Maserati dives into the super SUV market, hot on the heels of Bentley and Lamborghini, with the much-anticipated Levante.
Combining cutting-edge design and piles of power in a model targeting a whole new market segment, Maserati is the latest luxury auto marque to blur the lines between sports car and sports utility with the release of the Levante, an SUV with a capital S. Promising to continue the brand’s sporting character, the Levante, which was officially unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show last year, represents Maserati’s most significant new model in years.
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The design of the Levante features clear associations with the Maserati brand and its distinctive Italian character and takes its cues from the Ghibli, which provided the SUV’s platform: the aggressive front introduces new, tapered headlights separated into two elements, with the upper headlight unit connected to the radiator grille.
Maserati’s design signature is clearly visible on the sides: the three iconic air vents on the front wings, the trapezoidal C-pillar with the “Saetta” logo and the large, frameless door windows. The rear is dominated by the very tapered back window and a streamlined shape, both typical of a high-performance sports car.

At a technical level, the Levante’s chassis is designed to combine outstanding on-road performance with unrivalled handling, even on very low-grip surfaces, and excellent off-road performance and ride. Four engine options include the Ghibli S’s twin-turbo, a 3.0-liter V-6 rated at 404 horsepower that’s expected to get this stylish SUV to 100km/hr in 5.5 seconds; and the range-topping 3.8-liter V8 from the Quattroporte GTS that cranks out 523 horsepower. A European-certified diesel version and Maserati’s first-ever hybrid model will also be available.
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It’s expected the Levante, even with the V8, will still be slower than the Porsche Cayenne Turbo S or the BMW X5M but you don’t buy an SUV for street racing.
The new SUV also boasts a high level of content as standard, with all versions featuring sophisticated electronic suspension with controlled damping and air springs; “Q4” intelligent all-wheel drive; and an 8-speed automatic transmission specially calibrated for the new model.
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