Teaser images have been released of Maserati’s medium sports utility.

THE name? Maserati’s long-time tradition has been to name its models after winds – Grecale is said to be the “fierce north-east wind of the Mediterranean Sea.”

In year from now it’ll be in the showroom, affixed to the rump of Maserati’s first medium sports utility, which has just been photographed on the road for the first time.

Blurred images of the car outside the brand’s factory in Modena, Italy, came via a hammy marketing stunt – they were distributed to employees who were then tasked with seeding the images out on social media.

The smaller sibling to the Levante SUV is expected to be based on the same underpinnings as the Alfa Romeo Stevlio, but powered by the same twin-turbocharged 3.0-litre V6 engine as the new MC20 supercar, overseas’ reports say.

Performance figures for the SUV are yet to be confirmed, but Maserati’s Nettuno engine is capable of producing 463kW and 730Nm of torque. However, it will be detuned for use in the Grecale.

It’s believed Maserati will also offer the Grecale with a pure-electric powertrain. Power and torque figures for the electric model are yet to be confirmed, but Maserati has suggested that the architecture will feature the 800-volt battery technology and support up to 300kW rapid-charging.

Maserati's electric powertrain, branded Folgore, Italian for “lightning,” will consist of a three-motor system with one motor up front and two at the rear.

It’s likely to be shared in due course with the Levante and the Ghibli sedan, which already represents with a mild-hybrid option.

The images support contention that Grecale prototypes are currently undergoing road, track and off-road testing. An official reveal is scheduled for later this year but distribution is set to be a 2022 task.

Maserati is aiming for Grecale to have the greatest top speed of any SUV in its class, while also being the fastest accelerating, best handling and most spacious. Ambitiously, Maserati also plans to go up against the Germans in terms of technology, claiming the Grecale will offer the best in class sound system.

Maserati is busy refettling its entire family. A redesigned GranCabrio is supposed to arrive this year with an electric version in 2022. Also en route is a convertible version of the MC20.

Redesigned versions of the Quattroporte and Levante are also planned, with every job complete by 2023.