Maserati has announced that the world premiere of its new Grecale SUV, originally scheduled for November 16 this year, will be postponed to spring 2022. According to the Italian carmaker, this is due to some problems that have caused disruptions in the chains of sourcing for the key components needed to produce the SUV.
To be precise, the company said the semiconductor shortage that is affecting the automotive sector is the main cause of the delay, and that for this reason it would not be able to satisfy the demand in the best way. The official note, in fact, reads: “In particular, due to the shortage of semiconductors, the quantity of production would not allow us to respond adequately to the expected global demand”.
The Grecale is described as an SUV with “revolutionary” features in terms of connectivity and man-machine interface, which, however, depend on these components.
Maserati Grecale, appointment in 2022 for the top-of-the-range SUV
Confirmed for the first time in September 2020, the Grecale will take its place in the Maserati list just below the largest SUV currently in the range, namely the Levante. On the market, the next SUV “made in Italy” will compete directly with the “German” Porsche Macan. Still mystery about the engine that will power the Grecale, even if it now seems almost certainly a 2.0 mild hybrid power unit.
A Maserati Grecale “discovered” on the motorway
Made on the Giorgio platform also used byAlfa Romeo Stelvio, the rumors also speak of a fully electric version that will arrive in 2023, although, given the inconveniences that may not be resolved by the hypothetical launch date, this model could also be postponed. Whether the lack of semiconductors will affect other predicted models, including the all-new one, remains to be seen GranTurismo, which is the brand’s first fully electric vehicle. At the moment, Maserati has not given any indications regarding this model.