Maserati Grecale

Upmarket Italian brand’s second SUV model is intended to take on the Porsche Macan On sale Now Price from 61,570

- Dan Jones

DID YOU KNOW that Maserati has a history of naming its cars after air currents? There's been the Bora, Kamsin, Mistrale and many more, and this latest model in the brand's stable is named Grecale, after a strong Mediterranean wind that occurs to the south of Malta.

However, while it follows tradition in regard to identity, the Grecale is unlike any previous Maserati. Yes, the firm already offers an SUV, but the Grecale is smaller and cheaper than its Levante stablemate, rivalling the Porsche Macan in a bid to attract a new pool of buyers.

To that end, there's a choice of two engines and three power outputs, while an electric version is due later this year. So far, we've tried the entry-level GT, which gets a 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine with mild hybrid assistance. It produces 296bhp and can officially sprint from 0-62mph in 5.6sec - quicker than any petrol-powered Audi Q5.