Maserati’s electric lightning Driving to a synthetic symphony
The luxury Italian carmaker has made a bold statement with its new, all-electric Grecale Folgore
Luxury Italian carmaker Maserati has employed some powerful imagery to excite enthusiasts about its inaugural range of electric vehicles (EVs), says Daniel Jones for Autocar. The first to arrive is the Grecale Folgore, folgore meaning “lightning” in Italian. It is a fully electric version of the V6 and four-cylinder turbo petrol models that have been on sale since 2022. That puts “a lot of weight on its broad shoulders, not just because it sets the tone for the… brand’s switch to electric power, but also because it will be the volume seller”. It still looks like a Grecale, but with a few tweaks. The front grille has been modified to cool the EV componentry under the bonnet, and most other holes have been filled. “Even the quintessential triple side vents have been replaced with LED lights.”
It’s a “neat-looking SUV”, says Tim Pollard in Car magazine. The large 105kWh battery is “cleverly packaged” without needing to alter the external dimensions of the car “one jot”. Even the boot space is the same as that found in the petrol versions, at 535 litres. The cabin is “roomy, with plenty of space for four adults”, and cars sold in Britain will come with leather upholstery as standard. Prod the start button on the steering wheel and the Folgore comes to life. Maserati’s infotainment system is “quick and responsive and mapping is easy to use, integrating with the company’s charging service to find the fastest plugs en route”. Then, tap the “Drive” button on the central console to “[glide] silently away”.
“No, you don’t get the trademark growl, followed by a deepthroated gurgling,” says Will Dron in The Sunday Times Driving. But the synthetic “engine noise” coming through the speakers is “the least annoying fake engine we’ve yet experienced, and… we’d be happy to leave Maserati’s sound running”. Power and performance is not an issue. “Pulsing through the four wheels, via twin electric motors, is 550bhp and – more usefully for getting the… Folgore’s 2.5-ton heft away from the lights – 605 lb ft of torque. That translates to a seriously perky 0-62mph time of 4.1 seconds.” The ride quality matches the potential for speed and, while it doesn’t “iron out” every divot in the road, it is “more than acceptable”. Maserati puts the Folgore’s official range at 317 miles. “The Grecale Folgore could be a very good seller”, says Jim Motavalli in Barron’s Penta. “It combines SUV practicality with excellent performance” and Italian style.
“No trademark growl, but we’d be happy to leave Maserati’s sound running”