Maserati Grecalé V6 Tropeo..to soothe Porsche Macan EV's regrets
Apr 18, 2025
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Levante was developed based on the four-door sedan Ghibli platform, but has a much larger body of more than 5m. Moreover, he shared considerable parts with Chrysler, which made him regretful in sports.
The Greco Calais test drive today is Maserati's second SUV, which was unveiled in March 2022. The Grechale, which means "strong northeastern wind of the Mediterranean Sea," is a medium-sized SUV with a body size of 4859mm and a wheel base of 2901mm. Unlike European-based D-segment L'Orbante, the platform was shared with Alfa Romeo Stelvio, which intensified its sportsmanship.
Grechale is characterized by the application of various power trains. GT with a 300-horsepower four-cylinder mild hybrid engine, Modena with a 330-horsepower four-cylinder mild hybrid engine, Trofeo with a high-performance 530-horsepower gasoline V6 based on the MC20 Netuno engine, and Folgor, a pure electric model.
Among them, the model tested today is the Tropeo, a top-notch internal combustion vehicle model with a V6-cylinder twin turbo engine and a ZF 8-speed automatic transmission. It is equipped with a detune of the Netuno engine applied to the midship supercar MC20, which is leading Maserati's image. It is a 3-liter V6 twin turbo engine, but it is characterized by a loud exhaust sound and engine sound like a V8.
Unlike Porsche Macan, a representative competitor, which has been reborn as a second generation, all internal combustion engine vehicles have been discontinued and released only as electric vehicles, Maserati is still quenching this thirst by applying various internal combustion engines, although the version of the Greco-electric vehicle Polgor is also available.
The exterior is a dynamic style as a whole, harmonizing the brand's iconic elements, such as trapezoidal C-pillars and new alloy wheels inspired by Maserati's trident.The front part brought the face of the midship supercar MC20.It has a very different impression from Levante, which applied a horizontal thin headlamp.
A large grill, such as a symbol of Maserati, is placed close to the end of the bonnet to show its sporty character. Vertical headlights are applied to the left and right above the grill, which is low for SUVs, so rather than following the recent trend, Maserati pursues its own timeless design.
The aspect is even more impressive. The size is 4,859mm in length, 2,901mm in wheelbase, 1,659mm in height, and 1,979mm in width, which is one of the largest SUVs in its class. What is more prominent than that is that it has a typical rear-wheel-drive proposition.
With a long nose short-tech style, the bonnet is long for an SUV and the A-pillar stands back compared to a typical SUV. It's an SUV, but it shows Maserati's sports car DNA well.
As a high-performance SUV, it tried to differentiate itself from a public SUV in design as well as a functional part that releases engine heat by applying three air holes to the front fender.
It is also eye-catching that the Maserati symbol Trident emblem is applied to the thick C-pillar. The wheel size is 21 inches, which is a collection of five trident windows.
If you look at the rear and rear sides, the rear window is inclined like a coupe-type SUV. As it goes up, the width decreases in a trapezoidal shape, showing a confident posture.
Taillight is completed with a trapezoidal line unique to Maserati. There is no big difference from the previous one, so it feels easy. Carbon-applied bottom diffusers and quad mufflers also suggest high performance chimes.
Unlike the exterior design that takes advantage of the footsteps of the traditional Maserati sports car design, the interior applied a number of the latest vehicle elements. It is different from the existing Maserati vehicles, which have exceptionally much analog sensitivity over the years.Not only the digital cluster, but also the 12.3-inch center monitor and the 8.8-inch comfort panel at the bottom of it all applied the touch method. Did he intentionally break away from the existing feeling.
Even the watch located at the top of the dashboard, which is often used by sports car brands, applied the smartwatch digital method, not analog. It can be changed from classical Maserati analog watches to various graphics, as well as voice command modes beyond simply telling the time.
Unfortunately, the emergency light button is also applied touch-type. It was inconvenient because there were cases where the emergency light was not pressed in a situation where the emergency light was actually turned on.In addition, the electronic button gear method looks good, but it is less intuitive when parking in a narrow space. As in the picture, the material also has fingerprints well, so it seems that improvement is needed.
The interior material is finished with high-quality Seulheon leather at the top of the dashboard and door trim to match the price of 170 million won.When touched, the elasticity of the texture and material is good, so the satisfaction is high.
In the case of the second row space, there is room for foot space under the front seat, resulting in a stable posture. However, it is difficult for five people to ride due to the high center, and it is inconvenient to ride for a long time because the angle of the backrest of the second row is not adjusted.
Audio is not well known in Korea, but in Italy, it is equipped with the Sonus Faber audio system, which is famous for the rich's home audio. The logo is engraved on the metallic cover, adding to the exterior luxury. A total of 21 speakers are applied to produce a total output of 1285W. The wide range of sounds is impressive.
The rim thickness of the steering wheel is not thick for high-performance models. Punching leather is widely applied, so the grip is excellent. The part where you can feel the racing DNA is that the start button is located to the left of the center of the steering wheel.
It is a similar situation in Le Mans, and it is a position that originated from shortening the time by starting with the left hand and shifting gears with the right hand while riding a car. uniquely press the start button on the steering wheel to wake up the engine of the greccale.
Grecale Tropeo's six-cylinder 3,000cc twin turbo engine is equipped with F1 know-how. It is a tuning of the Netuno engine of the MC20. It is also equipped with a cylinder deactivation function for efficiency when driving at constant speed. As the best model of the Greco Calais internal combustion vehicle, the Tropeo has a maximum output of 530 horsepower and a maximum torque of 620 Nm. It is a mid-size SUV weighing 2,027 kilograms, and the zero-back takes only 3.8 seconds.
Curious about how a gasoline car's zero-back 3.8 seconds would feel, he went on a test drive. There are five drive modes, and I decided to feel the comfort mode first.
It has an unexpectedly smooth accelerator sensation and an easy-to-handle steering wheel weight. As the name comfort mode suggests, it is a high-performance SUV, but the engine, transmission and suspension are all adjusted to feel a smooth driving feeling. It feels as if driving a comfortable public SUV. The engine sound of a little growl every time you apply a little force to the accelerator makes you realize again that this car is a Maserati.
I changed it to GT mode, so there's no big change. As a vehicle specialized in grand touring, it has high efficiency in continuous driving. It is an optimized mode for enjoying a comfortable trip. I entered the highway and changed the drive mode to sports.
The accelerator becomes more sensitive and the Maserati down exhaust sound wakes up. Depending on the situation, you can also hear thick popcorn sound. There is no anxiety unique to SUVs even at high speeds as the suspension becomes harder and the sense of stability rises. It feels like I'm riding a sports car with higher visibility.
Corsa mode is similar to track mode. The vehicle's performance is increased to the extreme and adaptive cruise control or crash prevention functions are disabled instead. The off-road mode can cope with various road surfaces by raising the body by 20 mm.
The 100km section was cracked down and the driving aid was turned on. The distance from the car in front can be adjusted in four stages. If you change the center screen of the digital cluster to ADAS mode, it will graphically express the condition of my car, the surrounding vehicle, and the presence or absence of lane departure.
I like the graphic because it's very detailed. There is no distinction between sedans, SUVs, and vans, but freight cars are expressed as separate icons. (Photo taken when stopped, 0km/h)
In the case of auto hold, it is deactivated if the brakes are lightly applied in a way that many European cars, including Mercedes, have applied. Driving in the city center becomes quite convenient when you get used to the way it works when you step deep.
In urban driving, driving in comfort mode enables smooth driving due to its excellent response to bumps and irregular road surfaces. It is an optimized vehicle for those who usually want a comfortable SUV and sometimes want to own the sensibility of a sports car.
If you are disappointed that the Porsche Macan, a competitor, only comes out as an electric car, you should test-drive the Maserati Grecalais, which emits the scent of an internal combustion engine.
One line review
Advantage: Soft SUV in comfort mode..Versatility to turn into a beast in sports mode
Disadvantage: Sudden drop in fuel efficiency in sports mode..High-quality oil is also a must
Editor Song Moon-cheol mc.song@carguy.kr
This article was translated by Naver AI translator.
