2023 Maserati Mc20 Cielo on 2040-cars

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Maserati makes 328-foot-long trident with 80 Grecale test mules

Maserati delayed the launch of the Grecale, its long-awaited second SUV, from November 2021 to the spring of 2022, but that doesn't mean the test mules and the engineers tasked with driving them are taking a sabbatical. The company is still testing prototypes all over the world, and it brought 80 pre-production models fully draped in camouflage to a test track in Modena, Italy, to create a giant trident emblem. Over 250 development models are racking up miles in Italy, Finland, the United Arab Emirates, China, Japan and the United States, according to the Italian firm. About a third of them gathered near the company's home town to form the 328-foot trident. It's a stunt that allowed Maserati to release a handful of cool images, but it teaches us little about the Levante's baby brother, which will be aimed at the Porsche Macan. Luckily, Maserati also released a couple of images that show four prototypes parked in front of the Milan Cathedral. We can tell that the Grecale borrows a handful of styling cues from the MC20; it's not simply a scaled-down Levante. Its headlights are oval and nearly vertical (the Levante's are thin and almost horizontal) and its grille looks wider and thinner. Earlier spy shots suggest that the Grecale wears a roofline that leans more towards sport than utility; it's not a utilitarian people-hauler with the proportions of a school bus. Unverified reports claim that Maserati will build the Grecale on an evolution of the Giorgio platform that underpins Alfa Romeo's Stelvio and Giulia models. If that's accurate, rear-wheel drive will likely come standard (at least in some markets) and all-wheel drive will be offered at an extra cost. We're guessing that four- and six-cylinder engines will be available, though full specifications haven't been published yet, and Maserati previously confirmed that a high-performance version worthy of the Trofeo emblem will join the range at some point.  More details about the Maserati Grecale will emerge in the coming months.  Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

2023 Maserati Grecale starts taking off its camouflage

Maserati is still working on bringing the Grecale, its long-awaited entry-level SUV, to production. With a little over a month to go before the model's unveiling, the Italian company released a batch of preview images that give us the best look yet at the next addition to its lineup. The prototype depicted in the images wears a black and white wrap that previews some of the Grecale's specifications and features, like the amount of storage space and leg room available in the cabin. Key figures remain under wraps, they're replaced by asterisks, and a message written on the wrap lets the Grecale tell on-lookers that it "can't tell you much more" about what's underneath. The photos are telling, though. While previous images released by Maserati hid the SUV's finer design details, the latest batch shows the grille, headlights, some exterior trim pieces and cool-looking wheels with trident-shaped spokes that echo the firm's logo. Its profile is reminiscent of the Levante's in the sense that it unmistakably leans towards the sporty side of the SUV scale thanks to styling cues like a rakish roof line, though its rear wheel arches look less pronounced. Up front, it's a different story: the headlights are more rounded and positioned above the grille. Out back, we spot horizontal lights connected by a piece of trim (or a well-hidden light bar) and four exhaust outlets. All told, the Grecale falls in line with Maserati's design language without blatantly copying the Levante. Its interior remains hidden for the time being, however. Nothing is official yet, but earlier reports claim that the Grecale will ride on a version of the Giorgio platform that underpins several members of the Alfa Romeo range, including the Stelvio and the Giulia. If that's accurate, rear-wheel-drive will likely come standard (at least in some markets) and all-wheel-drive will be available as well. We know that a high-performance Trofeo version will ultimately join the range. Aimed directly at the Porsche Macan, the 2023 Maserati Grecale will make its debut on March 22. Production will start shortly after. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

2023 Maserati MC20 Cielo offers unlimited headroom and 621 hp

Maserati is returning to the convertible segment after a brief hiatus with a topless version of the MC20 named Cielo. The roadster offers the same twin-turbocharged V6 engine and carbon fiber chassis as its coupe counterpart but it gains a power-retractable glass roof panel. "Cielo" means "sky" in Italian — it's a fitting name. Visually, the MC20 Cielo is nearly identical to the MC20 coupe from the rocker panels to the belt line. It's what's above that counts: Maserati fitted the roadster with a glass roof panel that opens or closes at the push of a button in about 12 seconds. The space that it occupies is located behind the passenger compartment so engineers had to redesign the decklid, and the engine is no longer visible through a glass cover. We're told that the transformation adds only about 143 pounds to the MC20 for a curb weight of roughly 3,400 pounds. Maserati planned the convertible model from the get-go so few compromises were made during the development process. The Cielo keeps the cool butterfly-style doors, and it offers the same amount of cabin and trunk space as the coupe. Folding away in a couple of seconds isn't the roof's only trick: it can go from clear to opaque in a matter of seconds thanks to Polymer-Dispersed Liquid Crystal (PDLC) technology. Like the coupe, the MC20 Cielo is powered by Maserati's excellent 3.0-liter Nettuno V6 engine. The mid-mounted six is twin-turbocharged to 621 horsepower and 538 pound-feet of torque, and it spins the rear wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission. Maserati quotes a zero-to-62-mph time of approximately 3 seconds and a top speed of around 200 mph, which sounds like a quick and fun way to dry your hair. Brembo-built six-piston front and four-piston rear brake calipers keep the engine's power in check. Built in Italy, the 2023 Maserati MC20 Cielo will reach showrooms in the coming months. Pricing will be announced closer to the model's on-sale date. At launch, buyers will be able to order a limited-edition version called PrimaSerie Launch Edition that stands out from the standard model with a specific, three-layer paint color called Acquamarina that was initially developed for Maserati's customization program.