The Maserati Grecale should have been revealed last November, but the auto industry’s crippling computer chip shortage forced a postponement. There’s no point presenting your new model to the world if it can’t be produced, after all. Now, four months later than planned, here’s the Italian brand’s new SUV.
Like the larger Maserati Levante SUV, the Grecale is named after an Italian wind. With it, Maserati aims to take on the popular Porsche Macan and other luxury compact SUVs with a sporty character.
It’s expected to compete with the Porsche on price, too, which means the Grecale will become the least costly machine in Maserati’s line-up. It should be the only model with a price range starting under $100,000 when it finally arrives.
To create the Grecale, Maserati adapted existing Alfa Romeo tech. Both brands are owned the massive multinational car maker Stellantis. But Maserati made serious changes to the kit of chassis components that make up the Giorgio platform that’s the basis of the Alfa Romeo Giulia sedan and Stelvio SUV.
Most important of the alterations is a longer wheelbase beneath the Grecale’s good looking body. There’s more distance between the front and rear axles, a move that increases interior space. Maserati claims interior roominess is best in class.
Grecale also brings a big upgrade in infotainment tech, long a Maserati weakness.
The Android Automotive-powered system should be as quick and responsive as a tablet or smartphone, according to Maserati. It’ll appear in future new models, too.
The redesigned interface of the enlarged 12.3-inch touchscreen be user-configurable. Saying ‘Hey Maserati’ will rouse a new voice recognition system. The infotainment system will wirelessly connect two smartphones running either Apple CarPlay or Android Auto.
Most shocking of the interior changes, at least for Maserati traditionalists, is that there’s no analog clock in the dashboard. A proper timepiece has long been a brand trademark, but the Grecale instead has a small screen that does a fair imitation. It can the switched to show other info, too.
Topping the Grecale range will be the Trofeo model. It has a reduced-power version of the impressive Nettuno twin-turbo V6 introduced last year in the stunning Maserati MC20 supercar. In the Grecale it delivers 390kW and is equipped with fuel-saving cylinder de-activation tech.
Below the Trofeo are the Modena and GT, both with updated versions of the turbo 2.0-litre four with low-voltage hybrid system used in the Ghibli sedan and Levante SUV. In the Modena it produces 243kW, in the GT 221kW.
All three Grecale models have all-wheel-drive and an eight-speed automatic, though the Trofeo is the only one with air-spring suspension as standard.
Next year Maserati will add an EV to the range. It’ll be called Folgore (Italian for thunderbolt), the name Maserati will use on all its planned EVs. This one is likely to be the gale-force Grecale, quicker even than the Trofeo.
- News.com.au
