This Maserati does 285, and it's an SUV

Industry

Published: 17 Nov. 2022, 16:15

This Maserati does 285, and it's an SUV

Kim Gwang-cheol, left, CEO of FMK, a Korean importer and distributor of Maserati cars and Takayuki Kimura, managing director of the Asia Pacific Region pose with the Grecale SUV Thursday during a press event held in Seocho District, southern Seoul. [MASERATI]

Maserati introduced the Grecale SUV to the Korean market Thursday.

The Grecale is second SUV from the Italian trident brand after the Levante SUV was first introduced in 2017.

Grecale means a north-easterly Mediterranean wind in Italian. The company says the spacious and sporty SUV offers new technologies, better performance and design features.

The car's vertically oriented grille and headlights very look like those of Maserati's MC20 sports car.

Three engines are available: GT, powered by a four-cylinder mild hybrid engine capable of delivering 300 horsepower; Modena, with a four-cylinder mild hybrid engine with 330 horsepower; and Trofeo, powered by a high-performance six-cylinder petrol engine with 530 horsepower.

The most expensive Trofeo version can reach a maximum speed of 285 kilometers (177 miles) per hour. It only takes 3.8 seconds to go from zero to 100 kilometers per hour.

The vehicle also comes with a digital clock, the first in the brand's history. No longer does it only tell the time: it can also emit a response signal every time it receives a voice command, the company said.

The sticker price begins at 99 million won ($73,800). Its competitor Porsche Macan starts from 95.6 million won in Korea.

Deliveries will start in January. Korea is the first Asian country in which the SUV is being marketed.

"We made this sporty luxury Grecale based on three modern luxury elements, intentional experience, digitalization and performance," said Takayuki Kimura, managing director of the Asia Pacific Region for Maserati, during a press event held Thursday in Seocho District, southern Seoul.

"A pure electric version of Grecale will be introduced in 2023," he added.

The electric SUV will be Maserati's first all-electric vehicle in its history.

The all-electric Grecale will be able to travel more than 480 kilometers per single charge, with a maximum of 500 horsepower.

BY SARAH CHEA [chea.sarah@joongang.co.kr]