Shortly after Maserati 
unveiled the Kubang concept at the 2011 Frankfurt Auto Show, rumors began circulating that a production version would be offered. It didn’t take too long for Maserati to confirm its first ever SUV, the Levante. The crossover takes its name from the Via Emilia Levante in Bologna, where the Maserati brothers, about a century ago, dreamed up the company that today still bears their names.
Reportedly set to debut at the 2016 Detroit Auto Show next January, the Levante will allow Maserati access to the flourishing crossover/SUV market, and consequently to a wider audience, improving sales figures and profits. As it has been announced in 2013, the Levante is supposed to help boost Maserati sales to 50,000 cars a year globally. This SUV should give the Italians the funds they need to keep building cool sports cars and luxurious sedans.
Details as to what this crossover may bring to the table are still sketchy, but based on other Maserati products, it should be about both performance and luxury. That being said, let’s have a closer look at what we already know in the speculative review below.
Updated 09/21/2015: Maserati CEO Harald Wester confirmed that the company’s first SUV – the Levante – will be making its official debut at the 2016 Geneva Motor Show. What’s even more interesting is that the SUV will be offered with a hybrid drivetrain – which will also be offered in cars like Quattroporte or Ghibli starting 2018. (CarAndDriver)
Image Note: The above image is a TopSpeed rendering and not an official image of the Levante
Continue reading to learn more about the future Maserati Levante.
Spy Shots
January 16, 2014 – Maserati Levante testing on snow
November 12, 2014 – Maserati Levante Mule testing in Germany
Exterior
Even though Maserati has yet to release any official photo (or teaser) of the Levante and the prototypes seen testing on public roads are only modified Ghibli sedans on stilts, there are plenty of hints as to what the SUV would look like.
As suggested by the design patents, our rendering artist used Maserati’s trademark Trident grille, massive air inlets, and a pair of slim headlamps to shape the Levante’s front fascia.
The renderings above were created using three key elements: the 2011 Kubang concept, the design patents that hit the Interwebz earlier in 2015, and the Ghibli, from which it borrows its platform.
The result is a sleek and muscular crossover that will most likely make the BMW X6 seem downright ugly.
As suggested by the design patents, our rendering artist used Maserati’s trademark Trident grille, massive air inlets, and a pair of slim headlamps to shape the Levante’s front fascia.
The tri-bar gills seen on just about any other Maserati model are present on the SUV’s front fenders as well. The beefy rear fenders that extend toward the raked tailgate are also borrowed from the current Maserati lineup.
Around back, the crossover should feature a clean design highlighted by a pair of large taillights and large exhaust outlets arranged in a quad-pipe layout. A subtle spoiler placed atop the tailgate suggests the Levante will be quite the performer too.
Interior
Note: Maserati Ghibli interior shown.
Although the Levante’s interior will likely make use of a new design, it should retain some of the cues seen in the Ghibli and the Quattroporte. Look for a two-tone dashboard with a large infotainment screen in the center, and a clean center stack and console. Expect everything that’s not high-quality plastic to be leather and Alcantara with contrast stitching. Aluminum inserts should be offered as standard and carbon-fiber as an option.
A sporty steering wheel and instrument cluster will bring some of Maserati’s racing heritage into the SUV. Head and shoulder room shouldn’t be an issue in the front seats, but, judging by the sloping roof, the rear compartment could be a bit cramped. Rear legroom will likely be similar to the Ghibli’s, but the Levante should benefit from more luggage space.
Drivetrain
Note: Maserati Ghibli V-6 engine shown.
Recent reports indicate the Levante will get four engine options. In the U.S., the Levante’s base unit should come from the Ghibli S in the form of a twin-turbo, 3.0-liter V-6 rated at 404 horsepower and 406 pound-feet of torque. Expect this model to hit 60 mph in around 5.5 seconds. The range-topping model would get the 3.8-liter V-8 from the Quattroporte GTS. Also a twin-turbo, this powerplant cranks out 523 horsepower and 479 pound-feet of twist. In this case, the Levante should be able to charge from 0 to 60 mph in less than five seconds, but not as quick as the Porsche Cayenne Turbo S or the BMW X6 M.
The third option, a 3.0-liter V-6 diesel shared with both the Ghibli and the Quattroporte, will remain exclusive to Europe at first. The oil burner generates 266 horses and 420 pound-feet in the Ghibli, figures which are likely to remain unchanged in the Levante. Lastly, the SUV should become Maserati’s first-ever hybrid, but details as to what gasoline-electric combo the Italians would use are still a mystery.
Prices
It’s way too early to talk about prices, but I have a hunch that the Levante will be significantly more expensive than its main competitors. With the Ghibli priced from $69,800 in the U.S., I don’t see how the base Levante could cost less than $80,000.
Competition
Porsche Cayenne
The Levante might be the first SUV hailing from the Trident-badged company, but it will enter a market that is stuffed to the gills with performance family haulers. The Porsche Cayenne is one of them. Currently in its second generation, the German SUV has already received its mid-cycle facelift, consisting of a more aggressive exterior, an updated interior, and an array of upgraded and new powerplants.
The Cayenne is available with both gasoline and diesel engines in the U.S., as well as a hybrid drivetrain. The gasoline range begins with a 300-horsepower, 3.6-liter V-6 and continues with the 420-horsepower S model and the Turbo, which features a 4.8-liter V-8 rated at 520 horses. The range-topping Turbo S, set to arrive for the 2016 model year, will crank out 570 horsepower. At 240 horsepower provided by a 3.0-liter V-6 turbodiesel, the Cayenne Diesel is the slowest of the pack. Lastly, the S E-Hybrid comes with 416 horses on tap thanks to its supercharged V-6 unit and electric motor.
U.S. pricing starts from $53,300 for the base model and goes up to $157,300 for the top-of-the-league Cayenne Turbo S variant.
Read more about Porsche’s largest SUV in our detailed review here. More info on the Turbo S here.
BMW X6
Maserati once said the Levante will be a blend between the BMW X6 and Porsche Cayenne, so it will likely have both models in its crosshair. The X6 has just entered its second generation as a lighter and generally improved version of its predecessor. Both sleeker and more aggressive on the outside, the X6 also received an updated interior and upgraded powerplants.
A 3.0-liter inline-six with 300 horsepower and 300 pound-feet motivates the base version, while the 4.4-liter V-8 pumps out 445 horses and 480 pound-feet in the xDrive50i model. Unfortunately, BMW has yet to launch a diesel-powered crossover in the U.S. Those interested in performance rather than fuel economy can purchase the X6 M, which hides a monstrous, 567-horsepower, 553-pound-feet V-8 under the hood. Zero to 60 mph comes in just four seconds, making it faster than every 2015 M model except the M3 and M4 with the auto transmission. Beat that Maserati!
Pricing for the X6 starts from $59,600 and climbs to at least $102,100 with the M badge.
Read more about the standard X6 here and the astoundingly fast X6 M here.
Conclusion
When Maserati revived the Ghibli as a four-door sedan in 2013, I felt that the Italians had simply chosen to throw their heritage away. Turning what was a gorgeous grand tourer that used to compete with the Lamborghini Miura and the Ferrari “Daytona” into a rival for the BMW 5 Series made no sense to me.
I feel the same toward the Levante, but much like the Ghibli, this SUV makes a lot of financial sense. I might not like it, but it’s probably Maserati’s best chance to survive and still be able to build sports cars such as the GranTurismo.
Updated History
Updated 06/02/2015: Based on the recent details and speculations we created a rendering for the upcoming Maserati Levante. Check it below.