Last year, Maserati sold just 304 vehicles in the Korean market. Its market share is only 0.1%. But that rarity on the road makes Maserati feel even more special. We took a look at Maserati's core model, the midsize sport utility vehicle (SUV) "Grecale."
Depending on the engine, the Grecale comes in the following trims: ▲ GT (300 horsepower, mild hybrid) ▲ Modena (330 horsepower, mild hybrid) ▲ Trofeo (530 horsepower, gasoline V6) ▲ Folgore (all electric). The test car was the Trofeo, the most powerful version.
The Grecale measures 4,859 mm long, 1,979 mm wide, and 1,659 mm high. Compared with the class rival Porsche "Macan Turbo," it is 75 mm longer and 41 mm wider. On the Trofeo, the front grille with Maserati's signature vertical slats protrudes farther than on other trims. It is meant to emphasize boldness and dynamism.
A black carbon fiber-pattern front splitter is fitted to the lower bumper. The front splitter divides oncoming air above and below during driving and helps press the car onto the road at high speeds. The large, sculpted air intakes on either side of the bumper, which cool the engine, also underscore that this is a high-performance model.
"Trofeo" lettering on the front of the side and a trident logo on the rear assert Maserati's presence. The alloy wheels also clearly draw inspiration from the trident. The rear taillights are long, thin trapezoids, projecting an agile image. The door handles open by pressing a button inside. You press a button to open the doors from the inside as well.
Press the button on the steering wheel to start the car, and the engine fires with a pleasing, beastlike "growl." Maserati treats engine sound as art, not noise, to the point of enlisting composers and pianists to craft it.
On the highway, dropping gears with the paddle shifters behind the steering wheel sends the engine's RPM soaring, and the explosive exhaust note amplifies the fun of driving.
Power is just as formidable. The Grecale Trofeo is based on the Nettuno engine from Maserati's sports car "MC20." The twin-turbo 3,000 cc V6 delivers up to 530 horsepower, with RPM climbing to 6,500. Maximum torque, which shows burst acceleration, is 620 Nm.
The BMW "X5 M60i xDrive," which often appears as an alternative to the Grecale, also makes up to 530 horsepower, but has a larger engine displacement (4,395 cc). Its maximum torque (750 Nm) is also higher.
At high speeds, you can feel the car surge in an instant. On Korean public roads, the Grecale Trofeo has so much power that it is hard to push it to its limits. It takes only 3.8 seconds to go from a standstill to 100 kph, and the top speed reaches 285 kph.
Switching to Corsa mode, exclusive to the Trofeo, instantly firms up the suspension and sends responsiveness to a peak. The thick 21-inch tires grip the surface tightly for stable high-speed driving, and wind noise is relatively subdued.
The Grecale's purpose is to make outstanding performance part of everyday life. If you switch from sport mode to the default GT mode or comfort mode, you can feel the excited beast settle down.
The suspension becomes so compliant on rough surfaces that you do not need to brake to pass over them. Even in sharp corners, it went through cleanly without large steering inputs.
The interior clearly aims to balance luxury and functionality. High-quality leather wraps most of the dashboard. There are four screens: the instrument cluster, a 12.3-inch center panel, an 8.8-inch comfort panel for climate and other functions, and a digital clock in the middle of the dashboard. Physical buttons between the center and comfort panels control the gears.
That said, the dashboard clock—an emblem of luxury—being digital, and the hazard lights—needed in emergencies—being touch-operated are disappointing. The operating logic of the center and comfort panels is somewhat complex and takes time to learn, and the phone's Bluetooth connection to the car would sometimes drop unexpectedly. The headliner is finished in a fabric material, which felt less upscale.
The second row is fairly spacious. The wheelbase, a clue to interior roominess, is 2,901 mm, longer than the class rival Porsche Macan Turbo (2,893 mm). The built-in navigation includes "T Map," and the map displays directly in the head-up display, which was convenient. Twenty-one speakers from Italian audio specialist "Sonus Faber" are placed throughout to deliver an immersive sound experience.
Trunk capacity is 570 L, and while it is difficult to fit a golf caddie bag straight, it will go in diagonally. To load two golf caddie bags and two Boston bags, part of the rear seat had to be folded to expand the space. The Grecale Trofeo is priced at 169.8 million won, including taxes.