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Maserati Levante SUV Looks like a Ghibli on Stilts in Geneva

Hate me all you want, but someone had to say it. The Maserati Levante is the secret love child between the Maserati Ghibli sports sedan and an Infiniti QX50. I love the way it looks. In a strange way, mind you.
2017 Maserati Levante SUV live from the Geneva Motor Show 24 photos
Photo: Guido ten Brink / SB-Medien
2017 Maserati Levante SUV live from the Geneva Motor Show2017 Maserati Levante SUV live from the Geneva Motor Show2017 Maserati Levante SUV live from the Geneva Motor Show2017 Maserati Levante SUV live from the Geneva Motor Show2017 Maserati Levante SUV live from the Geneva Motor Show2017 Maserati Levante SUV live from the Geneva Motor Show2017 Maserati Levante SUV live from the Geneva Motor Show2017 Maserati Levante SUV live from the Geneva Motor Show2017 Maserati Levante SUV live from the Geneva Motor Show2017 Maserati Levante SUV live from the Geneva Motor Show2017 Maserati Levante SUV live from the Geneva Motor Show2017 Maserati Levante SUV live from the Geneva Motor Show2017 Maserati Levante SUV live from the Geneva Motor Show2017 Maserati Levante SUV live from the Geneva Motor Show2017 Maserati Levante SUV live from the Geneva Motor Show2017 Maserati Levante SUV live from the Geneva Motor Show2017 Maserati Levante SUV live from the Geneva Motor Show2017 Maserati Levante SUV live from the Geneva Motor Show2017 Maserati Levante SUV live from the Geneva Motor Show2017 Maserati Levante SUV live from the Geneva Motor Show2017 Maserati Levante SUV live from the Geneva Motor Show2017 Maserati Levante SUV live from the Geneva Motor Show2017 Maserati Levante SUV live from the Geneva Motor Show
For the entry-level model, the Maserati Levante boasts a 3.0-liter V6 turbo diesel with 275 horsepower. The oil-burning unit is capable of accelerating from naught to 62 mph (100 km/h) in 6.9 seconds, which is pretty good for a mid-size crossover SUV.

At the other end of the spectrum, we have the 430 horsepower 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6 that drinks high-octane gasoline and burps to 62 mph (100 km/h) in 5.2 seconds. And that’s the thing with the all-new Maserati Levante. Where is the Cayenne Turbo-beating get-up-and-go? A 3.8-liter twin-turbo V8 is expected to address this little issue sometime in 2017, a unit slated to churn out some 560 horsepower.

Whichever powerhouse floats your boat, the Levante comes as standard with an eight-speed automatic transmission, a mechanical limited-slip differential, and the obligatory Q4 AWD. Speaking of oily bits, one of the juiciest details regarding the Maserati Levante is that it comes with “the lowest center of gravity in its class” and “perfectly balanced weight distribution (50:50) between front and rear.” Mmm!

I can’t deny that this Italian creation promises to be capable in terms of handling, but could someone tell Maserati to stop bathing everything in carbon fiber? The interior of the Geneva show car is borderline repulsive because of it. Now glance at the interior of the 530 horsepower Maserati Quattroporte GTS and try to fool yourself into thinking “Brushed aluminum and fine wood suck, carbon fiber adds lightness.”

So please, hear me out. If you’re in the market for a Levante, don’t get carbon fiber trim unless it’s the soon-to-be-launched 560 horsepower twin-turbo V8 model. As the king of the performance hill, that model is entitled to wear carbon fiber bling.
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About the author: Mircea Panait
Mircea Panait profile photo

After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well.
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