With the carmaker estimating SUVs to account for 70 percent of its sales by 2025, the Grecale comes at the right time.
The Maserati Grecale has been spotted with no camouflage for the first time ahead of a public debut on March 22. New images posted on Instagram by Wilco Blok show the Porsche Macan rival in full production-spec bodywork. It is wearing some of the promotional stickers we saw in some recent teaser images, but largely appears as it will at a full official unveiling in less than two weeks.
- Images posted on Instagram show car without camouflage
- Will share most of its underpinnings with the Stelvio
- The Grecale was first confirmed in 2018
Originally planned for an unveiling last year, the Grecale was delayed due to a shortage of semiconductors, preventing Maserati from commencing series production.
The company said it made the decision “in view of the background problems that have caused interruptions in the supply chains for the key components necessary to complete the car’s production process.” Production limitations imposed by the crisis mean it would not have been able to cater to the anticipated global demand for the car.
The Grecale is similar in size to the Alfa Romeo Stelvio, with which it will share the bulk of its underpinnings, and now that we’ve had a good look at the car’s final design, the influence of the larger Levante is evident.
It is named Grecale after the fierce north-east wind of the Mediterranean Sea. The model forms a key part of Maserati’s bold revival plan that it unveiled in 2020, with the reveal of the MC20 supercar.
Destined to play “a key role in the brand’s development”, the SUV will be built on the same production line as the Alfa Romeo Stelvio in FCA’s Cassino plant in Italy. Maserati is planning an investment of around €800 million (over Rs 640 crore) in the plant.
It will also share much of its underpinnings with the Stelvio, and a fully electric version, the Folgore, is also due to arrive down the line. However, the combustion-engined models will use Maserati engines, rather than Alfa-sourced ones, to possibly include the mild-hybridised 2.0-litre turbo offered in the Ghibli and Levante, and a downtuned version of the MC20’s new Nettuno V6 for the most potent variant.
Maserati global planning boss Francesco Tonon told our sister publication Autocar UK that the Grecale will be “the most practical in its class, but it will also be luxurious”, adding, “It will feature the best-in-class design and features. Of course, it’s still a Maserati, but it will also offer best-in-class performance and handling.”
SUVs are expected to account for 70 percent of Maserati’s sales by 2025, with saloons reduced to 15 percent and sports cars, such as the MC20, making up 5 percent.
The new SUV was first confirmed back in 2018 by former FCA boss Sergio Marchionne as part of a total overhaul of its product line-up. Also included are the MC20 in three variants: coupé, Spider convertible and fully electric, plus a new Granturismo and Grancabrio, due in both combustion and electric forms.
By 2024, the brand will also have a new-generation Levante and Quattroporte, also available with an electric powertrain. In top-spec form, this will use an 800V electrical system and three motors.
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