Maserati Grecale Wears Red for Cold Weather Testing, Has Matching Shoes and Socks

The red vinyl stickers that proudly display the make and model were wrapped around the entire exterior of the premium compact crossover. The multi-spoke alloys wear the psychedelic camouflage too, and if you look behind them, you will see red brake calipers as well.

Believed to be in the hot Trofeo flavor, due to the beefy brakes with cross-drilled rotors and bigger exhaust pipes, this prototype is easily identifiable as a Maserati, as it has the familiar grille with vertical slats. Square air intakes in the front bumper contribute to the design, and so do the headlamps inspired by the MC20 and aggressive rear diffuser.

Related to the Alfa Romeo Stelvio, the Maserati Grecale is underpinned by the Giorgio architecture and is understood to share some powertrains with its cousin. These will probably include the twin-turbo 2.9-liter V6 from the Quadrifoglio when it comes to the Trofeo variant, apparently. Either this or the bi-turbo 3.0-liter V6 from the MC20 supercar. Further down the line, we might see it with 2.0-liter four-pots, with supercharging and turbocharging, supposedly making in the region of 300 hp.

Maserati should have unveiled the Grecale last month, but the global chip shortage has forced them to put a pin in it. As a result, it will premiere next spring, sitting under the Levante and inevitably becoming the most affordable high-rider in the brand’s portfolio. Its shape and size will make it a rival to the likes of the Jaguar E-Pace, Mercedes-Benz GLC, Porsche Macan, BMW X3, and Audi Q5. It will also take on the Alfa Romeo Stelvio.