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2019 Maserati Levante Trofeo / GTS First Drive Review | Yes, you want the Ferrari V8

CARMEL-BY-THE-SEA, Calif. — The wine glasses are rapidly draining. It's getting late, and Maserati design chief Klaus Busse appears to be fighting a cold. Yet he can't resist sketching something on a menu to illustrate his point. The A6GCS quickly takes shape. One of the most celebrated Maseratis ever, Busse uses this beacon to reconcile the Italian marque's transition to crossovers. It's how he explains and rationalizes the Levante, a stylish SUV aimed directly at the Porsche Cayenne, BMW X6 and Mercedes GLE Coupe. The A6GCS, a rare, Pininfarina-built sports car, lives on in today's Maseratis, he argues. This includes the Levante, a handsome crossover aimed at suburban cruisers bored with the notion of German luxury. Can a brand with rich sporting heritage reconcile with evolving market trends? It must, even if the connection to a mythical 1950s racer is a bit tenuous. But a pair of Ferrari-powered V8 twins, the Levante GTS and Levante Trofeo, make that progression easier. Prodigious outputs of 550 and 590 horsepower help. They are the top-shelf Levantes. You buy them when the powerful twin-turbo V6 Levante and Levante S simply won't do. You're talking six-figure prices, decadent interiors and more than a bit of bling. Well-heeled professionals drive the Levante, which starts at $75,980 and packs 345 hp, or pony up $11,000 for the Levante S and its 424 horses. The V8 starts at $119,980 for the GTS, and the Trofeo comes in at a lofty $169,980. These buyers haven't just made it, they're likely set for life. "We're not in the boy racer clientele," Busse says. "There's a certain level of accomplishment that you feel in driving a Maserati." That's probably true. But should the Trofeo be associated with generational wealth? I'm pondering this as I pull a hard right, kick up some dirt and pull onto the Pacific Coast Highway. The ocean laps to my left as the eight cylinders unlimber and I find myself reaching 60 miles per hour with little effort. The quoted time is 3.7 seconds, which feels dead on. I cue up Corsa, the sportiest of the Levante's drive modes, one that's only available on the Trofeo. The road is winding. I fall into a rhythm as I make my way up the coast toward Big Sur. The car's selling point is the engine, but the Skyhook suspension with electronically controlled damping keeps this 4,784-pound SUV reasonably tied down and poised. The cabin is quiet, as expected for the segment, allowing for easy conversation.

Driving the GMC Hummer EV and Mercedes-Benz EQS, EQE, EQS SUV | Autoblog Podcast #750

In this episode of the Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by Senior Editor, Green, John Beltz Snyder. This week, they talk about driving Mercedes' fleet of EQ electric vehicles, including the EQE Sedan, the AMG EQS Sedan and the EQS SUV. They also talk about piloting the Acura NSX Type S. Next, they discuss the reveal of the 2024 Maserati GranTurismo, including the all-electric Folgore trim, as well as the Ferrari SP51 roadster. Finally, they talk about some of the best (including some unusual) car features for kids. Send us your questions for the Mailbag and Spend My Money at: Podcast@Autoblog.com. Autoblog Podcast #750 Get The Podcast Apple Podcasts – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes Spotify – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast on Spotify RSS – Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator MP3 – Download the MP3 directly Rundown Cars we're driving 2022 Hummer EV Edition 1 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQE Sedan 2022 Mercedes-AMG EQS 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV 2022 Acura NSX Type S 2024 Maserati GranTurismo revealed, twin-turbo V6 or 750-hp EV Ferrari SP51 is a V12 roadster with gorgeous paint based on the 812 GTS Spider Best car features for kids and family life Feedback Email – Podcast@Autoblog.com Review the show on Apple Podcasts Autoblog is now live on your smart speakers and voice assistants with the audio Autoblog Daily Digest. Say “Hey Google, play the news from Autoblog” or "Alexa, open Autoblog" to get your favorite car website in audio form every day. A narrator will take you through the biggest stories or break down one of our comprehensive test drives. Related video:

2025 Maserati GranCabrio Folgore is the third flash of Modena lightning

The debut of the 2025 Maserati GranCabrio Folgore completes Maserati's initial trio of battery-electric offerings, the Atlantis High powertrain in this car complementing the Nettuno V6-powered GranCabrio Trofeo that Maserati debuted in February. The first of its kind, the GranCabrio Folgore establishes the six-figure, four-seat, battery-electric luxury grand tourer convertible segment until something like an electric Porsche 911, Mercedes-AMG SL, or reborn Jaguar XKR comes along. At speeds of up to 31 miles per hour, the roof available in five colors folds in 14 seconds and raises in 16. With the top up, trunk space shrinks from the coupe's 9.5 cubic feet to 6.1 cubic feet. Stow the top, there are 4.6 cubic feet available for soft-sided bags. Neck warmers built into the seats come standard, a wind blocker lives on the options menu.   Built around the same 92.5-kWh (83 kWh usable) T-shaped battery and three-motor drivetrain as on the GranTurismo Folgore, maximum output differs from actual output: Each motor can produce 402 horsepower and 332 pound-feet of torque, but the full 1,206 hp needs to wait on stouter battery options. With today's chemistry, Maserati engineers decided to restrain combined output to 751 hp and 996 lb-ft., with even that figure only unlocked in Corsa mode with launch control. The catapult shot to 60 miles per hour is estimated at about 2.7 seconds; top speed is 180 miles per hour.      Shoppers will get a choice of six wheels in staggered 20-inch front and 21-inch rear sizes. Two of those wheel designs are aero-focused and wrapped in EV-specific rubber. Maserati gave a WLTP estimated range of up to 278 miles on a charge, an EPA-rated estimate of 250 miles, which would be on the aero options. Plugging into a DC fast charger capable of 270 kW is said to replenish the battery from 20% to 80% in 18 minutes, and add 62 miles in five minutes.  The interior's a mix of reborn Maserati and the special touches applied to the hardtop electric sibling, meaning the quartet of digital displays (gauge cluster, infotainment, HVAC, and clock), 18-way front seats in recycled Econyl or leather, 16-speaker Sonus Faber audio, and carbon fiber trim inlaid with copper filaments. The automaker's also giving owners a wallbox with purchase, and has hooked up a single-pay system to use a range of chargers from different infrastructure companies. Order books open in August, and Maserati anticipates deliveries beginning in Q4 this year.