Maserati Grecale and GranTurismo Trofeo: fast and gorgeous, still fighting depreciation
media.stellantis.com
Maserati's Trofeo and Folgore lineups prove the brand can build serious performance cars. But residual value, not horsepower, is what decides whether buyers commit.
Maserati is having a rare moment where the argument isn’t about the cars — it’s about the reputation attached to them. The Grecale Trofeo and GranTurismo Trofeo show that the brand has learned to build fast, beautiful, more mature cars, but the old buyer fear hasn’t gone anywhere: “how much will this car lose in two years?”
The Grecale Trofeo looks like the most convincing model in the current lineup. It’s essentially the Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio idea taken upmarket: the 3.0-liter twin-turbo Nettuno V6 makes 523 hp, with 0-60 mph in 3.61 seconds. Maserati also avoids Alfa’s weak points — the Grecale has a nicer cabin, a more modern Uconnect 5 infotainment system, and a softer ride thanks to air suspension with Skyhook electronically controlled dampers.
The GranTurismo Trofeo shares the same V6 and is even quicker — 3.36 seconds to 60 mph. But the price changes the picture entirely. The coupe starts at $166,000, and our test car with options ran to $185,830. The Grecale Trofeo is noticeably more practical and cheaper: from $117,500, with the tested version landing at $121,380. For Maserati, that’s a meaningful trade-off — the SUV delivers nearly the same emotional package — engine note, finish, dynamics — without buyers feeling like they’re paying for the body shape alone.
The electric Folgore lineup is more complicated. The Grecale Folgore makes 542 hp and hits 60 mph in 4.0 seconds, but a range of around 245 miles and a 400-volt architecture with 150 kW peak charging no longer feel like a breakthrough. The GranTurismo and GranCabrio Folgore are more interesting: 751 hp, an 800-volt system, charging up to 270 kW, and a 2.6-second sprint to 60 mph for the coupe. But sales aren’t held back by power — they’re held back by residual value. Maserati’s VP of Global Communications, Andrea Pallard, put it plainly: the EV market is tough for everyone, and residual value is one of the biggest barriers.
The Grecale Trofeo could go emotion-for-emotion with the Porsche Macan GTS, BMW X3 M, and Mercedes-AMG GLC, but Nettuno maintenance costs, body panels, electronics, and liquidity will be the real filter for buyers. The GranTurismo is already Porsche 911, Aston Martin, and Bentley Continental GT territory, where Maserati has to prove not speed, but the ability to hold its value better than the competition.
Maserati knows how to build cars people want to drive again. Now the brand needs to convince the market that owning them isn’t scarier than dreaming about them.
