2017 Maserati Levante SUV Breaks Cover Before Geneva Debut
Before it makes its debut at the upcoming Geneva
auto show, here are the first official photos of the 2017 Maserati
Levante SUV. As the Italian luxury brand's first-ever foray into this
rapidly growing segment, the Levante represents a push to grow
Maserati's sales worldwide and compete with luxury SUVs like the Porsche
Cayenne and Jaguar F-Pace.
We saw hints of the Levante's swoopy design in recent spy shots,
and the final product looks a lot like a lifted version of the Maserati
Ghibli and Quattroporte luxury sedans. Its overall shape is nicely
proportioned, with a sharply tapered rear hatch, a relatively long hood,
and classic Maserati touches like the trident badge and the three
fender air vents to connect with the brand's heritage. Maserati hasn't
yet provided photos of the Levante's interior, though we know that it
will have two rows of seats and is sure to feature the requisite wood
and leather trim to merit its price point.
Expect that price
to easily eclipse the six-figure mark, as the Quattroporte sedan
already starts at $101,700. All versions of the 2017 Maserati Levante
will come standard with all-wheel drive and an eight-speed automatic
transmission, along with an air suspension and adjustable dampers. We
don't yet know details about the Levante's powertrain options, but it
will be offered with both gasoline and diesel engines in Europe; the
U.S. is most likely to get a 3.0-liter twin-turbo gas V-6 producing either 350 hp or 425 hp, depending on tune.
Maserati is
hoping that the addition of this new model will help increase its global
sales footprint. In the U.S., Maserati has already achieved a huge
amount of growth thanks to the Ghibli and Quattroporte; after selling
just 4,768 cars in the States in 2013, the brand jumped to 12,943 units
sold in 2014 and 11,697 units sold in 2015. Look for those numbers to
continue to go up as the 2017 Maserati Levante goes on sale later in
2016.
