2022 Maserati Levante Gt on 2040-cars

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1967 Maserati Ghibli puts the grand in grand tourer

Motor Tend technical director Frank Markus owns a 1967 Maserati Ghibli, bought back in the early 2000s when "they could be had for Camry money" - now Hagerty values them anywhere from $63,000 to $107,000. The grand tourer designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro outsold the more powerful and less expensive Ferrari 365 Daytona, and the more powerful and more expensive Lamborghini Miura.
Carlos Lago, host of the magazine's Ignition video series, figures it's because of the Ghibli's long-haul comfort and the tractability of its 4.7-liter V8 with 330-horsepower and 330 pound-feet accessed with a five-speed manual, even though he cites the powertrain and suspension as being behind the times.
There's no arguing about the Ghibli's sound, though. You can get several ears-full of it, as well as Lagos' and Markus' thoughts on the car, in the video above.

2017 Maserati Levante is somewhere under all that cladding

There's an influx of crossovers coming from high-end European marques in the coming years – and we've already seen most of them in one form or another. One of the few exceptions is the forthcoming Maserati Levante, and if you can believe it, this is the best look we've had at it yet. Like the Bentayga for Bentley, the F-Pace for Jaguar, the DBX for Aston Martin, or the Urus for Lamborghini, the Levante will be Maserati's first crossover. It was previewed by the Kubang concepts of 2003 and 2011, but the closest we've gotten to the finished product so far has been some test mules running under modified Ghibli sedan bodywork and a series of purported patent drawings. Mind you, these spy shots don't show us a whole heck of a lot either, as heavily camouflaged and cladded as this prototype is. But under all that padding is what appears to be the bodywork that we'll be seeing on the production version once it makes its debut sometime next year. Look for the Ghibli's twin-turbo V6 engines to propel Maserati head-first into new territory, and likely pave the way for an Alfa Romeo crossover to follow. All we can see for the time being, really, are the exposed wheels. But if those giant brake discs filling their spokes are anything to go by, the Levante ought to represent the Modenese automaker well in what's becoming an ever-pricier, more performance-focused, and more competitive market segment. Porsche and its trendsetting Cayenne ought to take notice. Related Video:

Maserati Levante starts at $72,000, Levante S for $83,000

The 2017 Maserati Levante won't arrive in the US until later this year, but we know it will cost $72,000 to park the posh crossover in your garage, Maserati spokesperson Jiannina Castro told Autoblog. The extra power from the Levante S will ring up for $83,000. The actual amounts to buy one will be somewhat higher because Maserati won't discuss option pricing or the destination charges until dealer orders begin in April. In its US guise, the standard Levante uses a 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged V6 with 345 horsepower, which can get the CUV to 60 miles per hour in 5.8 seconds. The Levante S uses the same engine with 424 hp, which cuts the 60-mph run to 5.0 seconds. Both mills use an eight-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive. A plug-in hybrid with the powertrain from the Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid will reportedly join the US lineup later, too. The newcomer Levante faces stiff competition among more established luxury CUVs in the US. For example, the base Porsche Cayenne with 300 hp starts at $60,650 after destination and the 420-hp Cayenne is $77,250. The Land Rover Range Rover Sport with the 340-hp 3.0-liter supercharged V6 is $65,945. We'll get another look at the Levante at next week's New York Auto Show. The Geneva Motor Show earlier in the month already provided a great opportunity to check it out. Related Video: LEVANTE - THE 'MASERATI OF SUVS' TO MAKE U.S. DEBUT AT 2016 NEW YORK AUTO SHOW Thoroughbred on-road handling meets solid off-road capabilities "Levante" is inspired by a warm wind that can change from gentle to gale force in an instant that can emerge any season or time of the year, day or night, mirroring the powerful and soulful character of Maserati's first SUV. Following the success of its global reveal in Geneva earlier this month, the all new Maserati Levante will make its way to the New York Auto Show on March 23rd for its official U.S. debut. The U.S. market launch is planned for late summer 2016 with a starting price of $72,000 for the 345 hp (Levante) and $83,000 for the 424 hp (Levante S) model (not including destination and delivery), which will be available for order in the U.S. this April. The Levante represents a new chapter in Maserati's iconic history. With over one hundred years of automotive excellence behind it, Maserati is well positioned to introduce its first ever SUV that represents the house of the Trident's core values and truly is the 'opposite of ordinary'.