But this isn’t a wise guy from Jersey, but rather Maserati’s first all-electric SUV. ‘Grecale’ refers to a north-eastern Mediterranean wind, and ‘Folgore’? That’s lightning. Fitting, considering this near-2.5-tonne Italian stallion can rocket to 100km/h in just 4.1 seconds.

But don’t let the poetry of the name fool you. The Grecale Folgore is a serious proposition for Maserati, the start of a high-voltage handshake to the future.

Familiar Face, Very Different Heart

At first glance, the Folgore doesn’t scream “EV”, and that’s entirely intentional. Instead of blank grilles and novelty lighting signatures, the Folgore retains the regal elegance of its ICE siblings, albeit with the faintest flicker of copper trim to mark its electric bloodline.

Look closely and you’ll spot subtle tweaks: filled-in front wing vents now glow with LEDs, and the front grille features fewer air openings.

It’s 4.8 metres long, stands 1.6m tall, and has a near-three-metre wheelbase, which translates to a cabin roomy enough for your average basketball forward. Boot space stands at 535 litres.

Up on the flight deck, you still get a Maserati clock – now digital, with changeable faces for g-force, direction, throttle pressure and more. It’s flanked by twin touchscreens (12.3in above, 8.8in below) and a crisp digital instrument cluster.

Infotainment, though, is a mixed bag. The upper touchscreen is sharp and intuitive. The lower climate screen, however, feels like overkill with the array of functions available, and occasionally lagged during our drive.

The driving position sits at a sweet spot between commanding SUV and low-slung GT. The steering wheel is satisfyingly chunky, with cruise and infotainment controls at your thumbs, and a drive selector on the lower spoke. Physical door handles are out; in their place is a soft-touch button system.

Cabin materials are typically premium; leather comes standard, but for the eco-minded, there’s also Econyl, a material spun from recycled fishing nets.

Electric, Not Generic

Push the blue-lit starter button and instead of a barky V6, you’re greeted with a deep, digital hum. It’s not the soul-stirring song of a Ferrari-derived V8, but it sets the tone.

With 550bhp and 820Nm from twin motors, performance is brisk, not ludicrous. Maserati clearly tuned the Grecale for smoothness over savagery. It’s quick enough to surprise unsuspecting hot hatches, but it delivers that speed with a waft, not a wallop.

Built on a heavily reworked version of the Giorgio platform, the Grecale Folgore benefits from adaptive air suspension, multi-link rear geometry and electromagnetic damping. In GT mode, it feels composed, absorbing bumps, ironing out undulations, and masking its bulk with real grace… if you are travelling at modest speeds.

The soft suspension makes the car squat hard when presented with too much power, resulting in the front wheels lifting off and being unable to provide traction. 

This effect is lessened in Sport mode, but the car still feels too soft considering the amount of power it can churn out.

Off-Road mode lifts the car and softens the springs for trail use, or more realistically, navigating multi-storey car park ramps without scraping the splitter. Max Range mode, predictably, dials everything back to preserve electrons.

Steering is progressive and nicely weighted. The braking system is functional but lacks finesse, with regen blending into mechanical stopping in a slightly clumsy fashion. Over-sized regen paddles let you adjust on the fly, and yes, one-pedal driving is available. Relying on a comfortable regen setting and coasting to a stop would provide the best ride for your occupants.

Compared to the ICE Grecale?

If you swapped the Folgore badge for a Trofeo one and turned up the synthetic engine noise, you’d struggle to tell the difference. And that’s the point. Maserati wants this to feel like a Maserati, not an electric experiment. Laminated glass, extra bushings, and extensive sound insulation help it whisper along, even at motorway speeds. It’s quiet, polished, and despite its size, feels nimble enough in daily use.

The 105kWh battery is good for 501 kilometres according to Maserati, but we’d bank on around 390-400 kilometres in real-world conditions. The battery does support up to 205kW DC charging too, which futureproofs the car for the foreseeable future.

A Whisper Of The Old World

The Maserati Grecale Folgore isn’t the quickest, lightest, or most tech-forward electric SUV. It’s not chasing headlines or TikTok drag races. Instead, it’s targeting a more discerning audience, those who want elegance over excess.

Sure, the Porsche Macan EV will likely outrun it. The BMW iX will dazzle with tech. The Lotus Eletre might just dance around it in the bends. But the Maserati? It delivers a different, soulful kind of drama.

Maserati has resisted the urge to scream its electric credentials from the rooftops, instead choosing to craft an EV that feels and drives like it belongs. And in a world of cookie-cutter electric SUVs, that counts for more than ever.

Technical Specifications

Maserati Grecale Folgore

Powertrain: Dual Electric Motors, All-Wheel Drive
Power: 410 kW (550 bhp)
Torque: 820 Nm
Gearbox: Single-Speed (A)
Acceleration: 4.1 Seconds (0-100km/h)
Top Speed: 220 km/h
Battery Capacity: 105 kWh
Drive Range: 501 km
Energy Consumption: 3.6 km/kWh (claimed)
Price: S$438,800 without COE (accurate at the time of this article)

Photo Credits: Sean Loo (@auto.driven)

Read more automotive news at AutoApp, or check out our latest videos on YouTube and on TikTok!

It’s beginning to feel like the world has forgotten how to make anything but SUVs these days, and Maserati is actually fairly late to the game with its contender.

Yes, they did launch the Levante back in 2016, but lacklustre sales didn’t make it a case-closed preposition. So back to the drawing board they went, and out came the Grecale – a mid-sized, luxury SUV that sits a tier below the larger Levante. Think Porsche Macan, Alfa Romeo Stelvio kinda frequency.

The Grecale, as Maserati calls it, is intended to be a ‘global’ car that’s designed to excel in lots of different markets without significant over-engineering. So, have they nailed this one out of the gate? 

Stealth wealth

The Maserati Grecale isn’t as loud or boisterous on the outside as some of its Trident brethren, but it still has elements that make it quintessentially Maserati.

Typical Maserati flourishes like the tri-shaped vents and trident logos are still omnipresent on the car, and even this entry-level GT model gets four large exhaust pipes, hinting at its shouty aural melody.

On the other hand, flushed door handles, bulbous headlights, and non-pervasive 19-inch rims give it an almost grown-up persona, toning down its juvenile Maserati facade.

I actually like this design a lot. The subtle design enables the Grecale to fly under the radar, allowing you to slip by would-be naysayers. Stealth wealth is a trait that the Grecale rocks to a tee.

Big step up on the inside

Cabins are usually where Maserati models shine, and the Grecale brings it home yet again. There’s a louche hedonistic warmth to the lush materials found within – a stark contrast to the colder and more sterile atmosphere of German counterparts.

The Maserati Intelligent Assistant (MIA) multimedia system is one of the best implementations of Android Auto software to date. Most fiddling is done on the larger 12.3-inch screen, with a supplementary 8.8-inch panel situated beneath it for extra controls.

No buttons though, and the lower screen that handles ancillaries does look a bit congested, but get past that steep learning curve and it’s an attractive and comprehensive OS to use. 

Crucially, it’s a huge improvement over previous Maserati models, and the inclusion of your usual advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto means tech is well catered for in the Grecale.

That said, it is Italian after all, meaning that the Grecale will bear some flaws. 

To give the centre console a sleek and flushed look, designers have bestowed the car with  P/R/N/D buttons located on the centre console. These aren’t the most ergonomic to use, and I often found myself reaching for a non-existent gear shifter.

Maserati does it make it slightly easier for you while parking, allowing you to rock between Reverse and Drive via the large paddle shifters, but this still requires some getting used to.

The Grecale’s doors are also accessed via electric buttons, which looks futuristic but feel erroneous in practice.

Still, you buy an Italian car to embrace its flaws, and these little niggles shouldn’t detract from the otherwise refined experience.

Space for the whole family

The Maserati Grecale scores pretty well on the practicality front. Rear legroom is deceptively generous, and the ever-so-slightly tapered roof does not impede on cabin headroom. 

All occupants get the same lush leather seat treatment, and even though the front seats do feel a little firm, they are still comfortable over extended sitting periods. It’s a happy antithesis to the otherwise clinical crop of cars most German brands are expected to come with.

Boot size for this mid-size SUV stands at a pretty generous 535-litres, although a small amount of space is compromised due to the mild-hybrid system.

Brisk trident

What’s that I hear, you want a driver’s SUV? 

Well then, the Grecale is a surprisingly good option. It feels light on its wheels and drives with a verve that’s not often found in tall-riding SUVs. Maserati’s driving mojo seems to have been reignited in the Grecale, and it is a car that actually wants to go at roads with determination.

The chassis feels composed and capable through bends, arresting any would-be body roll that tends to act up with cars of this build. Steering feel is accurate and well-weighted, and the brakes bite well no matter how much abuse they receive. Mind you, this all applies to the base model GT without the added upgrades found in its Trofeo sibling.

The mild-hybrid assisted engine is responsive at medium to high revs and the 8-speed transmission is pretty good at second guessing you each time your foot gives it the beans.  

296hp and 450Nm of torque are healthy numbers, and a 5.6 second century sprint time cements its credentials. Especially for the GT spec, it feels like it has the right amount of performance for the chassis.

But, this also insinuates some issues. It’s simply not at its best when doing everyday chores. The absence of a V6 or V8 heart inadvertently means you do not get the same quintessential Maserati bellow most people are accustomed to, with the 4-pot engine sounding limp and reedy low down.

The gearbox, while crisp when going fast, feels like it loses all decisiveness at lower NPC speeds, becoming sluggish to operate. Ride comfort and NVH (noise, vibration and harshness) isn’t the best either, with undulations in the roads knocking the Grecale off tempo.

If you’re a spirited driver, the Grecale’s flamboyance is an attractive trait that shouldn’t be overlooked. 

It has that cool factor going for it

For anyone looking for a characterful alternative to your typical crop of German performance SUVs, the Maserati Grecale presents a strong case for itself. Not only does it embody Maserati’s Italian charm on the outside, it’s also pleasingly upmarket and spacious for its occupants.

An impressive step forward from Maserati’s mangled SUV roots.

Technical Specifications

Maserati Grecale Mild Hybrid (GT)
Engine: 1,995cc in-line 4, mild hybrid
Power: 291hp
Torque: 450Nm
Gearbox: 8-Speed (A)
0-100km/h: 5.6 seconds (claimed)
Top Speed: 240km/h
Fuel Economy: 10.7km/L (claimed)
Price: S$279,800 (GT) / S$328,800 (Modena) / S$341,800 (Primaserie), all trims without COE (accurate at the time of this article)
Contact: Maserati Singapore

Photo Credits: Sean Loo (@auto.driven)

Read more automotive news at AutoApp, or check out our latest videos on Ignition Labs TV!

Aimed squarely at the ever-popular SUV market, the Grecale was launched with three variants. At that time, the Italian marque promised to release an all-electric version of the SUV “in a year’s time”, and thankfully they kept that promise.

At last week’s Auto Shanghai 2023, Maserati revealed its first electric SUV — the Grecale Folgore.

Fittingly, Folgore translates to “lightning” in Italian, and this EV is primed to cause a storm to shake up fellow EV competitors. The launch variant of the Grecale Folgore will come with dual motors and all-wheel drive, and while it’s not going to have the same combustion timbre as legacy Maserati engines, it’s rocking up with a ton of power – up to 550 bhp and 820 Nm of torque.

Highlights of the Grecale Folgore include a 12.3-inch upper touchscreen, fitted with Maserati’s newest infotainment system, working in tandem with an 8.8-inch lower touchscreen. This is where the HVAC controls are located. The latter also features hands-free gesture controls, similar to some high-end luxury models.

When driven to its full capacity, the Grecale Folgore is capable of a top speed of 220km/h. That is, unless the vehicle is set to Max Range mode, in order to save energy. In that case, top speed is limited to just under 130km/h, throttle response is muted, and the system limits the maximum output of the HVAC system.

Despite being relatively small, the Grecale Folgore is equipped with a massive 105kWh battery pack, providing it with approximately 500km on a full charge (WLTP). 

Despite its large pack, the Folgore is equipped with a 400-volt electrical system, rather than a more robust 800-volt system found on EVs like the Porsche Taycan and Kia EV6.

That equates to a lower maximum charge rate than these EVs, but its 150 kW limit is still nothing to sneeze at. At full chat, the Folgore can charge from 20% to 80% capacity in about 29 minutes.

Maserati is planning to go all-electric by 2030 and will be producing EV versions of all of its models by 2025. 

Read more automotive news atAutoApp, or check out our latest videos on Ignition Labs TV!