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2022 Maserati Grecale spy photos show new SUV behind Stellantis gates

Here’s our first good look at the upcoming Maserati Grecale. Maserati dropped a few shadowy and blurry images as a teaser a couple months ago, but they only provided a vague idea of what we should expect from the compact crossover. The blue camouflage theme is one consistency, and it seems the level of coverage on the car is similarly enveloping. It's deception following deception up front, as the hood features strange bulges, and the headlights look taped on. The only visible opening is a grated intake in the lower side bumper area. That said, we do have a better look at the proportions without blur or confusion. Rumors point to this crossover using the Alfa Romeo-developed Giorgio platform, despite reports of that platform not having much of a future at Stellantis. That means it should be similar in size to the Alfa Romeo Stelvio. Seeing it parked nearby a camouflaged Jeep Compass, this approximation appears to ring true. It looks like itÂ’s a bit larger than the Jeep, which is as it should be, considering the Grecale should be one class larger. Those big, wide hips are visible from the front three-quarter angle, but theyÂ’re extra dramatic from the rear. We have a feeling that the Grecale is going to look much sportier than the Levante does, and hopefully more handsome, too. The big, quad exhaust poking out the back is another big hint in that direction. All the powertrain details are still shrouded in mystery, but the likely options are a base four-cylinder turbo and a boosted V6 as the upgrade. WeÂ’ll be especially interested to see if the car launches with a Trofeo model to compete with other high-powered compact models like the Porsche Macan Turbo, BMW X3 M and Mercedes-AMG GLC 63. From the shape we can see here, it looks like the Grecale will be a traditionally-shaped crossover, albeit one with a pretty severe angle to its rear window. ThereÂ’s a fairly large hood of a rear spoiler to hang over that window, but the dominating feature out back are the horizontally-stretching rear taillights. Everything else is covered in camo, so weÂ’ll need to wait for Maserati to reveal its secrets when itÂ’s good and ready. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Maserati ramping up production of Ghibli, Quattroporte

While Porsche may be relatively new to the four-door game, Maserati has been building the Quattroporte with few interruptions since 1963. But like its rival from Stuttgart, the Trident marque is rapidly shifting from a sports car company primarily to a manufacturer of high-end family transportation. Not only does it have the new Quattroporte on the market, but now it's got the Ghibli sedan as well and the Levante crossover on its way.
It's a gambit that's reaping huge benefits not only for Maserati itself but also for its newly merged parent company Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, which is finding the mass market less lucrative than it once was and is positioning both Maserati and Alfa Romeo against other luxury marques like BMW, Audi and Porsche. As a result, Maserati is considerably expanding its production.
Last month, Maserati sold over 3,000 cars, putting it on track to double its sales from 2013. But it's not about to stop there. With growing demand for its authentically Italian luxury sedans, Maserati is shifting more workers to its assembly plant in the Turinese suburn of Grugliasco (where the QP and Ghibli are made) and shortening vacation time to ramp production up from 750 cars per week to 900.

Why Italians are no longer buying supercars

Italy is the wound that continues to drain blood from the body financial of Italian supercar and sports car makers. The wound was opened by the country's various financial police who decided to get serious about superyacht-owning and supercar-driving tax cheats a few years ago, by noting their registrations and checking their incomes. When it was found that a rather high percentage of exotic toy owners had claimed a rather low annual income - certain business owners were found to be declaring less income than their employees - the owners began dumping their cars and prospective buyers declined to buy.
Car and Driver has a piece on how the initiative is hitting the home market the hardest. Lamborghini sold 1,302 cars worldwide in 2010, 1,602 cars in 2011 and 2,083 cars in 2012 - an excellent surge in just two years. In Italy, however, it's all about the ebb: in 2010, the year that Italian police began scouring harbors, Lamborghini sold 96 cars in Italy, the next year it sold 72, last year it sold just 60. The declines for Maserati and Ferrari are even more pronounced.
Head over to CD for the full story and the numbers. What might be most incredible isn't the cause and effect, but where the blame is being placed. A year ago the chairman of Italy's Federauto accused the government of "terrorizing potential clients," this year Luca di Montezemolo says what's happening has created "a hostile environment for ­luxury goods." Life at the top, it ain't easy.