After Maserati shared a couple of blurry images of its upcoming Grecale SUV last week, we were left wondering what the luxury compact crossover actually looks like. Sure, the devil is always in the details with a Trident-branded machine, but we can't see those yet. And, until the Italian model is released later this year, we've brought along an independent rendering that aims to portray the vehicle.
This digital work comes from an artist named Bruno Herlich, who is not affiliated with the automotive producer. The enthusiast saw the "spy photos" like the rest of us and decided to lend the world a hand pixel, as you'll notice in the pair of Instagram posts below.
From elements such as the long hood and the dynamic C-pillars to details like the trademark Maserati grille, the pixel master envisioned a dynamic design. And while we're zooming in on the vehicle's various areas, we have to talk about the taillights. As shown by the said official images, the rear light clusters of the vehicle will share the boomerang styling language that debuted on the 2021 Ghibli Hybrid, so they should be sleeker than the units showcased here.
Compared to the LevanteSUV the company introduced in 2016, the newcomer will have a smaller footprint, which means we can expect it to deliver an even sportier driving experience.
And there are other reasons for our sky-high expectations: the Grecale shares the Giorgio platform with the uber-dynamic Alfa Romeo Stelvio, and both models will be built in the same Stellantis plant, namely the one in Cassino, Italy.
However, as highlighted by a recent Stellantis business plan talking about all the brands of the FCA-PSA merger (there are over a dozen of them), Maserati is in its own league, sitting above all the other names in the portfolio. This means we should see the Grecale upping the ante on the luxury front compared to its Alfa Romeo sibling.
As far as the motivation is concerned, earlier this month, Maserati invited journalists to a virtual tour of the Engine Lab it created inside the Viale Ciro Menotti plant in Modena. And while the online visit was obviously focused on the 630 PS (621 hp) twin-turbo V6 Nettuno heart of the company's new MC20 supercar, which is hand-built at the facility, it also delivered a few hints on other engine options that can be expected for future models like the Grecale.
Matteo Valentini, the engineer spearheading Maserati's high-performance engine development, made it clear that while the said 3.0-liter mill will remain exclusive to the company's halo car, the engine's F1-derived twin-combustion technology is set to be featured on the automaker's future powerplants.
Diving into the specifics of the tech, each of the cylinders sports an additional passive pre-chamber accommodating a second spark plug. Note that the engine, which sports both port and direct injection, employs various strategies for using the two spark plugs independently or together. As the piston rises, compressing the air-fuel mixture, some of this is forced into the said pre-chamber. That's where it can be ignited by the second spark plug, causing turbulent flames to shoot into the main chamber, speeding up combustion and thus reducing the risk of knock.
On the one hand, the lower risk of detonation allowed the engineers to increase the motor's compression ratio by 15%, which brings power benefits. On the other hand, the technology helps reduce emissions.
Then again, we can also expect the 2.0-liter four-cylinder mild-hybrid powertrain that debuted on the 2021 Ghibli Hibrid to be offered on the Grecale. We're looking at a 48V system that powers an electric supercharger, which comes to complement the efforts of the engine's conventional, exhaust gas-driven turbocharger. The electric hardware recovers braking energy, with power being stored in a battery located underneath the trunk floor. The result is an output of 330 PS (325 hp) and a peak torque of 450 Nm (332 lb-ft), with the said 48V hardware minimising lag.
In fact, here's a short clip we recorded during a recent visit to the Maserati Romania showroom, which allows us to sample the aural side of the gas-electric powerplant.
As is the case with all new Maseratis, MC20 included, the Grecale will also be offered in all-electric form.
Set to be introduced under the company's new Folgore label (Italian for “lightning”), the EV version of the crossover won't be available right away and we can expect to see this in 2022.
In his quest to bring you the most impressive automotive creations, Andrei relies on learning as a superpower. There's quite a bit of room in the garage that is this aficionado's heart, so factory-condition classics and widebody contraptions with turbos poking through the hood can peacefully coexist. Full profile
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