With a mix of elegance and sportiness, the Levante – the first crossover with a Trident on the grille – is ready to herald a renaissance for Maserati. It promises to give the big boys of the premium SUV segment a run for their money.
For this rendering of the Levante, the strategic pawn to virtually re-launch the Maserati brand, we chose a background that’s the perfect symbol of the Renaissance (and its art) – The Ideal City, on display at the Galleria Nazionale delle Marche, in the city of Urbino in Italy.
While the artist of this famous painting depicting an ‘ideal city’ of the Renaissance remains a mystery, the hand behind the lines of the Maserati Levante – expected to be launched in 2016 – is very well known. The Levante took shape within a design centre led by Marco Tencone, under the supervision (until recently) of Lorenzo Ramaciotti.
Some might argue that an anonymous master painter from nearly six centuries ago has little to do with the modern virtuoso who’s skilled in the arts of CAD, or some of the other leading technologies of today. But, at a closer look, there are some similarities. The successful combination of restrained elegance and sportiness of this exuberant Italian crossover seems driven by the same desire for harmonic convergence. Moreover, the Italian Renaissance has become flouted as a synonym for the resurrection of Alfa Romeo and Maserati. For Maserati, the Levante is its trump card to take on the world.
This Italian crossover will enter a turf war between the likes of Porsche, BMW and Mercedes-AMG. But it’ll break cover with all the trappings you’d expect from a Maserati – elegant and classic. It’ll also be very sporty. The Levante will only have V6 engines with different power outputs, up to and in excess of 400 horsepower. And maybe even a range-topping 500bhp variant to take on the best from Mercedes-AMG and BMW M.
While the motoring world waits with bated breath for the Detroit Auto Show in January 2016, where the Levante will be unveiled, here’s a definitive look as per our renderings – revealing a body only partially faithful to the 2011 concept vehicle, called the Kubang, which Maserati showcased at the Frankfurt Auto Show. Originally based on the Jeep Grand Cherokee platform, the Levante will now be all Maserati – encompassing more-and-more elements from the Ghibli. Consequently, the body has become more streamlined – more like a Porsche Macan than an SUV in the traditional sense. Maserati limited itself to asking Chrysler for expertise only in the management of the Levante’s four-wheel drive system and off-road capability.
But asphalt will be the surface on which the Levante will be predominantly driven. The SUV from Modena uses V6 petrol and diesel engines, with a range of power outputs that should offer between 250 and 425 horsepower. A V8 petrol is also on the cards, and, as mentioned earlier, there could be a ‘bad boy’ version with the V6 twin-turbo motor that produces over 510 horsepower in the Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio. The power is transmitted to the rear wheels, or to all four wheels, through an eight-speed ZF transmission.
A piece of the pie
The first SUV from Maserati is aimed at a segment of the market populated by the BMW X6, the Porsche Cayenne, and the Macan. Out of this pie, the Levante wants to secure a slice big enough to add enough sales over the years to bring Maserati’s volumes up to 75,000 units by 2018 – a target set by Fiat-Chrysler CEO, Sergio Marchionne.
After an explosion of sales last year – which saw a sales surge of 137%, thanks first to the introduction of the new Quattroporte and then the Ghibli – the ‘bubble’ burst somewhat in the first half of 2015 (see opposite page). Sales dropped in the US and China, and revenue did too because the best-selling model – the Ghibli – is also the cheapest. Needless to say, the Levante has the potential to dramatically affect the balance sheet – sort of like what the Cayenne did for Porsche.
A muscular shoulder line and the upright Trident in the front grille are all stylistic signatures of the latest Maserati. It’s aggressive in profile, but the long wheelbase (close to three meters) provides a comfortable accommodation for up to five people. This rendering is set in the new Maxxi Museum in Rome
© Riproduzione riservata
Write your Comment