Beauty, Power, and Sense
The Levante looks right at home among Maserati’s confidently masculine lineup. The nose is aggressively broadened at the sides, with stern hood grooves from the front. The narrow headlights thin into strips before making contact with the grille. With a model this awesome-looking, the broad grille and iconic trident logo feel right at home. But it’s not all about looks. The gently curving roof leaves a ton of room for a generous panoramic sunroof.
Capable and Advanced
The long-awaited Levante is a perfect fusion of Maserati Italian craftsmanship with the broad capabilities of a SUV. The exotic automaker confidently calls it the Maserati of SUVs, stating it will dominate against challenging terrain and weather better than the competition. It’s no rugged and simple rock climber, however. A start/stop system is standard, to help improve fuel economy, and a self-locking rear differential gives it a highway performance to rival slim Maserati sedans. The Levante uses four driving modes: normal, I.C.E., sport, and off-road.
Opulent Interior
The crafted interior of the Levante will start with rich materials, with options fit for royalty. Premium leather and carbon fiber trim are standard, and for the most particular of drivers, there’s Ermenegildo Zegna silk. A Bowers & Wilkins Surround Sound system will play music and audio with top-tier depth and detail, and the infotainment system uses an 8.4-inch touchscreen with rotary knob controls. What’s more, Maserati emphasized the many choices available, so you can customize your prime SUV.
Superior All-Wheel Drive
The 2017 Levante is not an old-style, truck-based SUV but more of a tall wagon. In fact, it borrows its platform from Maserati’s Ghibli and Quattroporte models, which means you can expect the same electronically controlled air suspension system, perfectly suited to controlling a larger model like the Levante. The system should also have the Q4 intelligent all-wheel drive system. All Levante models will use a specifically calibrated form of the automaker’s eight-speed automatic transmission.
A Wolf in the Night
There’s no other way to characterize the Levante’s engine other than a stealthy and swift predator, capable and wild without being a loud hog. Yes, it’s the 3.0-liter twin turbo V6, with two powertrain outputs. In the base model, it puts out an impressive 345 horsepower, and in the more advanced S trim level, it gets a frightful 424. With a curb weight of 4,650 pounds, the 0-60 speed is as little as five seconds flat, unbelievable in an SUV. Gasoline and diesel powertrains will also be available, outside the United States.
More information continues to arrive as this fascinating SUV comes closer to release. The base 2017 Maserati Levante will start at $72,000, and since it’s been in production for 13 years, it should be more than worth it. For more information on Maserati models, contact us by phone or online, or visit us on our show floor.
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