When BMW started making SUVs way back in 1999, they caused quite a stir. People predicted the demise of the company, but in fact the exact opposite happened – they thrived and now compete for the title of biggest luxury automaker in the world. Similar things happened when Porsche introduced its Cayenne, but we can't imagine the brand without it.
16 years after BMWs started occupying the same market as Range Rovers, Maserati is developing its own SUV. It was first previewed way back in September 2011 at the Frankfurt Motor Show by a concept named the Kubang and for a while, it was rumored that it will be just a Jeep Grand Cherokee in a party frock.
Of course, that's not the case, since the company is taking its sweet time with test mule development. Taking the familiar shape of a Ghibli sedan on really high suspension, two prototypes were recently filmed on a road in Italy. The cars were spotted on a highway that connects Turin to Milano by Youtuber Cossie670.
Maserati has very publicly talked about the SUV as part of its 5-year corporate plan. Together with the Alfieri coupe and new GranTurismo, the Levante will help them cover 100% of the luxury market. The engine range has also been detailed and will include two twin-turbo V6 engines, one with 350 hp and the other with 425 hp. There will also be a high-performance V8 with over 560 horsepower to rival the BMW X5 M and upcoming Mercedes-Benz GLE 63 AMG.
Over in Europe, diesels will make up the bulk of sales. Three engines will be made available, pushing 250, 275 and 340 hp respectively.
Porsche makes similarly powered versions of the Cayenne. But we've tested the new Quattroporte GTS sedan and can tell you even the V6 sounds better than anything of that type made by the Germans. The Levante will play a crucial role for the future of the Italian automaker, as despite launching two all-new models, their sales have begun to slip in the past months.
Considering how many Ferrari owners there are in the world and how many of them also need a 4x4, the Levante could be ideally placed in the market, thanks to its Maranello-developed powertrains and cool styling.
Mihnea's favorite cars have already been built, the so-called modern classics from the '80s and '90s. He also loves local car culture from all over the world, so don't be surprised to see him getting excited about weird Japanese imports, low-rider VWs out of Germany, replicas from Russia or LS swaps down in Florida. Full profile
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