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2017 Maserati Levante First Drive

You can argue all you want about whether or not certain companies should build crossovers. That's what the comments section is for. We'd argue that Maserati should have done it a long time ago, having shown its first crossover concept back in 2011 and only delivering on it now. Porsche blazed that trail with the Cayenne and others have followed suit since, racking up big sales. It's a little odd, then, that after waiting so long to get in the game, the Levante came together in just 22 months. Blame nationalism. The original plan was for the Levante to be based on and built in Detroit alongside the Jeep Grand Cherokee. That changed when Sergio Marchionne decided, in his dictatorial way, that all Maseratis and Alfa Romeos would be designed, engineered, and manufactured in Italy. So the team hit reset, borrowed the Ghibli platform, and went about creating a not-quite-a-crossover, taller-than-a-wagon hatchback with air suspension. Just shy of two years later, we're driving the Levante. In Italy, naturally. The dimensions and stance are what set the Levante apart from the abundance of luxury performance crossovers and emphasize its Italianness. It's longer, wider, and lower than a Porsche Cayenne or the Grand Cherokee it was nearly spawned from. The hood looks impossibly long in person because it is really long. The front end takes inspiration from the Alfieri concept, and there's a refreshing lack of mesh or filler between the grille's thin vertical slats. It can stand to be so open because there is a set of active grille shutters just behind to manage airflow. What would be usable cargo space on a blockier crossover is sacrificed by a rakish hatch, which looks pretty and we're told routes air in a particularly aerodynamic-friendly fashion. Instead of building the boxy version first, Maserati took the gamble and went straight to the fashionable coupe-ish shape. That foresight paid off, as it seems the coupe-like SUV trend is here to stay. For all the scrambling that must have gone on to produce this new model so quickly, it doesn't present like a rush job. Sure, most of the engineering was already done for the Ghibli and Quattroporte, but the Levante actually feels like a more complete effort than those cars. The attention to detail is most felt in the cabin, where the latest corporate infotainment system has been neatly integrated into familiar surroundings.

Maserati adding two more high-performance Trofeo models to the lineup

Two years ago, Maserati introduced its first high-performance Trofeo trim level to the 2019 Levante crossover. With its 590-horsepower twin-turbo V8, it became the most powerful Maserati in the lineup. It seems it will have company soon, as Maserati teased on Twitter the addition of Ghibli and Quattroporte Trofeo sedans. Besides announcing the new models, the company released a single teaser image and a reveal date. We can infer some things based on the existing Levante Trofeo, though. The Quattroporte Trofeo will undoubtedly get the same 590-horsepower V8, since it already has a low-output 523-horsepower version of the engine. The Ghibli could possibly get the V8, too, since it shares its basic underpinnings with the other two cars. Having a 590-horsepower compact sports sedan would be quite the feather in Maserati's cap, since it would outgun everything else in the segment. That being said, even lower-output versions of the V8 in the Ghibli would be exciting. These Trofeo models will also let the world know they're the fastest versions of their respective nameplates. The Levante Trofeo features the most aggressive bodywork of any Levante, and that will surely translate to the sedans. Hopefully Maserati will also see fit to provide the Trofeo sedans with upgraded suspension and brakes to handle the extra power. We should have most of the details soon. The reveal date for these high-speed Maseratis is August 10. Related Video:

Pony cars, trucks and Italian SUVs | Autoblog Podcast #552

On this week's Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by Senior Editor Alex Kierstein and Associate Editor Reese Counts. We discuss the updated 2019 Chevy Camaro Turbo 1LE variant, the new 2019 GMC Sierra Denali, and the Ferrari-powered Maserati Levante GTS. We also debate whether Volkswagen should build the Atlas-based Tanoak pickup truck and what a delay means for the next-gen Ford Mustang. Finally, we answer a reader question about the state of Lexus.Autoblog Podcast #552 Get The Podcast iTunes – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes RSS – Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator MP3 – Download the MP3 directly Rundown 2019 Chevy Camaro Turbo 1LE 2019 GMC Sierra 2019 Maserati Levante GTS Should Volkswagen build the Tanoak? Next-gen Ford Mustang delayed The past, present and future of Lexus Feedback Email – Podcast@Autoblog.com Review the show on iTunes Related Video: Podcasts Chevrolet Ford GM GMC Lexus Maserati RAM Truck Coupe SUV Luxury Performance