Maserati knocks it out of the park with both the recent incarnation of the Grecale and the snappy, stylish all-new GranCabrio Trofeo.
Rare is the day one is invited to test-drive not one, but two Italian exotics on the proverbial dark desert highway, that being Malibu (in the daytime.) Maserati’s long known for their iconic moniker, their Italian track wins and ups and downs in the passenger car world, but they kill it with both the recent incarnation of the Grecale and the snappy, stylish GranCabrio Trofeo.
Here are my impressions after about an hour behind each’s wheel.
2027 Maserati Grecale – Expensive But Brilliant
The 2027 Maserati Grecale arrives with significant mechanical upgrades. Gone is the base turbocharged four-cylinder engine, for one, replaced by a 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged V6 producing 385 horsepower. The engine was previously introduced in the Modena trim for North America and now also powers the new entry-level Grecale V6.
The high-performance Trofeo gets a considerably more muscular 523 horsepower from the same engine. All three V6 models feature an eight-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive. Prices start at a formidable $79,895 for the base Grecale V6, rise to $86,495 for the Modena and climb to $117,495 for the Trofeo, putting the Grecale squarely in serious luxury territory.
To drive it means to hug the road, to feel sharp steering, to blast where blast is needed and chill otherwise. It’s one of the most perfect SUVs I’ve driven this year.
The 2027 model also brings new available 21-inch wheels, with available air suspension (standard on the Trofeo) and an electronic limited-slip rear differential contributing to its sporting character. The Modena V6’s published fuel-economy figures are 18 mpg city and 25 highway.
It’s an expensive proposition, particularly when compared with some of its German rivals, but Maserati has endowed the Grecale with a distinctive personality, handsome exterior styling and an unmistakable sense of occasion.
The seats feel practically custom-made for your backside, providing a nice combination of support, comfort and snugness.
The cockpit is spaceship-tight, surrounding the driver with sweetly executed surfaces, rich materials and an intimate atmosphere. The technology is thoroughly modern without overwhelming the experience and the available 21-speaker Sonus Faber audio system adds another layer of swank and comfort. But the real revelation is the drive.
The Grecale, from its short test-drive, offered a balance of the proverbial athleticism and refinement with confident handling, gobs of power when you need it and a ride that’s supple when the occasion demands. In fact, of all the SUVs I’ve tested this year, only the Lamborghini Urus delivered a more rockin’ driving experience. Though the price tag is enough to make you think twice, the Grecale possesses a combination of comfort, performance, exclusivity and driving pleasure that makes its considerable price easier to forgive.
2027 Maserati GranCabrio Trofeo
The all-new 2027 Maserati GranCabrio Trofeo Convertible is a gorgeous expression of Italian automotive design – combining exotic good looks, great performance and the pleasures of open-air motoring into a serious sport car.
The lists of improvements are many – revised front-end styling, improved aerodynamics and an always welcome increase in horsepower. Beneath its long hood sits Maserati’s 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged Nettuno V6, now producing a formidable 582 horsepower and 479 pound-feet of torque, an increase of 40 horsepower over the previous model. That’s some serious dynamite for a convertible.
Paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive, the Trofeo dashes from zero to 60 mph in just 3.4 seconds, with a claimed top speed of 196 mph. Prices start around $178,700, putting it firmly in the upper reaches of the luxury convertible market. But what makes the GranCabrio appealing is its appearance. With its long hood, low stance, muscular proportions and artfully integrated convertible top, it doesn’t look like anything else on the road.
In a world where so many luxury vehicles seem to borrow styling cues from one another, I found this Maserati refreshingly original. Behind the wheel, the engine is buttery smooth, delivering power with an effortless refinement that makes acceleration feel almost deceptively easy.
Put your foot down and the response is immediate. The handling is equally impressive, with excellent control, good composure and genuine corner-carving ability when the road gets challenging.
Yet the Trofeo never feels like an exotic that demands constant attention. There’s a good balance between its athletic capabilities and its more civilized grand-touring personality – you don’t have to control it like a racehorse at red lights.
Standard air suspension contributes to a comfortable ride and the chariot-like appointed four-seat interior features premium materials, sophisticated technology and the Sonus Faber audio system.
My time behind the wheel was limited to approximately an hour, so a more extensive evaluation will have to wait. Nevertheless, the GranCabrio made a strong first impression. It’s fast, refined, remarkably capable and blessed with something that’s becoming increasingly difficult to find in the automotive world – a genuinely distinctive personality. Expensive? No doubt. But there’s something to be said for a car that makes you smile just looking at it, then delivers the goods when you smash the accelerator.
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