There can never be a Maserati SUV, the purists said. It just wouldn’t be right. It will no doubt come as no surprise however to learn that the legendary prestige marque from Italy have built such a car and built it very well indeed. Yes, it follows traditional SUV design but adds that touch of Italian flair, drawing as it does design elements from other models in the Maserati range, especially the MC20 sports car. What is more, it is very good to drive, as would be expected.
On The Outside
There are four models to choose from: The ‘standard’ GT, the Modena, the Trofeo and the Folgore; each adding additional elements, options and of course power. Common to all is the long-established Trident badge and that shapely front grille.
Like the MC20, the Grecale now takes on a vertical rather than a horizontal aspect, adapted on this occasion for the requirements and practicalities of an SUV. The front is the new model’s most distinctive side, featuring that low and imposing grille without being over-the-top like some brands lately, a sign that emphasises the fact that this car is the genuine article.
In the Trofeo for example, the grille is shifted slightly forward, to make it bolder and accentuate its extra-sporty character. Looking at the profile of this large vehicle, the continuous contrast between the purity of Italian design and the very latest technology jumps out at you, much attention having been paid to the ‘movement’ from the bonnet to the rear to bring out its sporty character, augmented by the use of carbon fibre.
In the rear, the boomerang tail-lights (inspired by the iconic Giugiaro 3200 GT of legend) take on a characteristically Maserati appearance with those trapezoidal lines. The sporty trapezoidal appearance is an intrinsic feature across the entire car and is made more striking by the coupé effect of the cabin that finishes like a sports car’s, a sleek rear window, the strong and bold wings and the car’s weight seemingly pushed downwards.
Last but not least, a new exhaust design, split in the Trofeo by the addition of a special design feature.
The Modena and Trofeo versions accentuate their sporty character even more, with Trident-styled alloy wheels and a rear wheel track increased by 34mm compared to the GT model. This gives the Grecale a more dynamic aspect, further highlighted by certain chromatic details, the side skirts and the specially designed bumpers. The design of the grille remains the same for all versions, if with chrome-plated lines in the GT and black in the Modena and Trofeo once again highlighting that sporting heritage.
On The Inside
Everything in the Maserati Grecale is devoted to functionality: starting from the brand's characteristic pillars and its over-arching themes of both luxury and sport. Inside the car, it is all clean, modern with room for the new technology.
The inspiration from its heritage is not an end in itself, but is aimed at taking a great leap forward. As such, the reference to cars of the 1970s like the Ghibli and their T-shaped structure is reduced to a simple and linear, almost architectural design, highlighting the modern, sustainable materials.
Enter then a world of comfort and style: Prestigious materials enhance the surfaces, together with the quest for unique graphics and colours, inspired by the brand’s roots and its origins, reinterpreting the unique processes that shout “Made in Italy!” craftsmanship filtered through the characteristic Maserati style.
The sense of modernity is emphasised by the advanced technical specifications and the purity of the design: the car comes with no less than four screens – the classic cluster and the new central 12.3” panel, a smaller 8.8” comfort panel with extra controls and a new digital clock (still with the analogue design though, thank goodness). The use of technology cleans up the look and removes the buttons from the central panel, leaving more room for the spacious armrest, the large storage compartment with double butterfly doors and a mobile phone charging area. The latest Maserati Intelligent Assistant (MIA) multimedia system features on the 12.3” screen, at the heart of which is Android Auto, offering speed, great operating performance and data processing similar to that of a tablet, as well as more memory, for a highly responsive user experience.
This overall aesthetic purity, say the company, is highlighted in the materials and finishes: the dashboard stitching takes up the double saddle style, offering continuity with the Levante, the other SUV in the Maserati range. Meanwhile, the centre panel and doors feature real material elements, resulting in a feeling of complete harmony throughout the cabin.
Tremendous attention appears to have been paid to the styling cues: the detail of the laser-cut metal grilles for the new ‘Sonus Faber’ sound system's tweeters and mid-range speakers, or the chrome-plated finish of the digital smartwatch, the central air vents and the drive mode selector. Another design cue is represented by the light emanating behind the central display, producing a “living room” effect by using soft, diffused lighting, seen here for the first time in a car and adding, they say, to the overall ambience.
On The Road
The Grecale’s six-cylinder 3 litre twin-turbo engine does the work.
More than a technological evolution, the Grecale engines are as ever constructed and assembled in Italy. Unlike the MC20, the six-cylinder engine comes with a wet sump rather than a dry one. Best of all though, it is an engine fitted with cylinder deactivation coupled with completely redesigned and optimised technology. For the engineering fans among us, in certain operating conditions, the right cylinder bank can be deactivated, with its entire valve-train kept disabled with a system of collapsible tappets: a result achieved with a different oil circuit and the use of cutting-edge components.
The result of this great engine is that it provides for outstanding performance, yet the technology used pushes consumption down to the levels of a sub-compact and significantly reduces CO² emissions and combining a docile character with high performance.
Moving with the times, there’s a hybrid version, featuring a four-cylinder internal combustion engine with a 48-V mild-hybrid system. Maserati has selected a hybrid solution that aims most of all at improving performance, whilst simultaneously reducing consumption and making the hybrid Grecale even more efficient than its counterparts fitted with the V6 engine. If that’s not all, there is also going to be a fully electric model.
To make the driving experience even more immediate and enable the driver to configure the car according to their needs, Grecale comes with five different drive modes: COMFORT, GT, SPORT, CORSA (Trofeo model only) and OFF-ROAD, thanks to the all-wheel-drive system.
This is a special drive with plenty of low down, lag-free power, reaching high speeds with seemingly very little effort. The Italian brand claim 3.8sec for the sprint to 62mph, and it feels every bit as fast as that number suggests, all driving through an eight-speed automatic gearbox that delivers crisp and quick shifts balanced by powerful and progressive brakes.
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