Maserati News

McLaren W1 First Drive: Ferocious Hypercar Transcends the Track

You know things are getting serious when McLaren rolls-out the ‘1’ suffix. The origin story is, of course, the very first road car McLaren ever built, the F1. Designed by visionary Formula 1 aerodynamicist and engineer Gordon Murray, it arrived in 1992 and rendered all other supercars obsolete. The tiny, lightweight F1 embraced carbon-fibre material technology, adopted a radical centre seat driving position with two passengers set back and either side and was powered by a 6.1-litre V12 engine from BMW that might as well have been passed down directly from the Gods. Game-changer? That doesn’t even come close to describing its impact, even if at the time sales didn’t come easy… The P1 was very different. Rather than a unique side project from the Formula 1 team, it was instead a statement piece for McLaren Automotive, a new road car division still in its infancy. It arrived in 2013 and was a wild-eyed showstopper. It traded the long-legged gait and supple suspension of the F1 for a weaponized hybrid system capable of delivering 903bhp and huge blue flames from its drainpipe exhaust. In Race mode, it lowered by 2-inches and its massive concave rear wing extended into the sky. The P1 was all about aerodynamic downforce, crazed acceleration and a snorting, angry soundtrack that mixed venomous twin-turbocharged V8 with the manic whirr of electric motors. Not so much a car as a force of nature. And now there’s this: The W1. It’s a true successor to the P1 with a similar brief and, on the face of it, it evolves rather than radically reinvents McLaren’s vision for the ultimate hypercar. This is not a criticism. How could it be when the result is this dramatic and has such staggering, other-worldly potential? The W1 has 1258bhp delivered to the rear wheels. It’s capable of 0-124 mph in 5.8-seconds, the quarter mile in 9.6-seconds at 167 mph and produces 2205lbs of downforce at 174 mph. The active aerodynamics – particularly a rear wing that extends way out beyond the rear of the car – are pure performance art and deliver massive aerodynamic efficiency. The result, aside from looking extremely cool, is that the W1 is McLaren’s fastest road car around a racetrack. Ever. Their benchmark circuit is the breath-taking Handling Track at the Nardo proving ground in southern Italy, where the W1 beats their previous benchmark, the flyweight McLaren Senna, by three seconds per lap. Or “a lifetime” as they call it in racing. Maybe two lifetimes! Core to the W1’s performance is the new ‘Aerocell’ carbon fibre tub. With integrated seats and a raised footwell to allow for inboard pushrod-operated front suspension – which in turn gives air a clean path to the huge underbody diffuser – it’s light, stiff, space efficient and has been instrumental in McLaren realising a full ground-effect concept. Just like last year’s F1 cars, which were the fastest ever made. There is also an active front wing and the aforementioned complex rear wing dubbed ‘Active Long Tail’. All of which is very admirable. But the ‘anhedral’ or gullwing doors and the fantastically shirnked-wrapped feel to the minimalist, highly-focussed interior are a pretty good side effect. The W1 feels special. Those fixed seats are perhaps a shade more upright than expected, and the driving position is less obviously racecar than, for example, the Aston Martin Valhalla or Ferrari F80. However, once you’ve adjusted the pedals (they move on a slider) and the delicate, slim-rimmed and alcantara-trimmed steering wheel, there’s an overwhelming sense of purpose. The cabin is so tightly tailored and imparts a sense of lightness and agility before you so much as start the all-new 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8 engine, which makes 916bhp all on its own and revs to 9200rpm. Reach up to a roof-mounted control panel to find the starter button. Maybe this fighter plane trope is a little corny, but somehow you feel thrilled rather than manipulated. The W1 has a sense of humour as well as all that motorsport-derived sophistication. There’s a short delay, but when the engine does fire it’s instant – as the high-powered hybrid system negates the need for an old-school starter motor. A sharp flare of revs tells you that this engine is hyper-responsive and angry. On some deep level your brain and body have been sent all the signals required to prepare for something new and intense. Ahead of us, an empty Mugello racetrack, so press and hold the blue button next to the red starter to select Race mode. The centre display graphic shows the W1’s transformation in real time as it lowers by 37mm at the front and 17mm at the rear whilst simultaneously undocking all that active aero goodness. Race mode is not road legal and is geo-locked. You can show your friends and neighbours the aero dance, but it won’t allow you to select a gear to actually drive unless you’re at a circuit. Incidentally, the rocker switches either side of the display binnacle allow further options now: Toggle up the Handling control on the left for Race+ (for F1-spec super smooth tracks) or stick to Race for gnarlier ones. On the right toggle select ‘GP’ for sustained performance over a stint or ‘Sprint’ to unleash all 1258bhp for a time attack. There’s also a DRS and Boost function on the steering wheel. But I guarantee you won’t have the mental capacity to use them… Exit the pitlane, pin the throttle and W1 takes maybe a millisecond or two to gather its might (the gearing stretches to around 60mph in first, nearly 100mph in second, primarily to aid traction), but then lunges at the first turn with incredible ferocity. It instantly feels light, almost like inertia is no longer a thing. McLaren really does prize lightweight engineering, and at 3084lbs (dry) the W1 has a 278lbs advantage over the Ferrari F80. Plus, Ferrari uses figures for cars fitted with every single carbon fibre option. In reality, the gap is probably wider still. The impression of agility and stunning control continues as the track is unravelled at startling pace. The electric motor mounted to the side of the new 8-speed dual-clutch transmission is good for 342bhp and 324lb ft and it boosts any low rev lethargy the new flat-plane crank V8 might have (spoiler alert: It doesn’t appear to have any), so the W1 just feels massively, almost impossibly powerful at any revs. Even so, there’s real reward for wringing it out to 9200rpm and the power curve feels superheated but organic, too. In Race mode the steering – still hydraulically powered – has less assistance and it is noticeably heavier than other McLarens. However, that resistance is welcome as it gives you something to push against and imparts so much information about the front grip level. New Pirelli Trofeo RS tyres with a bigger front footprint than P1 or Senna really help. The front-end feels incredibly secure and the rear-axle follows with perfectly-aligned precision. The whole car feels super-stiff, completely locked into the surface and inspires confidence, but there’s an inherent agility and adjustability that means you’re quickly confident to push at its limits and really impose yourself on the chassis. It’s such a complex car but the driving experience is intuitive, and the driver feels a key contributor rather than just amazed (or terrified) observer, holding on for dear life. Every dynamic ingredient really is shockingly effective and yet has a subtlety and lightness of touch. From that delicious steering to the incredible brakes, the W1 just feels so mission-focussed, so hooked-up. Only the new 8-speed gearbox is a slightly disappointment. It’s fast and punchy, but after the scintillating energy of the Ferrari F80 ’box it feels competent rather than inspired. Other quibbles – it’s okay to quibble when the starting price is $2.1-million before tax and destination charge. Well, that new twin-turbocharged V8 sounds tightly wound and aggressive but if you have a P1 tucked in the garage you’ll miss the snorting, Darth Vader-style soundscape and all the drama that goes with it. Ferrari does this better, too. The F80 sounds deathly dull from the outside but is a riot of turbochargers, electric motors and all sorts of mechanical fury within the cockpit. Even so, the W1 is wildly entertaining on track, and the rear-drive configuration makes it more of a challenge and more satisfying than the F80 when chasing lap times or just sliding around for fun. In the Ferrari, you must second-guess what the front e-axle might do, whereas in the W1 it’s all on you. There are plenty of tools to help, including the ingenious Variable Drift Control, but somehow the W1 is more heroic. Or at least fools you into feeling more heroic – which is surely the point! On the road? Nimble, loaded with feel and sublime response. The ride is noticeably tougher than, say, a 750S but the control is ramped-up too, and with a bit more speed the whole car finds a delicious rhythm. Sport mode for the drivetrain brings some nice turbo whooshes and chirps, but the noise remains high-quality rather than extreme excitement. It is perhaps the one area the W1 feels just a little too tame. Of course, there’s nothing tame about the raw performance… which is genuinely shocking and literally hurts your neck muscles after a few hours. How McLaren has given the W1 such immense traction through just two driven wheels is beyond me. So, is it worthy of that ‘1’? I think so. Perhaps we won’t be talking about $25-million auction results for the W1 in 30 years from now, as we are for the F1. Perhaps it doesn’t quite have the amazing presence and jaw-dropping star quality of the simply gorgeous P1. But it is such an intense experience and the way it marries stunning track performance with delicate poise and entertainment on normal roads is something akin to magic. Maybe not ‘the one’ but definitely a searing, outrageous addition to McLaren’s fiercest family line. Just 399 W1’s will be built and they’re all sold. I’m not surprised at all. View All McLarens For Sale Images: McLaren Automotive

By Tyler Rampersaud – November 16, 2022

The New Maserati Grecale's Global Premiere Wins At The 20...

This award shows that Maserati knows how to make an entrance. The new Maserati Grecale is the Italian luxury brand’s newest SUV, which is smaller than the Levante and unveiled by Maserati with the concept of “Everyday Exceptional.” With the option to have immense power coming from Maserati’s new Nettuno V6 engine in the Trofeo version of the small luxury SUV, the new car is practical, nimble, stylish, and powerful as any great Maserati should be. At the Art Directors Club Italia Awards, Maserati’s “Everyday Exceptional” premiere film for the Grecale earned gold in the Brand Entertainment category, as well as the Best Use of YouTube Award. MUST READ: Barbie Maserati Grecale Is An Ultra-Limited Edition Built For A Good Cause These awards stand for excellence in video production and creativity, and for Maserati, it proves just how much of a success the Grecale has been thus far, and the fact that audiences have been receptive to its features and performance. With the incredible success of the global premiere film for the new Maserati Grecale SUV, the outlook for the brand’s new SUV is quite optimistic. View All Maserati Grecales For Sale Source: Maserati

By Tyler Rampersaud – August 04, 2022

Maserati Introduces The New 2023 Grecale SUV To North Ame...

The Maserati Grecale’s stateside introduction is exclusive and unique. With the help of Maserati’s recently introduced Fuoriserie customization program, Maserati is introducing the Grecale SUV to North America with a limited edition that’s even more special because its owners will enjoy a Grecale with lots of options and beautifully unique finishes. Dubbed the Grecale PrimaSerie, these first editions of the Grecale arriving this fall will mark the introduction of the model to the North American market, and only 325 will be made. MUST READ: Maserati Introduces The Extra 10 Program To Further Extend Powertrain Warranty Two versions of the Grecale PrimaSerie are available. The first is the Grecale Trofeo boasting its 523-horsepower Nettuno V6, with a unique Giallo Corse quad-coat paint that is unique to Fuoriserie. Along with it come 21-inch wheels, red brake calipers, a black interior with yellow stitching and 3D carbon trim, and PrimaSerie custom trident headrest stitching to commemorate the limited edition. Also available is the Grecale Modena with its 325-horsepower 4-cylinder engine. It’s available in Bianco Astro metallic paint with a red interior, gray stitching, and piano black trim, Blu Nobile tri-coat paint with a black interior, blue stitching, and piano black trim, and Grigio Cangiante tri-coat paint with a Ghiaccio interior, gray stitching, and piano black trim. The interiors feature the same PrimaSerie headrest stitch and all the models feature 21-inch Pegaso wheels. Both the Modena and Trofeo models come with options including heated steering wheels and windshield washer nozzles, ventilated front seats and heated rear seats, and a Sonus faber audio system with 21 speakers. Coming this fall, the 325 PrimaSerie Grecales will be sold with a 4-year, 50,000-mile maintenance plan, and they’re ready to shake up the North American luxury performance SUV market. View All Maseratis For Sale

By Tyler Rampersaud – July 27, 2022

Maserati Shows David Beckhams Journey To Goodwood In the ...

Maserati’s powerful new Grecale Trofeo served as David Beckham’s entrance to Goodwood. David Beckham’s entrance to the Goodwood Festival of Speed this year was part of the UK’s introduction to the new 2023 Maserati Grecale SUV, and especially the Trofeo variant of the Grecale, which comes with 530 roaring horsepower from a V6 engine derived from the MC20’s Nettuno unit. Beckham took the Grecale Trofeo all the way to Goodwood, and a brand new video from Maserati documents his journey there. MUST READ: The New Maserati Project24 Is An Upcoming Track-Only Supercar Beckham's drive to House Goodwood took him through crowded city streets and open British motorways, where he could experience both the Grecale’s luxury and practicality and its impressive performance. The tagline “Everyday Exceptional” perfectly describes the personality of the 2023 Maserati Grecale Trofeo, because of its ability to carry luggage and passengers with luxury and ease, and simultaneously thrill and excite its driver with an incredible new engine that delivers levels of power that undoubtedly put the Grecale Trofeo in the category of luxury performance SUVs. View All Maseratis For Sale Source: YouTube/Maserati

By Tyler Rampersaud – June 15, 2022

The New Maserati Grecale SUV Will Make Its UK Debut At Th...

Maserati has chosen to give its second SUV a grand entrance to the UK. The Goodwood Festival of Speed is undoubtedly one of the world’s most iconic automotive events, and because of that status, plenty of brands are coming to the event ready to put on quite the show. This year, Maserati has chosen to debut its second SUV, the Grecale, at Goodwood, and specifically with its sportiest iteration, the Grecale Trofeo, to take on the legendary Goodwood hill climb. The Grecale Trofeo shares the Nettuno engine that Goodwood attendees first saw last year when the MC20 debuted at the event. Similarly, the Batch 6 hill climb is where the UK will see the Grecale Trofeo in action for the first time. MUST READ: The Best Maserati MC20s You Can Buy Today Along with the Grecale, the MC20 will be making an appearance at Goodwood, both in its coupe form and as the new MC20 Cielo spyder. Both cars will be at the Supercar Paddock throughout the Goodwood weekend, and the debuts of the Grecale and the MC20 Cielo at the event mark the start of an exciting future for Maserati, as the Grecale has already been announced to be the first Maserati model that will be receiving the fully-electric Folgore treatment, with the Grecale Folgore, Maserati’s first all-electric SUV and first all-electric model debuting in 2023, and Maserati has suggested all-electric versions of the MC20 and MC20 Cielo, as well. View All Maseratis For Sale Source: Maserati

By Tyler Rampersaud – March 23, 2022

Maserati Furoriserie Abducts The New Grecale SUV To Mars

The brand new Grecale SUV decided to become a Mars-erati. Maserati released the all-new Grecale SUV just yesterday, the brand’s smaller SUV that packs plenty of punch for its profile. Having also recently announced the Fuoriserie customization program that takes Maseratis and transforms them into wildly customized pieces with artistic imagination, it felt natural to combine the two. MUST READ: First Look: All-New 2023 Maserati Grecale Revealed With Smaller Form Factor And $63,500 Base Price However, “natural” isn’t where Maserati stopped. Instead, it made the Grecale extraterrestrial. In this video, Maserati shows the Grecale being abducted by aliens to get the Fuoriserie treatment. Once the car lands on Mars, we can see that it’s been done in a Galactic Orange color with a dazzling wet-look finish, and positively Martian orange window tint to match. Other features on the exterior include the Vortex wheels and glitched Maserati Trident. The interior features a projection of constellations on the panoramic glass roof, and a color scheme that evokes the cockpit of a true spacecraft. This Martian take on the Maserati Grecale is an interesting look at Maserati going from Neptune to Mars. Source: Maserati

By Gabriel Vega – March 22, 2022

First Look: All-New 2023 Maserati Grecale Revealed With S...

The Maserati Levante has proven a smash hit for the Italian carmaker, currently accounting for around 60 percent of its total sales. Following that success, the brand has decided to think smaller and reveal its latest midsize SUV, the Grecale. Slated for a late 2023 arrival, this sleek family hauler will arrive in three distinct flavors, GT, Modena, and Trofeo, with a $63,500 base price. We'll even get a fully electric variant sometime next year. Maserati was kind enough to invite us to check out the Grecale in person ahead of its global debut in Los Angeles. After listening to the brand's presentation, the introduction of the new Maserati Grecale is a no-brainer. Slotted below the Levante, the more accessible Grecale should become the brand's volume seller, borrowing the same architecture that underpins the Alfa Romeo Stelvio as its base. Borrowing some of the styling elements that make the MC20's epic look, the Grecale is a small-ish sleek SUV with an aggressive edge. In terms of sizing, the Grecale slots neatly in between the Porsche Macan and Cayenne, which will likely be two of its closest competitors. However, the Grecale draws a line in the sand from day one, focusing properly on performance. Also Read: Maserati’s New “Folgore” Electric Lineup Starts With 2023 GranTurismo The entry-level trim, the GT, features a turbocharged four-cylinder engine coupled with a mild hybrid system with a total output of 296 hp. Step up to the Modena, and you gain upgraded styling elements and a power boost up to 325 hp. The range-topper upon release will be the Trofeo with its MC20-derived twin-turbo V6 engine pushing out 523 hp. While it counts on a de-tuned version of the supercars power plant, it delivers enough grunt to make it the quickest option in its segment. As standard, the Trofeo benefits from an adjustable air suspension system that will live as an optional extra for the slightly cheaper Modena. Thanks to its adjustability across various driving modes, the Grecale even offers an off-road mode that sees the SUV rising by over 1.18 inches for maximum ground clearance. The Italian carmaker boasted about how much interior space the Grecale offers during its presentation, thanks to its 114-inch wheelbase. Once we climbed inside the rear, it quickly became apparent that they weren't kidding. There's plenty of headroom even with the nicely sloping roof, and getting in and out of the Grecale is an absolute breeze. Sit in the front seat, and it's a similar story with the cabin offering a very airy feeling. In the center of the dash, you'll find a 12.3-inch screen housing the brand's latest infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity. Lower your gaze, and you'll find a second smaller 8.8-inch screen displaying additional information. There's also a digital instrument cluster in front of the driver. Unfortunately, the prototype we spent time with didn't have these components fired up for us to look at. While the Grecale is arriving on the scene with a sporty aesthetic with stats to back it up, its future is also quite exciting. While we don't have exact dates or pricing, a fully electric version of the Grecale will arrive sometime next year. Given that this SUV should become the brand's top seller, an electrified version could see its success carry well into the future. See All Maseratis For Sale

By Tyler Rampersaud – February 15, 2022

Maserati's Family Fleet Grecale Takes To The Streets, And...

“Ciao. I’m the Maserati Grecale. I can’t tell you much more.” That’s the simple greeting displayed on the side of the latest Maserati Grecale SUV. Ahead of its premiere, the SUV has already been out and about on the street and playing a part in the daily lives of the Maserati Family as part of the Maserati Family fleet. The Grecale’s makers, designers, and engineers have all had the opportunity to test, use, and enjoy the car as it gets ready to be unveiled to the whole world. MUST READ: Maserati Fuoriserie Customization Program Launches Limitless Style Possibilities For now, the car is still in camouflage, but as more Greacles are seen, the camouflage becomes more and more revealing. This new Fleet Grecale is the most revealing one yet, with most of the shape of the car discernable. Maserati says that everything about the car will be revealed on March 22, but for now, the camouflage livery on the car teases some of the specifications Maserati plans to boast about once the Grecale is fully revealed. These include acceleration time, luggage space, legroom, and sound system. While it’s no surprise that Maserati would make a car with impressive attributes, this does make the full reveal just that much more anticipated.

By Tyler Rampersaud – January 26, 2022

Maserati Grecale Prototypes Play in the Snow in Lapland, ...

The Grecale’s first snow day isn’t all fun and games. As Maserati continues to test out the prototypes for its new SUV, the Grecale, the time of year has rolled around where some extreme weather can put the car to the test. And that’s exactly what Maserati decided to do. MUST READ: Discover The Limited-Edition ‘Maserati Meets Fragment’ Ghibli Sport Sedans Out in the far northern Lapland region of Sweden, the Maserati Grecale was tested for its ability to start up, drive, and do everything that it needs to do in temperatures as cold as -30 degrees Celsius, which works out to be -22 degrees Fahrenheit. Image Source: Maserati The Grecale performed excellently in every test, managing track laps, corners, straight sections, inclines, declines, and more challenging driving situations on snowy and icy surfaces, where those challenges are exacerbated. While the Grecale’s premiere was pushed back from this past November to this spring, the time for it to be unveiled draws nearer and nearer, and we cannot wait to see the Levante’s little sibling in action and on the road.

By Edward Jones – November 16, 2021

80 Maserati Grecale SUV Prototypes Gather to Create Trident

The largest trident we've ever seen. The Maserati Grecale was originally meant to be unveiled today, November 16, but the Italian automaker has pushed back the premier to Spring 2022. While we do have to wait for the official unveiling, Maserati has at least given us a tease of the new luxury SUV in a spectacular manner. A total of 80 Maserati Grecale prototypes were brought together to create a 328-foot-long trident. Maserati also took the prototypes to the streets of Milan for some photos that can also be found in this article. While 80 prototypes may seem a lot for Maserati to create, there are actually over 250 development models spread across the world. Just imagine how big the trident would be if they used them all. If you'd like to add a luxury ride to your garage, be sure to check out all Maseratis for sale on duPontREGISTRY.com. Source: Maserati

By Edward Jones – February 18, 2021

First Images of Maserati Grecale SUV Prototype Revealed

Images of the new Maserati Grecale SUV have just been released by the automaker which shows a prototype zooming around the plant in Modena. Currently, Maserati has prototype examples of the Grecale going through tests that take place on roads, circuits and, of course, off-road. The Grecale will be built at Maserati's plant in Cassino, Italy where they are planning an 800 million Euro investment. Expect to see its full reveal before 2021 ends. In the meantime, be sure to check out a 2021 Maserati Quattroporte being unleased on the Autobahn. Source: Maserati

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