This is our first look inside the cabin of Maserati’s upcoming high-performance SUV.
Our spy photographers snapped a camouflaged prototype of the 2022 Maserati Grecale Trofeo parked during winter testing.
While the dashboard was covered up, we can see , vivid red leather upholstery on the seats, centre console and doors, plus oversized metal paddle shifters behind the steering wheel.
This prototype’s blue camouflage wrap should be familiar if you’ve seen previous Grecale prototypes, with Grecale (an Italian name for a Mediterranean wind) printed repeatedly along with Maserati’s trident emblem.
The camouflage is also applied to the wheels.
Touted as the high-performance variant of the Grecale range and Maserati’s answer to the Porsche Macan GTS, our spy photographers have observed Trofeo prototypes have had a “sportier sound”.
The Trofeo is also fitted with unique quad exhaust outlets.
Up front, the bumper treatment seems to be inspired by the Jaguar F-Pace SVR.
Also setting this high-performance Trofeo prototype apart from the regular Grecale are its 21-inch wheels with Pirelli Scorpion winter tyres, behind which sit larger drilled brake discs and red-painted brake calipers.
At the front the tyres measure 255/40, with wider and lower profile 295/35 tyres on the rear.
The large grille has eight vertical slats inside it, with two large side air intakes flanking it.
The yet-to-be-released Grecale will be based on the Giorgio platform underpinning the Alfa Romeo Giulia sedan and Stelvio SUV.
Its release was originally planned for November 16, 2021, but has now been pushed back to “spring 2022” – in other words, somewhere between March and May this year.
“Due to the shortage of semiconductors, the quality of production would not allow us to respond properly to expected global demand,” said the company.
Autocar previously reported the Grecale Trofeo will come with a detuned version of the MC20’s twin-turbocharged ‘Nettuno’ 3.0-litre V6.
It’s unclear just how detuned it’ll be, but the MC20 pumps out 463kW of power and 730Nm of torque.
Trofeo variants of the Ghibli and Quattroporte use a Ferrari-built twin-turbo 3.8-litre V8 producing 433kW and 730Nm, while the Levante Trofeo produces 441kW.
All Grecale models will feature the ‘Q4’ all-wheel drive set-up of the Alfa Romeo Stelvio, plus a ZF-sourced eight-speed torque-converter automatic transmission.
Maserati says the all-wheel drive system can split torque 50:50 between the axles, but in certain drive modes and for certain models it can send torque solely to the rear axle – that sounds like a party trick for the Grecale Trofeo.
The Grecale range will reportedly open with a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder that features an electric supercharger and a mild-hybrid system – likely a 48V system, as seen in the Ghibli Hybrid.
Autocar test drove a prototype of this entry-level vehicle Grecale, which produces 220kW and 450Nm.
Kerb weight is 1870kg, with a 0-100km/h time of 5.6 seconds, which is 0.1 seconds quicker than a Ghibli Hybrid that produces 26kW more power.
Maserati will also debut an electric version of the Grecale in 2022, which will wear the brand’s new Folgore (Italian for lightning) badge.
The Grecale is a crucial new model for Maserati as it could represent a new entry point to the brand, depending on how it’s priced.
The base Ghibli is Maserati’s most affordable model in many markets, though here it’s undercut by the entry-level Levante 350.
There’s been no indication yet of pricing for the Grecale, however it’ll likely undercut the Levante 350 which opens at $127,000 before on-road costs.
It’ll also likely be priced above the Stelvio, the core range of which is priced from $64,950 to $78,950 before on-road costs.
The flagship Quadrifoglio rings up at $146,950 before on-road costs, while the 2022 Porsche Macan range slots neatly in between this price gap.
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