in 2010.
• Maserati's grand tourer is powered by a 4.7 liter, 454 horsepower, Ferrari-built V8 engine.
• According to Maserati, the Maserati GranTurismo Convertible can do 0-60 mph in 4.9 seconds and reach a top speed of 177 mph.
• We loved the way the GranTurismo looks and sounds, but we were less than impressed by its performance and interior.
• The Maserati GranTurismo Convertible starts at $150,380 while options pushed our test car to $158,965.

Maserati has always been a bit of an oddball to me. While brands like Ferrari and Lamborghini are well defined in their identities, Maserati exists mostly in pop culture as a representative for all things mysterious, European, and very expensive.

In short, most people know Maserati but have no idea what it really is.

And cars like the GranTurismo only goes to reinforce the brand's mythical stature.

First things first, the Maserati GranTurismo is pretty. Not just any kind of pretty, but the achingly attractive kind where you can't help but stare. The kind of pretty that makes you fall in love with it in spite of all that is wrong with it.

Incredibly the GranTurismo looks as good today as it did the when it debuted more than a decade ago. That's right, the Maserati GranTurismo we know today debuted back in 2008. Even with a couple of cosmetic updates over the years, it's still the oldest model in Maserati's lineup which now consists of the Quattroporte and Ghibli sedans as well as the Levante SUV.

Recently, we were able to spend a few days on the roads in and around Los Angeles behind the wheel of a 2018 Maserati GranTurismo Convertible Sport in Grigio Alfieri - a shade of gray named after company founder Alfieri Maserati. It should be noted that the GranTurismo Convertible is sold as the GranCabrio is many markets around the world.

The Maserati GranTurismo Coupe starts at $134, 300 while the convertible requires $150,380. Our test car's upgraded wheels and interior pushed the as-tested-price up to $158,965.

Here's a closer look at the 2018 Maserati GranTurismo Convertible: