Maserati Levante is the first ever SUV from the fabled Italian luxury automaker; could be powered by 3.0-litre V6 petrol and diesel engines
Maserati had showcased its Levante SUV in India between October 5 and 7 at DLF Emporio mall in New Delhi. It will go on sale in the final quarter of this year and join the domestic lineup comprising of Ghibli, GranTurismo, Quattroporte and GranCabrio.
Maserati’s first Sports Utility Vehicle Levante could come about as a major game changer for the Italian automaker in the domestic market considering that the luxury segments are rapidly growing with SUVs and crossovers becoming the order of the day. First displayed as the Kubang concept several years ago, the SUV had been the talk of the town when the production version broke covers at the Geneva Motor Show 2016.
Taking a closer look at the Maserati Levante SUV, you could feel the meaner styling as it takes design inspiration from the Kubang concept as well as the Ghibli. Sharing the same platform with Ghibli and Quattroporte, the front fascia comes grafted with signature Maserati grille as the trident face logo is at the centre position. It boasts sleek LED headlamp units, large air intakes connected by a sleek cutout and twin fog lamps placed just below the headlamps.
As a whole, the front facade looks aggressive and stands apart in the crowd. The side profile has a muscular appearance as well with the triple air vents present above the front fender and subtle character lines as well as beefy and bulging rear fenders add to the character. The rear-end appears sleek with the sharp contoured tail lamps, roof spoiler atop the rear window with high mounted stop lamps and dual twin exhaust pipes.
Inside the cabin, the Maserati Levante sports design cues from both the Ghibli and the Quattroporte. There is a large touchscreen infotainment system mounted atop the centre console along with other highlights being leather-wrapped dashboard, analogue clock mounted on the dash, twin-pod instrument cluster with large MID, three-spoke multifunctional steering wheel, premium touches, etc.
Maserati manufactures the Levante at FCA’s Mirafiori plant in Turin, Italy. As for the powertrain, Maserati Levante gets several different engine options in the international markets. For India, it is expected to be made available in either a petrol or a diesel engine option. The 3.0-litre V6 petrol motor comes in two variants: Levante 350 and Levante 450.
The former can do zero to 100 kmph in just 6.3 seconds with a claimed top speed of 243 kmph while the latter is more powerful and can do the 0-100 kmph sprint 1.1 seconds quicker than the Levante 350 with higher top speed of 264 kmph. The 3.0-litre V6 diesel, on the other hand, develops 271 bhp at 4,000 rpm and 600 Nm of peak torque delivered at 2,000-2,600 rpm.
The engine comes equipped with an integrated start/stop system and is connected to an eight-speed automatic transmission and a Q4 all-wheel drive system. It is claimed to have acceleration time of 6.9 seconds from zero to 100 kmph and can reach a top speed of 230 kmph.
Maserati Levante Images
