Maserati picks pair of Conti tires as OE for Grecale SUV

HANOVER, Germany — Italian performance car maker Maserati S.p.A. has picked versions of Continental A.G.'s CrossContact and EcoContact6 tires as original-equipment fitments on its Grecale luxury SUV.

Maserati selected the CrossContact LX Sport in a 19-inch rim diameter size and the CrossContact RX in a 21-inch size, as well as the EcoContact6 in a 20-inch size as OE on the Grecale, a four-door, five-passenger hatchback.

The Grecale, which went on sale in the U.S. earlier this year with a suggested minimum retail price of $63,500, is available in three versions — GT, powered by a 4-cylinder hybrid engine capable of delivering 300 hp; Modena, with a 4-cylinder 330-hp hybrid engine; and Trofeo, equipped with a 3-liter 530-hp petrol V6 — with an electric version planned as well.

Conti said the tires Maserati has selected were developed for good handling qualities on- and off-road, with the EcoContact also offering energy-saving and noise-optimized driving for the hybrid version of the SUV.

The CrossContact series offers short braking distances on dry and wet roads and effective drive. A reinforced sidewall protects against damage, making them suitable for driving on light terrain. An "adapted" tread pattern also ensures low rolling resistance and the even sipe arrangement on the tread reduces rolling noise.

The EcoContact 6 features a special rubber compound that reduces energy absorption during driving and lowers friction and rolling resistance, offering lower energy consumption in cars with internal combustion engines and longer ranges in electric vehicles, Continental said.

The tire also offers short braking distances, reliable grip on dry and wet roads, good cornering stability even at high speeds, and an optimized tread design that reduces rolling noise.

The CrossContact series has been approved as OE for the Grecale in the following sizes:

• CrossContact LX Sport, 235/55 R 19 101W FR MGT;
• CrossContact RX, 255/40 R 21 102W MGT;
• CrossContact RX, 295/35 R 21 107W MGT;
• EcoContact 6, 255/45 ZR 20 105W XL MGT;
• EcoContact 6, 295/40 ZR 20 110W XL MGT.

Maserati is part of Fiat Group, which in turn is part of Stellantis N.V.