It was a morning unlike any other in Auckland’s inner city, the rain had subsided for a few days, granting an opportunity to stretch the legs of the all-new Maserati Grecale with a jaunt to the West Coast and back.
My day started at the Winger showroom in Newmarket, which houses an impeccable collection of Maserati.
As I sipped on my morning coffee, I took a moment to enjoy the ambience of my surrounds. Morning sunlight flooded through the gigantean showroom windows highlighting the collections’ sculptural form and amplifying its Italian sportscar heritage.
Set against the vista of Auckland City’s Hauraki palette was the new Maserati Grecale, an SUV adaptation of the flagship MC20 sportscar. With a slightly more vertical aspect than its sporty peers, the Grecale retains all the architectural hallmarks of the distinctively Italian luxury brand.
Devoted to both performance and practicality, The Grecale design references timeless sports car elements, with a coupé effect in the cabin, a sleek rear window, bold wings and curved lines which draw the eye towards the car’s grille – a visual crescendo, accentuating the SUV’s sporty character and proudly presenting the Maserati Trident, like a jewelled crown.
It wasn’t until I was on the road however, that I was able to experience the full gamut of the Grecale’s capabilities.
Weaving my way towards Muriwai, with its stretches, turns and mesmerising scenery, I could imagine myself winding my way along the Amalfi Coast, with a north easterly (Grecale) smoothing my ride.
The interior finishes of the car made for a seamless drive, milled aluminium speaker grills and wood panelling contributed to the natural materials and colours that feature throughout, enhancing my experience.
With the surround sound of a Sonus faber multi-dimensional system blasting Daft Punk, I set the car to GT mode and glided my way through West Auckland’s lush green and ash landscape like a seasoned pro.
I was travelling with a fleet of Maserati Grecale, for lunch we gathered in the grounds of Good From Scratch on Taiapa Road, Muriwai. We were welcomed by chefs Michael and Belinda Van de Elzen. As Michael walked us through their farm-to-fork lifestyle, a theme for the day began to emerge, a Golden Ratio of beauty, harmony, and balance.
Winding back to Auckland through the Friday afternoon traffic, served to illustrate the Grecale’s impeccable performance as an everyday car. Italian luxury and technical specifications aside, this SUV, with its space and comfort, adds a lens of pleasure to the daily grind without compromise.
