At one point during the time I spent with the Grecale I asked my wife, “Shall we take the Maserati, darling?” Speaking those words is enough to make you feel more glamorous and more sophisticated, as well as more fortunate, than the driver of the average family car.
The Italian marque that celebrated 110 years of history in 2024 is one of those names that rank near the top of the tree in the world of automobiles, just below Ferrari and Rolls Royce, but more exotic than Porsche and with a greater racing heritage than Lamborghini. And compared to those brands, it is almost an alternative choice, a way to highlight your own individuality, especially if you choose this particular model.
The all-electric Grecale Folgore SUV (‘folgore’ means lightning in Italian) may also be the alternative choice within the range of cars that Maserati produces, because most people would associate them with loud, roaring engines rather than silent electric motors. Don’t let the lack of thunder fool you, there is plenty of power here, and after you’ve been driving it for a while you won’t miss the engine noise. Two electric motors and a 105 kWh battery with 400v technology provide 550 bhp and a 0-100km/h time of just 4.1 seconds. As Maserati is keen to point out, it is lightning quick.
A low thrum accompanies your progress, very reminiscent of the kind of subtle engine noise you experience in a V12 Rolls-Royce. It Is unobtrusive and enhances the driving experience, building in intensity as you gather speed. In the standard GT mode, the power delivery is smooth and builds almost gently. Remember, this is a fairly large SUV, smaller than its sister model – the Levante – but weighing almost 2.5 tonnes. Toggle the dial on the steering wheel and it flips into Sport mode. Now, a push on the accelerator produces an instant response that causes the car to dart forwards and you can feel all of that 820 Nm of torque at work, which is 80% more than a base Porsche 911 produces. It even has a drag race setting for when you really need to make a quick getaway.
Four wheel drive also means that there is the option to go off road, as the active air suspension can raise the ride height. But I feel that a dirt track would be rather alien to a car with such a racing heritage. Unlike Lamborghini, whose road cars were born out of a tractor business, Maserati had racing blood right from the beginning and enjoyed success in Grand Prix, Formula One and the Indianapolis 500. It is most at home on the open road, especially when you get the chance to exploit some of that power.
The Grecale performs well at speed when descending the winding Grande Corniche; it is easy to direct into corners and the active suspension eliminates too much body roll. It is easy to drive confidently, even on narrow roads, and perhaps more importantly, the reassurance it provides allows you to have fun. As well as the nimble handling that reflects its race car heritage, you’ll also enjoy punting it up a straight stretch of road at full power, and fortunately the Brembo brakes are really effective at hauling it back in. In town, as with all luxury EVs, it is a joy just gliding smoothly around in almost total silence. Personally, if I was in the market for a sporty SUV, I’d choose electric over petrol any day. I’m pretty sure the rest of the world will come round to my way of thinking eventually as its character is so well suited to urban driving.
Cars are becoming more intelligent all the time and the Grecale is no exception. At higher speeds, the ride height lowers automatically so it hugs the ground more closely, improving aerodynamics, roadholding and energy efficiency. There is an optional head-up display to remind you of the speed limit or give you directions, and I was particularly impressed with the climate controls – the touchscreen display contains a lot of data and functions, but one confident swipe anywhere on it from left to right increases the fan speed, whilst a swipe from the top of the screen to the bottom alters the temperature. No more trying to jab your finger at tiny buttons whilst also concentrating on the road.
As for fuel efficiency, the driver can play their part in maximising the battery’s range by using the paddles on either side of the steering wheel to increase or reduce the amount of regen. The Grecale Folgore has a range of up to 501 kms and, whilst you may never see that figure (why buy a Maserati if you are going to drive slowly?), the nature of your driving and judicious use of the paddles can extend your range more than you might expect. With the Maserati app, you have access to Europe’s largest charging network of 400,000 chargers and the ability to fast charge to 80% within 29 minutes, so range anxiety is not going to bother most people.
Inside, a traditional circular clockface on the dashboard harks back to Maserati’s vintage years, but this clock is digital and can change its style to either ‘Sport’ or ‘Design’, and it can even be used to display pop-up notifications. The seating is sporty and hugs your body tightly when needed, but is also highly adjustable to improve comfort for those of us with a more generous build. Some fabrics are made from old fishing nets, I kid you not, in the form of Econyl, an innovative new fibre that is fashioned from recycled nylon. Maserati says this material is “inspired by the movements of a ballerina immortalised in a photograph, it speaks of a controlled performance, a movement made eternal.” I don’t know about that, but it’s a lot nicer than it sounds, and it highlights how – at every turn – the interior works hard to reflect the futuristic nature of this hi-tech alternative to old-fashioned combustion engine SUVs.
The Maserati Grecale Folgore, which starts at 109,300€ before you add any options, is up against several competent rivals in this segment, not least its own ICE-powered siblings, but it does a good job of finding its place in the market. The styling both inside and out has just enough Italian flair to set it apart from the mostly-German challengers which, on paper at least, provide stiff competition. However, whereas you might admire their Teutonic efficiency, the car from Modena – the home of the world’s greatest sports cars – is something you might actually fall in love with because it has a secret weapon: character.
You can put all the technology in the world into a car’s design but that doesn’t mean it will have its own personality, whereas that is exactly what you get with a Maserati. It is a digital car for the 21st century, but it also stands out from the crowd thanks to its Italian flair and storied heritage, which you can appreciate in the way it drives and the way it looks. The Grecale Folgore scores another win for Maserati’s well respected ‘lightning’ EV range.
See more in the photo gallery below, all photos by Richard McCreery:
See also:
Test drive: Is the Maserati GranTurismo Folgore the best electric GT in the world?
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Main photo credit: Richard McCreery
