Maserati, the Italian luxury car manufacturer, has unveiled the all new Levante SUV at the Geneva Motor Show 2016. The Levante appears as the first SUV in the history of the century-old Italian brand, best known for its sports cars.
The new Maserati Levante SUV will be priced from around £54,000, whenever it will be available for sale during summer. While addressing the unveiling ceremony, Harald J Wester, the Maserati CEO, has represented the SUV as the most significant car in the 102 years history of Marque, according to a report published in Auto Express.
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, parent company of Maserati, has worked hard to revive the brand image in the US market in recent years. Maserati expects to reignite company's flagging sales through tapping into the luxury SUV market. The Levante will join Maserati's existing lineup of Quattroporte and Ghibli sedans along with the GranTurismo and GranCabrio GT models, reports Business Insider.
The Levante will be available with two V6 turbo charged petrol options and one diesel engine for the non-Middle Eastern markets. Its will be positioned above the Porsche Cayenne and Range Rover, despite lack of a V8 option, reports The National quoting the Maserati CEO. The new SUV's overall shape has more than a few Porsche Cayenne-like proportions while possessing trademark Italian flavor. The nose of the car is dominated with the large Maserati grille and slim headlights. However, creases and flowing lines add some sportiness to the jacked-up shape. Maserati introduces its 8.4 inch Touch Control touch-screen infotainment system in its all new Levante. All models of Levante will get an 8-speed automatic gearbox as well as electronically controlled damping with air springs. At the same time, Levante claims for 50-50 weight distribution and the lowest centre of gravity in its class. Maserati has developed Levante with a pair of twin-turbo V6s producing 345bhp and 424bhp respectively. The former V6 manages 0-62 miles-per-hour in six seconds while the latter doing the same in just 5.2 seconds. A 270bhp 3.0-litre V6 diesel completes the lineup, doing 0-62mph in 6.9 seconds and 143mph flat-out. Manufacturing of the pre-production models have already been started while customer versions will be developed from February with delivery shortly after. Wester has also confirmed that despite having access to the wider Fiat-Chrysler group, the new Levante is a 100% Maserati.
Join the Conversation