Several weird and wonderful projects were created to stir interest for the Maserati Grecale crossover. There was the series of photos taken around the automaker’s test track that was apparently “leaked” by company personnel. And then you have the car’s name being flown on the sail of a racing yacht.
But it seems like the marketing blitz has paid off because, on paper, the Grecale appears to have the right stuff.
Let’s start with the styling, which basically looks like a smaller and lower Levante. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing because Maserati says that the Grecale is designed to deliver more driving excitement in a practical and family-friendly package. But at 4,846mm in length, this vehicle is longer than a Toyota Innova, and is not as compact as its design suggests.
But we can forgive the Grecale’s heft because of what is arguably its party piece. Go for the hot Trofeo variant and under its hood is the Nettuno turbo V6 that’s also fitted to the MC20. It packs 530hp and can launch this crossover to the century mark in just 3.8 seconds—a lot faster than a stock MPV can ever hope to be. This engine’s potential can be maximized in the Corsa drive mode that’s exclusive to the Trofeo.
Of course, Maserati also takes this opportunity to be a bit kinder to Mother Nature. The GT and Modena trim levels come with mild-hybrid powertrains with 300hp and 330hp, respectively. And for customers who would like to completely do away with pistons and dinosaur juice, the Grecale Folgore is the all-electric version with 800Nm.
No brand-new crossover would be complete these days without the latest in technology. And for the Grecale, that comes in the in-house Maserati Intelligent Assist system. This powers a network of screens that include a massive 12.3-inch central display. Audio is delivered by a Sonus system with 14 or 21 speakers, and owners have access to the Maserati Connect service.
Pricing for the Grecale has yet to be revealed. Europe will likely get first dibs on the vehicle.
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