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Well, Jürgen, where's the wind coming from?" "The wind?
It's blowing from the south-east today, and at the same time it's also blowing from the north-east.
But this is not a new weather phenomenon, it has to do with the car we are dealing with today.
The car is named after the Grecale, a cool north-easterly wind that blows in the Mediterranean region in winter.
We do a lap with the Maserati Grecale.
There he is.
This is the Maserati Grecale.
An SUV named after a wind.
This is typical of the Italian brand.
Ever since the Maserati Mistral came onto the market in 1963, Maserati models have repeatedly been named after winds.
Also the luxury SUV Levante.
Levante is a Mediterranean wind that blows very strongly, especially in summer.
The Grecale is now Maserati's second SUV and it's quite a bit shorter than the Levante.
We have here a five-door with five seats and a beefy supple body.
The radiator grille here at the front and a large trident logo are particularly striking.
This trident can also be found on the C-pillar and in many other places on and in the car.
Because SUVs are a dime a dozen.
But the Grecale wants to signal from all perspectives: I am something special, a Maserati.
The brand stands for sportiness, racing success, elegance and exclusivity.
And she faced the end often enough.
It now belongs to the Stellantis group and is something like the icing on the corporate cake.
Let's look at a few more details: The paint color is called ›Blue Intenso‹.
Our test car rolls on 20-inch forged wheels and behind them you can see brake calipers painted yellow.
And at the rear there are four tailpipes.
Now the dimensions in no time at all.
The Grecale is 4.85 m long, 1.95 m wide and 1.67 m high.
So, now I'll take off the Windsock and Friesennerz and we'll slip into the car.
It continues behind the windshield.
The Maserati Grecale is available in three variants.
We drive the basic Maserati Grecale GT, but with a few extras, including stainless steel pedals, then burl wood covers, here and there, leather seats and Maserati logos embroidered in the headrests.
There are also four screens in here, a 12.3-inch digital cockpit, then this also 12.3-inch touchscreen for the multimedia system.
This includes an 8.8-inch touchscreen that can be used to turn on and adjust the air conditioning, lighting and seats.
And as the fourth screen, this small round monitor up here, which normally simulates an analogue clock, but on which you can also display a compass or the centrifugal forces.
Between all these screens, hidden quite well
this is where this row of buttons sits with the settings for the 8-speed automatic transmission.
The equipment also includes numerous assistance systems, a heated leather steering wheel, a head-up display, voice control that responds to "Hey Maserati", and a large panoramic glass sunroof.
So there's a pretty stiff breeze of luxury and high tech in here.
And now we're going to add wind.
What do you actually expect behind the wheel of a Maserati?
A tasteful ambience, a powerful drive and a sporty driving experience.
The Grecale can fulfill all of these expectations quite well.
Sure, we're sitting here in a spacious SUV and not in a flat sports car.
And yes, there are also a number of concessions to the digital zeitgeist in this car.
And they promote neither emotionality nor clarity.
The menus here in the multimedia system, for example, are quite complex and some buttons that you really have to look for, for example to set the fog lights, you first have to press here and then here again.
And that distracts from driving.
Likewise, by the way, as well as the loud and quiet settings here via this slider of the music system.
This means that it has been tried and tested and is quite functional.
The 8-speed automatic works perfectly.
The optional air suspension always tries to find a good compromise between sportiness and comfort.
The steering alone seems a bit jittery and indifferent.
The question remains: What actually makes the Grecale rush forward?
We'll answer that right away.
Maserati offers the Grecale with three different engines and a power range from 300 to 530 hp.
All-wheel drive is standard on all variants.
Our test car has the basic engine, a 2-liter turbocharged four-cylinder gasoline direct injection engine.
The machine develops 300 hp, which corresponds to 221 kilowatts, develops a maximum torque of 450 Newton meters and consumes an average of 8.7 liters according to the WLTP standard.
At about 9
5 liters on average we drive the car.
The engine meets the Euro 6D emission standard and makes the car up to 240 km/h fast.
A 48-volt starter generator that helps when starting, thus also saving fuel.
And it uses an electric compressor to provide turbo pressure even at low speeds.
So much for the drive.
Now let's take care of the downside of the car.
So, the tailgate opens with a kick sensor and then you have a clear path into a trunk that offers a loading volume of 535 liters.
If the rear seat backrests are folded down completely, the capacity is around 4,600 litres.
Below this is the tire repair kit and just a bit of space for small items.
That was it.
Now let's go one more round.
Of course, the concentrated electronics on board also determine the driving systems.
And that's why different driving modes can also be set in the Grecale.
This is done here via this pretty little wheel on the steering wheel.
And you can choose between Sport, GT and Comfort.
Most drivers will probably choose GT because it strikes a really good balance between speed and solidity.
Overall, Maserati has created a fine car with the Grecale.
The SUV offers a lot of space.
It offers an independent design and a lavish equipment.
A family-friendly Maserati so.
And that's why I'm going to sit down on the back seat again to conclude.
So let's come to the conclusion.
We like: the great space, especially here in the back seats, the rich driving experience and the sometimes idiosyncratic, but always stylish details.
There are minus points for the erratic steering, the sometimes quite tricky arrangement of the controls and the rather high price compared to competing models such as the Jaguar F-Type or Porsche Macan." "Why?
How much does it cost?" "The Maserati Grecale is available from €71,519, and our test car, which alone has extras worth around €25,000, costs €96,022.
But it will still be a bit more expensive, because the first purely electric variant of the Grecale will be launched next year.
And for once, it will not be named after a wind, but after a weather phenomenon.
The car will be called Maserati Folgore and Folgore means lightning in Italian.
So, you know, Niko, so Blitz, for electrics and sparks.' 'Ah ok, alright'.