New 2023 Maserati Grecale: pricing, specs and performance
The premium SUV sector gains a new member in the shape of the Maserati Grecale
Maserati’s new Grecale SUV is available to order now, priced from £58,500. There’s a choice of two powertrains currently, but a fully-electric Folgore version will launch in 2023 as the Italian firm’s first EV.
The all-new Grecale rivals the likes of the BMW X3 and Porsche Macan in the mid-sized premium SUV market and Maserati says it's designed to deliver a sporty drive just like those German rivals.
The Macan is the second best-selling car for Porsche and Maserati hopes that the Grecale will pull off a similar trick of growing sales. The car is based on a heavily updated version of the Alfa Romeo Stelvio’s Giorgio platform, enabling petrol and full-EV powertrains.
In terms of design, the Grecale incorporates elements of the MC20 supercar in an SUV package, with what the brand calls a more ‘vertical’ design language. “We opted early for a design philosophy that is pure and not ostentatious. It doesn’t scream ‘look at me’,” claims designer Klaus Busse.
The Grecale is 4.85 metres long and 1.98 metres wide, with the front end wearing a typical Maserati grille with trident badge, but new vertically arranged headlights make the difference compared with the horizontal items of the larger Levante SUV. The brand’s trademark triple side air vents are found behind the front wheel arch, while around the back, the horizontal ‘boomerang’ style taillights are said to be inspired by the 3200 GT.
GT spec opens the range and gets as standard 19-inch alloy wheels, 10-way power adjustable front seats with driver's side memory function, a 12.3-inch central touchscreen and an 8.8-inch ‘comfort screen’ beneath it to operate the air-conditioning and seat controls.
There’s also a new digital clock placed atop the redesigned dashboard. This clock also houses the car’s voice control and the Grecale’s ‘Maserati Intelligent Assistant’ system.
The Modena starts from £64,500 and receives a sportier body kit with 20-inch wheels, Maserati’s ‘premium’ leather upholstery with either Sport or Campidoglio seats and the option of wood trim in the cabin.
The range-topping Trofeo model starts at £95,590 and it offers a more aggressive body kit with larger air vents in the front bumper, a rear diffuser and 21-inch wheels over red brake calipers. Inside, the Premium Sport interior option is standard so the seats have larger bolsters and you can have Maserati’s Trident logo stitched on to the headrests. Carbon-fibre accents are also dotted around the cabin for that extra sporty flavour.
Grecale Trofeo models will be offered with adaptive air suspension (optional on the other models), while a new all-encompassing driving dynamics control system called VDCM has been developed for the car. All versions of the Grecale use four-wheel drive, and an eight-speed automatic transmission with gearshift paddles on the steering wheel. A locking mechanical rear differential is standard except on the entry level GT model, where it is an optional extra.
Power comes from a 296bhp 2.0-litre turbocharged mild hybrid petrol engine in the GT, rising to 325bhp for the Modena. Both units produce maximum torque of 450Nm and both achieve a top speed of 149mph. The GT variant takes 5.6 seconds to hit 62mph from standstill, while the Modena is slightly quicker, at 5.3 seconds. They claim 32.4 and 32.1mpg respectively, with CO2 emissions from 194g/km.
The 48-volt hybrid system consists of a belt-driven starter-generator and a battery located in the boot, plus an electric compressor. The electrical assistance can be used to boost performance, or reduce consumption, depending on the way the car is driven in one of five driving modes: Comfort, GT, Sport, Race and and Off-Road mode.
High performance Trofeo models use a 523bhp/620Nm twin-turbo V6 with cylinder deactivation technology, good for 0-62mph in 3.8 seconds and a top speed of 177mph. It’s a power output that sees the Grecale take aim squarely at the new Mercedes-AMG GLC 63.
The electric Grecale Folgore is the brand’s first road-going electric model. It uses the same platform and will arrive in 2023. Maserati hasn’t revealed range or performance figures, but a 105kWh battery will power an electric motor set-up with around 540bhp and 800Nm of torque. The platform it uses will be electrified to 400v.
Click here to read about Maserati's future electric strategy…
