Maserati has unveiled its long-delayed Porsche Macan-rivalling crossover, the Grecale. On sale in the second half of 2022, it's the model the firm hopes will prove a big enough seller to finally reverse its ailing fortunes and make it a real player in the global luxury car market.
The Grecale is a vital part of Maserati’s latest strategy to increase its sales volume and begin to make a profit. Whilst the MC20 supercar acted as a halo car, the Grecale is being launched into a hugely popular and still growing midsize luxury crossover market. It’s set to compete with cars such as the Porsche Macan, Jaguar F-Pace, BMW X3 and Alfa Romeo Stelvio, all key moneymakers for their manufacturers.
Built on Alfa Romeo’s rear-wheel-drive-based Giorgio platform, which also underpins the Stelvio and Giulia, the Grecale launches with three trim levels. The entry-level GT and mid-range Modena variants both feature a mild-hybrid four-cylinder powertrain shared with the Ghibli, producing 300 and 330hp respectively.
The headline grabber, though, is the high-performance Trofeo version, featuring the 3-litre ‘Nettuno’ V6 from the MC20, detuned but still making a healthy 530hp. This is enough to outgun all of its rivals bar the V8-powered Jaguar F-Pace SVR, although exact performance figures are yet to be revealed.
In line with Maserati’s goal of offering fully electric versions of all of its models by 2025, next year will see the launch of the Grecale Folgore EV. Even before its unveiling, though, it's somewhat on the back foot compared to some rivals, as it will only feature a 400V charging architecture rather than a more up-to-date 800V system which allows for much faster charging.
The Grecale’s interior layout will come as a surprise to precisely no-one, dominated as it is by those two big central screens – 12.3in for the main display, and 8.8 for the smaller one. A digital instrument cluster also features, with all the displays controlled by a multitude of connected systems including the Maserati Intelligent Assist multimedia system. The traditional Maserati clockface in the centre of the dash? That, for the first time, is also a digital display.
Prices have yet to be announced, but you can expect the Grecale to start from somewhere around the £50,000 mark when it goes on sale in the UK. If this part of the market stays as strong as it is, then this might not be just another false dawn for Maserati.