Maserati Grecale GT

This is NZ Company Vehicle’s first encounter with the fabled Maserati brand, so we are reviewing with literally no perception of what has gone before, but that’s all right, Maserati’s never had a Grecale before either…

That’s pronounced Greh-kah-lee by the way, or at least in my classical Latin/italian and the name has something to do with the Greek/mediterranean wind out of an Ionian island.

Apparently, this naming convention is in keeping with Maseratis of days past like the Maserati Mistral, Ghibli, Bora, Khamsin and apparently, even the Levante, all named for winds.

The Italians have a thing for this, the Alfa Romeo SUVS, which the Maserati Grecale owes a lot to in terms of development are named for mountain passes, the Tonale and going back some, the Stelvio in particular.

It is in fact, the Stelvio platform (SUV, not mountain pass) to which the Grecale owes its chassis dynamics, since both sit on the same platform, but the Grecale is slightly longer in the body and therefore, gets a little more flexibility in body design and inner space.

The Maserati Grecale has three current models, but it is the GT which we think will put the Grecale on consumer radar and that’s not a bad thing because the Modena and the top end Trofeo are possibly a little too hot for

New Zealand’s stupidly low speed limits.

The GT on the other hand, still goes like the – Greek – wind and does what Maserati wants it to, namely reinvent the perception of the brand.

In the luxury car area, while platform sharing is defiantly a thing, you want your brand to stand out and there are numerous ways to do this.

For Maserati, it seems to be all about accentuating curve lines, which is nice, invoking images of Sophia Loren for example.

However, curvaceousness is a subtle differentiator and while the Grecale looks – well, not just good, and stunning is so overused, so let’s go with downright sexy – from just about every angle, if you lose the badgework, you’d be hard pressed to identify it as a Maserati, much less a Grecale.

So, what to do? Aha, soundtrack! There are some awesome engines which Maserati could play with and the GT has one which suits our market nicely. On paper, the engine sounds a little humble, but this is an Italian engine and that should be enough said.

The Grecale has a delightful harshness to its engine note which lets you know that under the bonnet is something special and the performance reinforces this.

Maserati’s engine sounds and performs so well, it would be a crass numpty who would actually ask about its credentials. We will say the Grecale GT incorporates a mild hybrid in its powertrain and the figures will surprise and delight you after the drive.

Pedigree yes, details no. Does anyone know or care about the girder strength of the Eiffel Tower or the brush size used for the Sistine Chapel? No, you just appreciate excellence when you see it.

And excellence is what you find inside the Grecale, which takes what you appreciate from the outside and translates it to the inside. High quality materials are standard fare here and Maserati has paid attention to details.

There have been some innovations too. Door handle buttons for instance and for me, the pièce de resitance, that achingly elegant analogue clock taking pride of place in the dash has some surprises of its own. You only THINK it’s an analogue clock…

There were no complaints about accommodations, but as the driver I was mindful of the lowered lines of the Grecale from the rear-view mirror.

But this is an Italian car and the first rule of Italian driving still applies even today: “What’s a behind me, does a not matter.” That’s from actor Raul Julia in reference to Italian sportscars

Could you love and live with the Grecale? Absolutely. It is – in addition to being a very cohesive package with statement making looks, performance to indulge oneself with and sporting contemporary features to bring Maserati forward in time without losing its heritage – elegantly practical and yes, desirable.

At $124,000, the Grecale GT forms the entry point for Maserati’s all-new SUV and this is not unreasonable, if other brands were not in our market. Still, for that touch of distinction in a sea of mediocrity, is it such a large price to pay?