Maserati Grecale ready to go head-to-head with Porsche Macan

Italian manufacturer Maserati has officially lifted the wraps from its new Grecale SUV. Set to go head-to-head with the Porsche Macan, the Grecale is available with up to 523bhp, though the entry-level GT gets a 296bhp 2.0-litre turbocharged mild hybrid petrol engine. Due on-sale in the second half of 2022, expect prices to start around £50,000. An all-electric model will be added to the range next year. While the GT spec opens the range, the sportier Modena and Trofeo models add more aggressive bodykits, larger wheels, and wider rear tracks. And to further whet your appetite as regards the Trofeo, its 620Nm twin-turbo V6 with cylinder deactivation technology is good for 0-62mph in 3.8 seconds and a top speed of 177mph. Measuring 4.85 metres long and 1.98 metres wide, the front end of the Grecale gets a typical Maserati grille with trident badge. Significantly though, there’s new vertically-arranged headlights which make the difference compared with the horizontal look of the larger Maserati Levante SUV. The newcomer also gets the Italian marque’s trademark triple side air vents which are found behind the front wheel arch. Inside the cabin, again it’s all-new. The five-seater benefits from a more digital environment than any previous production Maserati. There’s a 12.3-inch digital dashboard, an 8.8-inch touchscreen, plus the central touchscreen is powered by new Android Automotive software. The interior also gets a clever new digital clock which sits atop the redesigned dashboard. The clock acts as a reference point for the car’s voice control and digital assistant features; so, if you ask the car to do something, the clock will react and respond. Not exactly Cogsworth from Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, but interesting technology. Both the GT and Modena spec are powered by a 2.0-litre turbocharged mild hybrid petrol engine, delivering 296bhp in the entry-level model, rising to 325bhp for the latter. Both also produce maximum torque of 450Nm, with the GT covering the 0-62mph sprint in 5.6-seconds, compared to the Modena’s 5.3 seconds. Both top out at 149mph. Fuel consumption? Maserati quotes 32.4 and 32.1mpg respectively, with CO2 emissions from 194g/km. All Grecale models get four-wheel drive and an eight-speed automatic transmission with gearshift paddles on the steering wheel, as standard. Both the Modena and Trofeo also get a locking mechanical rear differential as standard; it’s an option on the GT. Adaptive air suspension is also standard on the Trofeo — optional on the other two models — while a new all-encompassing driving dynamics control system, called VDCM, has been developed for the car and is standard across the range. The Grecale has five driving modes: Comfort, GT, Sport, Race and and Off-Road mode. And depending on how you drive the SUV, the 48-volt hybrid system — which consists of a belt-driven starter-generator and a battery located in the boot, plus an electric compressor — can be used to boost performance, or reduce consumption. The petrol models will be supplemented by an all-electric Grecale, badged Folgore, which is scheduled to arrive next year. Using the same platform, the Folgore will be Maserati’s first road-going electric model. A 105kWh battery will power an electric motor set-up with around 540bhp and 800Nm of torque. No range or performance figures have been released yet.