Maserati Levante Jumps on the Luxury SUV Bandwagon
Maserati is following the trend and jumping into the SUV market with the all-new Levante.
Revealed at the 2016 Geneva Motor Show, the Levante boasts some fairly aggressive style at the front end, nicely tapered headlights and of course the Italian brand’s three iconic air vents on the front quarter panels. The SUV is based on the same platform that underpins the Ghibli.
Powering the new SUV will be a 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6 offered in two flavors; either with 350 horsepower or 430 hp in the S model. A 275-hp V6 turbo diesel is also available, though U.S. availability for the oil burning engine is still unknown.
All of the engines come with an eight-speed automatic transmission, standard all-wheel drive and a stop/start system. Jumping from a standstill to 62 mph in the S model will take 5.2 seconds while the standard Levante will do it in 6.0 seconds.
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Maserati focused on making this SUV a performer on and off-road and says that it will have “unrivaled handling even on very low-grip surfaces and an excellent off-road performance and ride.” Despite the claim, the amount of Levante owners heading off-road will probably be slim to none. Electronically controlled dampers are also installed along with four corner air springs while a 50/50 weight distribution will help this car stay balanced through the corners.
Inside, a number of premium materials are available including Ermenegildo Zegna silk, made in Trivero by the Zegna wool mill. An 8.4-inch touchscreen is fitted in the center stack and runs Maserati’s latest touch control system.
Safety technology is also packed into the new luxury SUV, including adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning, automatic brake assist system, lane departure warning, blind spot alert and a surround view camera.
Maserati will offer both a luxury package and a sport package, both of which add style and content to maximize luxury or sport.
It will be built at the Mirafiori plant in Turin and the first cars have already come off the assembly line. Initial launch is planned for this spring in Europe before heading to other markets worldwide later this year.
The list price in Switzerland, where the Levante has been launched, is 75.900 CHF.
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Stephen covers all of the day-to-day events of the industry as the News Editor at AutoGuide, along with being the AG truck expert. His truck knowledge comes from working long days on the woodlot with pickups and driving straight trucks professionally. When not at his desk, Steve can be found playing his bass or riding his snowmobile or Sea-Doo. Find Stephen on <A title="@Selmer07 on Twitter" href="http://www.twitter.com/selmer07">Twitter</A> and <A title="Stephen on Google+" href="http://plus.google.com/117833131531784822251?rel=author">Google+</A>
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Looks very good. Job well done Maserati!
Almost looks like a crossover coupe which I'm glad it is not, actually.