Arrival in Lecce: History Meets Innovation
Lecce, at the tip of the Salentine Peninsula, is a city steeped in Baroque grandeur but with a progressive spirit. Awarded in 2023 for its sustainable transport efforts, Lecce’s narrow streets and golden limestone buildings make it the perfect canvas for Maserati’s electrified future. After a scenic journey an overnight flight to Rome, a short hop to Bari, and a drive across ancient farmland the Mediterranean unfolds in sunlit beauty, merging medieval architecture and olive groves with modern, eco-conscious ambition.
La Fiermontina: A Home Among Olive Trees and Art
Our base, La Fiermontina Luxury Home, offers an immersion in Puglia’s rustic charm and elegance. Suites are set in an old olive grove, their stone arches and quiet courtyards evoking centuries of Southern Italian life. Here, Maserati revealed the Grecale Folgore, finished in the bold, matte copper Rame Folgore paint. As Maserati’s Alessandro Silva explained, the color channels electricity’s energy and the automaker’s determination to bring high emotion to electric driving.
Exploring Lecce’s Cultural Legacy
The Folgore’s debut was followed by a walking tour through Lecce’s cobblestone streets. The Basilica di Santa Croce’s dramatic carvings, the storied bell tower of Lecce Cathedral, and the city’s sunlit piazzas all frame daily life in living history. Dinner at the Palazzo Bozzi Corso, an 18th-century palace with a contemporary art collection, blended centuries-old setting with modern creativity mirroring the mission of Maserati’s new electric SUV.
Driving the Grecale Folgore: Power, Silence, and Precision
Our convoy of Grecale Folgores set off from La Fiermontina after a breakfast of local fish, fruit, and espresso. The all-electric powertrain’s 550 horsepower delivered through dual motors means instant acceleration and effortless speed. Four drive modes adapt the experience to every road:
- Max Range: Prioritizes efficiency for longer journeys.
- GT: Delivers comfort for everyday driving on highways and city streets.
- Sport: Sharpens handling and unleashes thrilling acceleration, with firmer suspension for winding roads.
- Off-Road: Raises the SUV’s height for confident handling on rough or unpaved terrain.
GT mode glides through southern Italy in near silence, while Sport mode transforms the Folgore into a true Maserati nimble, responsive, and exhilarating on Lecce’s coastal curves. Paddle shifters let you adjust regenerative braking on the fly, balancing energy recovery with driving style. The interior matches luxury with sustainability, featuring Econyl seats made from recycled fishing nets, carbon-copper trim, and digital displays that keep all vital stats visible and intuitive.
A Taste of Puglia: Coffee, Pastries, and the Adriatic Breeze
After a morning of driving, we paused at Menamè Tricase Porto, a seaside café where warm pasticciotto and espresso delivered classic Puglian comfort. With the Grecale Folgore’s range exceeding 300 miles, recharging was just for us not the car. As the sun set and the salty wind swept over the port, the blend of Italian landscape and Maserati engineering felt seamless.
Dining at Gimmi: Where Culinary and Architectural Traditions Unite
Evening brought us to Gimmi, a restaurant set in a 15th-century Dominican monastery, where chef Donato Episcopo’s menu bridges Lecce’s culinary heritage and global flavors. Dessert was a contemporary riff on babà al rum, uniting tradition and innovation much like the city and the vehicle we came to experience.
The Grecale Folgore and Lecce: United in Spirit
Both Lecce and Maserati’s Grecale Folgore exemplify a balance of reverence for history and a drive toward the future. The city’s limestone facades and ancient streets, the Folgore’s zero-emissions power and refined design all come together in a journey that’s as much about joy as it is about progress.
Maserati’s first electric SUV makes a powerful case: in Italy, the future is best embraced without losing sight of the past.
