This is Maserati’s first SUV ever, its entrance to a club populated by Porsche, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and soon even Lamborghini: the performance SUV circle.
And what an entrance it is. Two available engines, both six-cylinder wonders built by Ferrari in Maranello—a town in Northern Italy—which will ensure you get that trademark Maserati exhaust note perfect for wafting over the hillsides of Tuscany.
Not enough for you? Consider that the Levante is being built off a custom version of the Ghibli’s platform, a way for Maserati to say that this is no light-truck grocery-mobile. Rather, it’s an Italian sports car made for bigger and better things that can be carried by a sedan.
So what does Levante mean in Italian? “A warm, Mediterranean wind” is the translation we were given, which is about as perfect a place to imagine as any. Particularly when you’re in the office on a Friday afternoon and are thinking of where to head that evening, the Levante brings implicit inspiration.
The interior uses specialty elements such as wood, carbon fiber, aluminum and suede to signal to your friends and family that this is no run-of-the-mill Kia (nothing against Kia). This is a special car, one you’ll remember for the rest of your life. It’s the first time ever that you’ve been able to buy an Italian SUV, which makes you a small part of history.
Finally, the transmission comes from ZF, a company with a name so brief that you can tell they’re not worried about proving themselves to anyone. ZF supplies transmissions for the finest sports cars in the world, making them the perfect regulator of the Levante’s Ferrari engine. Will it be fun to drive? You better believe it.
Maserati of Raleigh will be holding a launch party for the Levante on May 16, so definitely keep an eye on their Facebook page, emails, and/or website to see the new Maserati Levante in person.
