The most important and potentially best-selling model in the Maserati lineup is here and it’s called the Grecale.
Not only is it setting its sights directly on the Porsche Macan but it will play a fundamental role in its rapid transition to electrification.
Following multiple teasers and a delay caused by the microchip shortage, the relatively high-riding vehicle with the Trident logo debuts in GT, Modena, and Trofeo flavours. The purely electric model will join the Forgole lineup and will hit the market a year after the gas model with a similar look.
It will be available from launch with three petrol engine options: two variants of the 3.0-litre ‘Nettuno’ V6 first used by the MC20 supercar for the Modena and Trofeo, and a four-cylinder mild hybrid for the entry-level Grecale GT.
The V6 uses the same pre-chamber combustion technology as the full-fat MC20 engine, which aims to boost both performance and efficiency, but has been modified in line with its more mainstream billing. It has a wet rather than dry oil sump, for example, and can deactivate the right cylinder bank at a cruise for reduced consumption – this function necessitated a ‘complete redesign’ in order to accommodate collapsible tappets which allow the valvetrain on that side of the engine to be deactivated independently.
In the Modena, the V6 is tuned to give 325 hp (242 kW) and 450 Nm (332 lb-ft) for a 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) time of 5.3 sec, while the Trofeo bumps those figures up to 523 hp (390 kW) and 620 Nm (457 lb-ft) to shave the sprint time to just 3.8 sec. This range-topping Trofeo sends power to all four corners via an eight-speed ZF automatic transmission.
The entry-level GT uses a 2.0-litre turbocharged engine with mild-hybrid tech to deliver 296 hp (221 kW) and 450 Nm (332 lb-ft) of torque.
Hop inside and you are greeted with many screens and a very modern look and feel. There are actually four screens in the Grecale which brings enhanced digital functionality and allows for a more minimalist, switchgear-light design.
The driver display is digital as standard and there’s a 12.3-inch central infotainment screen, an 8.8-inch touchpad for the climate control and a new digital clock mounted prominently at the top of the dashboard.
Materials and colour schemes differ according to trim level; the GT adopts a more minimalist look and warm colours, while the Modena features bespoke embroidery, trim elements and stitching, and the Trofeo is marked out by its exposed carbon fibre panels, perforated leather seats and contrasting stitching.
