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Looking to the Future
After more than a century of building fine Italian machinery, Maserati is experiencing current success while forecasting great things for its future. Vehicle sales of the legendary Italian marque were up 41 percent in 2021, with the Americas accounting for more than a third of that total. Now the company focuses on the road ahead and not only does it look rosy, it will be electrifying thanks to the all-new Folgore range of electric vehicles. (Fittingly, Folgore is the Italian word for lightning.) But first there will be the new Grecale SUV.
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All-New Grecale
Before the brand metamorphosizes into the completely electrified Folgore model line, Maserati comes to market with its newest model, the Grecale midsize SUV. Named after the Italian word for a northeasterly Mediterranean wind, the Grecale follows the Maserati tradition of naming vehicles after famous winds including Mistral, Ghibli, Bora and — most recently — Levante.
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Styling
With a design influenced by both the new MC20 sports car and the current Levante, the Grecale features a large open grille with vertical slats supporting a large Maserati trident logo at its center. Stylish headlights similar to the MC20 sweep back along the fenders, giving the powerful SUV a sense of speed even while motionless. Large air intakes on either side of the grille add to the wide, aggressive stance of the new Grecale.
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Strong Silhouette
The rear-sloping roof and bold fender flares give the Maserati Grecale a strong silhouette, further enhanced by large trident-inspired alloy wheels. Traditional styling cues remain, including fender ports that flank the engine and another trident displayed on the C-pillar.
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Lineup
The Grecale will initially be available in three trim levels: GT, Modena and Trofeo. The all-electric Grecale Folgore will join the lineup in 2023. Fittingly, all versions of the Grecale SUV come with four-wheel drive as standard equipment.
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Power
Each trim level of the Maserati Grecale features a different engine choice. The GT starts the lineup with a mild-hybrid 4-cylinder unit producing 296 horsepower — the same one in the Modena, although it bumps output to 325 horses. Engineers fitted the top-level Trofeo with a twin-turbo V6 that kicks out 523 horsepower and 457 lb-ft of torque, delivering a zero-to-60 mph time of a mere 3.6 seconds.
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Inner Space
Inside, Grecale is a fittingly fine blend of Italian design and high-tech features. Depending on trim level, this new Maserati SUV can be swathed in high-end materials such as wood, leather and carbon fiber. With a nod to both the past as well as the future, the dashboard incorporates a classic Maserati analog clock although the image is displayed digitally. The clock sits above a 12.3-inch center infotainment display and an 8.8 inch comfort display. An additional 12.3-inch driver display completes the high-tech look. Grecale can also be equipped with a Sonus faber sound system delivering 1,000 watts through 21 speakers.
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Coming This Fall
The new Maserati Grecale will be produced at the Cassino plant in Italy, with the gas-powered versions destined to arrive in U.S. showrooms this fall. The full-electric Grecale Folgore will follow next year, with more details available closer to the on-sale date.
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What’s Next
The new Grecale is only the beginning of Maserati’s transformation. The company has already announced a major undertaking to create the Folgore lineup of full-electric vehicles by 2025, with plans to completely eliminate internal-combustion engines by 2030. Granted it’s hard to fathom the Maserati brand without the roar of any V8 engines (the marque possesses one of the best V8 soundtracks on the market), but this is the future whether automotive purists accept it or not. The consolation? Although the magical Maserati sound may be morphing, the vehicles will still possess incredible performance.
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Gran Turismo
An all-new Maserati Gran Turismo will be the first model joining the full-electric Folgore lineup. Details are still scarce, although the new GT will use Formula E technology to extract high performance from a lightweight architecture, body and motor. Maserati claims this electric sports car will boast more than 1200 horsepower and the ability to reach 62 mph in the 2-second range. With that much power on tap, this Maserati will definitely do 185. (Don’t lose your license, then you can’t drive.) Apologies, Joe Walsh.
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Future So Bright
The new Maserati Gran Turismo Folgore is expected to arrive in 2023, along with the Gran Cabrio Folgore and the Grecale Folgore. The battery-electric lineup will be complete in 2025 with the introduction of Folgore versions of the Levante SUV, Quattroporte sport sedan and finally the MC20 super sports car. With the demise of all Maserati internal-combustion engines by 2030, Maserati will also discontinue the Ghibli.
