Italian luxury car-makers Maserati chose the 25th Goodwood Festival of Speed for the World Premiere of the new Levante GTS. The quintessential V8 Maserati of SUVs is the sibling version of the top-of-the line Levante Trofeo.
The Levante GTS Twin Turbo V8 maintains the V900 architecture of the 3.8-litre unit fitted in the flagship Quattroporte GTS but has been re-engineered to work with the Q4 Intelligent All-Wheel Drive System and retuned to deliver 550hp at 6,250 rpm and 730 Nm peak torque between 2,500 and 5,000 rpm. Like all Maserati petrol engines, this V8 is assembled by Ferrari in Maranello.
Thanks to its remarkable weight/power ratio of 3.9 kg/hp the Levante GTS needs only 4.2 seconds to reach 100 km/h, while its top speed is 292 km/h – performance figures of a modern supercar disguised in a high-end SUV body.
The rigid and perfectly balanced Levante chassis has been tuned to effortlessly handle the immense power of the GTS, providing a driving experience true to the GranTurismo pedigree of this new V8 Maserati of SUVs.
The Levante’s unmistakable design reached new levels of sportiness in the Trofeo version and the new GTS has adopted a similar styling theme, which focuses on the lower front fascia and the rear bumper, providing a sporty yet sophisticated presence.
Interior designers have come up with elegant ideas to create a distinctive environment within the Levante GTS cabin providing it with standard Full Premium leather or full-grain Pieno Fiore natural leather as an option, sport pedals and Harman Kardon Audio system with 14 speakers.
Alongside the V8 campaign, the Levante range has inherited new contents, such as the Adaptive Full LED Matrix headlights as an option and standard Integrated Vehicle Control (IVC), which is already available on the Ghibli and Quattroporte sedans. Rather than simply correcting vehicle instability, the IVC function helps prevent it, providing enhanced active safety, improved driving dynamics and an even more exciting performance.
Subtle upgrades and new content for both Maserati sedans and the Levante. All Ghibli, Quattroporte and Levante versions have adopted the redesigned gearshift lever previously introduced in the Levante Trofeo, featuring a more intuitive shift pattern, shorter travel and improved operation.
The driver now has the option to use the eight-speed ZF gearbox in automatic or manual mode simply by shifting the lever from right to left, while a new ‘P’ button effortlessly sets the transmission in parking mode.
The MTC+ infotainment system on all three models has been enhanced with updated display graphics and improved climate control system ergonomics. In their sumptuous interiors, Maserati introduces for the first time the full-grain Pieno Fiore leather, which is incomparable to any other material in the automotive industry for its natural, soft feel and the unique character it attains throughout the years.
Pieno Fiore is standard in the Levante Trofeo and available as an option in all Levante, Ghibli and Quattroporte versions in three colours with specific stitching on the seats and double stitching on the door panels. Maserati also offers two brand new high-gloss interior veneers for the Ghibli and Quattroporte and three for the Levante.
Exterior colour ranges have also been refreshed for MY19: There is a choice of ten colours for the Quattroporte and eleven for each of the Ghibli and Levante models. Two new tri-coat colours are now available, born to enhance the design of each, the iconic Rosso Potente and the deep dark Blu Nobile. The Maserati Design Centre has also created a specific front grille and side skirts exclusively for the Quattroporte GTS GranSport.
In the wide collection of alloy wheels designed specifically for every single Maserati model, there are five brand new designs in the MY19 catalogue in 20 and 21-inch sizes, two for each of the Levante and Quattroporte models and one for the Ghibli. The 22-inch Orione forged aluminium wheel – the largest ever created by Maserati – is exclusively available for the new top-of-the-line Levante GTS and Trofeo.
As for the recently introduced Nerissimo package, it has been updated for MY19. It is now available in a wider range of new model-specific colours, combining black elements with dark LED headlights, tail lights and exhaust tips, black chrome detail finishing and new wheels with dark finish.
www.maserati.com
