Three-car garage: Maserati GranTurismo, Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio and Fiat 500e for less than a new Grecale
The legendary Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio costs nearly £87,000, but we’ve created a desirable all-Italian three-car garage for less through Auto Express
Italy has graced the world with cars overflowing with style, passion and excitement. While the Maserati Grecale Folgore will tick those boxes for some – those who have the thick end of £100,000 to spend – we think that the combined efforts of the Italians can do better.
So, we scoured the Auto Express used car classifieds to put together an exciting all-Italian trio, available for a few quid less than the cost of a brand new electric Grecale.
Maserati GranTurismo V8 - £39,495
We appreciate that beauty is in the eyes of the beholder, but we’re not convinced that the Grecale will go down as one of Maserati’s design classics, especially when it has to compete against the likes of the stunning Maserati GranTurismo.
Designed by Pininfarina, the GranTurismo can still make people weak at the knees – well over a decade after its launch. If the looks don’t grab someone’s attention, then this car’s deep, guttural exhaust note most certainly will.
The source is a 4.7-litre naturally-aspirated V8 derived from the same engine used in Ferrari’s F430 and 458 supercars. In the magnificent GranTurismo, those eight cylinders deliver 460bhp and a noise like an angry bear on the way to its 7,500rpm red line. The optional MC Shift gearbox delivers sharper shifts when you’re driving hard, and there’s a Sport mode which stiffens the suspension, relaxes the traction control and – believe it or not – makes the exhaust even louder!
If you’re not a fan of this Maserati GranTurismo, there are plenty of Porsche 911s available from Auto Express Buy A Car instead...
Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio - £42,995
It might not quite have the star quality as the Maserati badge, but the Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio rides upon the same Giorgio platform – except instead of electrons, it gets a raucous twin-turbo V6. All 510bhp is sent to Alfa’s Q4 all-wheel-drive system via an eight-speed gearbox to deliver 0-62mph in only 3.8 seconds – quicker than that electric Grecale.
Combined with sharp steering and a balanced chassis, this family SUV is an engaging performance car. There’s loads of room inside for passengers and all their stuff thanks to the 525-litre boot, too. Alcantara and leather upholstery and a Harman Kardon Hi-Fi are standard.
If this Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio doesn't suit you and you’d prefer the sleeker Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio saloon, don’t worry because there are several available through our Buy A Car service...
Fiat 500e - £15,595
To give your ears a rest from Maserati’s roaring V8, and make up for the petrol you’ll burn driving the Alfa, the third member of our trio is the all-electric Fiat 500e. It’s a fabulous city car, great for zipping around town, and it’s built in the marque’s hometown of Turin. But what makes this car such a great used purchase is it depreciates ridiculously quickly – which explains why three-year-old examples are available from less than £9,000 on the Auto Express Buy A Car service.
The model we found is just one year old and covered only 7,500 miles for a shade over 15 grand. Tech onboard includes a seven-inch instrument display, a 10.25-inch central touchscreen, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, and adaptive cruise control. The boot is tiny, but if you need to lug stuff around that’s what the Stelvio is for.
If this particular Fiat 500e has already found a new home by the time you get here, you can find loads of other examples available through Auto Express Buy A Car...
Tell us which cars you’d park in your dream garage in the comments section below…
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