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Maserati Levante is Italy's answer to the Porsche Cayenne

When Maserati released the first images of the new Levante – and said little else about it – we wondered what it would be under the hood. Crossover or not, it is still a Maserati, after all. The full details are now here. Globally speaking, Maserati will offer the Levante with three engine options. All of them are turbocharged 3.0-liter V6s, but they vary widely in output and even burn different types of fuel. The base model packs 350 horsepower and 368 pound-feet of torque for a 0-62 time of 6.0 seconds flat – the same as the base Ghibli, but four tenths slower with a bigger form to move. The Levante S offers a rather impressive 430 hp and 427 lb-ft (more than the Ghibli S) for a 5.2-second sprint. And while the diesel model has the least power, it also offers the most torque, at 275 hp and 442 lb-ft (slightly more than the oil-burning sedan) for a 6.9-second time. Whichever engine is chosen, it comes mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission, all-wheel drive, and a limited-slip differential. Those output figures compare rather favorably to the Porsche Cayenne with which the Levante will invariably be compared. But Porsche and Maserati aren't the only high-end, old-world automakers that have now broken into the crossover game. So have Bentley and Jaguar, and soon so will Aston Martin, Lamborghini, Lotus, and Rolls-Royce. It's all part of an onslaught of crossovers coming from some of Europe's most vaunted marques. And while Maserati hasn't gotten there first, it hasn't gotten there last, either. With two sedans already out and a new sports car on the way, the Levante puts the Modenese automaker in prime position to grow, and grow big. View 21 Photos View 4 Photos Related Video: MASERATI LEVANTE DEBUTS AT THE GENEVA MOTOR SHOW Maserati's first SUV receives its eagerly-anticipated world unveiling at the Geneva International Motor Show Modena, 01 March 2016 – Maserati has chosen the 86th Geneva International Motor Show to introduce the first SUV in its hundred-year history: the Levante. As with many Maseratis from the past, the new car's name is inspired by a wind: the Levante is a warm Mediterranean wind that can change from a light breeze to an irresistible natural force in an instant, mirroring the character of the first Maserati SUV. The Levante is the ideal complement to the Maserati range. Combined with the Quattroporte, Ghibli, GranTurismo and GranCabrio, the range now covers the entirety of the global luxury automotive market.

2019 Maserati Ghibli GranLusso S Quick Spin Review | A mixed designer bag

It's been a minute since we've driven the Maserati Ghibli (our first drive was way back in 2013), the twin-turbocharged, V6-powered smaller sedan from the legendary Italian outfit. In the last couple years, rumors have swirled that the Ghibli would donate its platform to the Dodge Charger and its Challenger and 300 siblings. So, in a sense, our time in Southern California in the 2019 Maserati Ghibli GranLusso S was both a preview of FCA's shared rear-drive sedan future as well as a check-in about how the Ghibli is maturing in general. Not that the Ghibli hasn't evolved in the six years since it went on sale. For 2018, Maserati moved to an electrically-assisted steering rack, mostly to enable driver assistance systems with steering intervention. The V6's output has been bumped in the S, to 424 horsepower. The headlights and grille have been updated, too, to compliment the newer and more aggressive Levante. In Los Angeles, at least, the Ghibli doesn't stand out – the town is lousy with Ghiblis, Levantes, and Quattroportes. Good for Maserati, I suppose, but bad for exclusivity. Nor does the car pop in photos like it does in person. My tester was a metallic, creamy white, which is flat and dull in photos or from far away. That's a shame, because this car has phenomenal contouring. From behind the wheel, the driver's side fender porpoises above the shapely hood. Walking along the side, the curvature of the rear fender where it meets the deep tumblehome of the C-pillar is delightful. Everybody stares at an exotic, but the owner of a Ghibli should feel special contemplating their sheetmetal. This sense of specialness dissolves inside. There are Maserati tridents everywhere, presumably to help you remember that you're looking at the expensive Italian sports sedan you just purchased rather than a riot of low-rent, Chrysler-derived bits. The steering wheel buttons feel cheap and wobbly, the too-shiny center console finish seems synthetic, the prominent lighting and engine start/stop controls to the left of the steering wheel are ensconsed in a dull plastic surround. Some of the aesthetic choices – subjective, yes – are confounding. Take the textile inserts on the seats and door cards. I love the fact that interior designers are playing with textiles, which can be used to great effect. And the pitch here is compelling: an apparently famous Italian designer (Ermenegildo Zegna) used a fancy fabric (mulberry silk) with special weaves and textures.

Maserati confirms the Grecale SUV will get a high-performance version

Maserati will parachute its second SUV, the Grecale, into territory controlled by the Porsche Macan. It hasn't unveiled the model yet, but it has already confirmed a fire-breathing high-performance variant is in the pipeline. "We will have a Trofeo version of [the Grecale], we will have a Modena version of that. We will have a GT version," revealed William Peffer, the CEO of Maserati's North American division, in an interview with The Drive. While he stopped short of revealing specifications, Maserati saves the Trofeo name for its quickest and most powerful models. As of writing, all of its cars with the exception of the MC20 are available in Trofeo tune. They're powered by a twin-turbocharged, 3.8-liter V8 engine — even the smaller Ghibli — and they gain a number of chassis tweaks as well as several model-specific styling cues. We expect the Grecale will get a similar treatment. One ingredient of the traditional Trofeo recipe that the Grecale might not be cooked with is the V8. It's an older engine, and we're not sure that an eight-cylinder fits in the engine bay. Rumors claim the model will ride on an evolution of the Giorgio platform that Alfa Romeo's Stelvio and Giulia are built on, so the top engine might be a V6. Maserati is nearly done fine-tuning the Grecale. It will unveil the model in November 2021, and sales will start in time for the 2022 model year. Additional details about the firm's next SUV will emerge in the coming months. Related Video This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.