Photo: maserati
The Maserati Levante SUV has been on the waiting list of a lot of rich people for a long time. The first concept portraying it was launched back in 2003 and in 2011 afterward, when the Italians teased us again with a new one.
Seeing as they sure take their time bringing out this highly awaited luxury SUV, the guys from Car and Driver only had to go out and ask the current CEO of the brand when and if we’re ever going to see the Levante entering production. His answer? Wait for Geneva, next year.
Harald Wester had no problem in confirming that the car will be unveiled in production guise next March, but he also provided a few more details about it.
The most important question, one that is on everybody’s minds right now, is whether it’s going to share its underpinnings with any other model. Rumor had it that the Levante will be just a rebadged Jeep Grand Cherokee, but Wester was adamant in denying any such implications. The Levante will be a real Maserati, he said.
That’s good news and they don’t stop there. The SUV will be built on the same modular architecture as the Quattroporte and Ghibli and will use the same powerplants to a certain degree.
For example, the same Ferrari-built twin-turbo V6 and V8 engines will be doing all the work under the bonnet while a V6 turbo-diesel will join the range later on. All cars will be four-wheel drive and, unlike the Quattroporte or the Ghibli, the Levante will bring new tech to the table.
To be more specific, the V6 will be available with either 350 or 425 HP while the V8 will make more than 560 HP. On the diesel front, the outputs will go from 250 to 275 and eventually to 340 HP.
The current Maserati range has been criticized for not offering hybrid choices and this will change once the SUV comes out as insiders claim it will be available with such an option.
Lamborghini is also working on the new Urus and we will soon see Rolls-Royce entering this segment as well so times are not looking great for the Italians. The thing is, all of these cars have different aims and personalities and buyers are less likely to cross-shop between them.
Even so, the numbers are encouraging and the market is dictating what new models are coming out from all manufacturers, not just Maserati. As Wester admitted, the market for sport cars has slowed down to around 50,000 a year while the luxury SUV segment is ten times as big so you could expect more and more car makers to join in on this trend.
Harald Wester had no problem in confirming that the car will be unveiled in production guise next March, but he also provided a few more details about it.
The most important question, one that is on everybody’s minds right now, is whether it’s going to share its underpinnings with any other model. Rumor had it that the Levante will be just a rebadged Jeep Grand Cherokee, but Wester was adamant in denying any such implications. The Levante will be a real Maserati, he said.
That’s good news and they don’t stop there. The SUV will be built on the same modular architecture as the Quattroporte and Ghibli and will use the same powerplants to a certain degree.
For example, the same Ferrari-built twin-turbo V6 and V8 engines will be doing all the work under the bonnet while a V6 turbo-diesel will join the range later on. All cars will be four-wheel drive and, unlike the Quattroporte or the Ghibli, the Levante will bring new tech to the table.
To be more specific, the V6 will be available with either 350 or 425 HP while the V8 will make more than 560 HP. On the diesel front, the outputs will go from 250 to 275 and eventually to 340 HP.
The current Maserati range has been criticized for not offering hybrid choices and this will change once the SUV comes out as insiders claim it will be available with such an option.
Tough competition ahead
With the Bentley Bentayga being launched this year at the Frankfurt Motor Show, the Maserati Levante will have its work cut out trying to bite a size of the luxury SUV market. That’s not all, though.Lamborghini is also working on the new Urus and we will soon see Rolls-Royce entering this segment as well so times are not looking great for the Italians. The thing is, all of these cars have different aims and personalities and buyers are less likely to cross-shop between them.
Even so, the numbers are encouraging and the market is dictating what new models are coming out from all manufacturers, not just Maserati. As Wester admitted, the market for sport cars has slowed down to around 50,000 a year while the luxury SUV segment is ten times as big so you could expect more and more car makers to join in on this trend.
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