Photo: Original image created by autoevolution
Like Jaguar, Maserati has to pick its fight with the German automakers very carefully. Limited resources and incomparably smaller sales numbers are forcing the Italians away from wide engine ranges and complicated options lists. We’ve seen that with the Ghibli already, where the mid-size luxury that’s supposed to compete with the BMW 5 Series only offers a handful of powertrain choices. But what does it mean for the Levante, the reportedly delayed SUV which Maserati is relying on to reach 50,000 sales a year?
According o Maserati’s Australian importer, it means steering well clear of the basic configuration its competitors can offer. Speakin to Motoring, a spokesman said that “the bulk of Cayenne sales come from lower models that we won't be competing with and have no great desire to compete with."
He goes on to say that the Levante “will remain an exclusive vehicle,” which the Australian publication has interpreted as meaning that the SUV will receive only a V8 engine But it could also mean that price-wise it will be positioned above the Cayenne, or that it will come with a lot more features as standard.
All of the German premium makers are well known for their expensive buy well built options, which can sometimes even double the price of a vehicle. Rivals like Lexus have tried to battle this by offering as much standard tech as possible, which makes assembly simpler.
This is not coming from an Maserati official, so we should treat the information as such. Especially when you consider that the Ghibli is offered with a V6 turbo engine and has a de-tuned basic version for the Chinese market.
Originally expected to enter production at the end of 2015, the Levante now looks poised to exist the Mirafiori factory’s doors in 2015. Fiat is believed to have invested over €1 billion into this exclusive SUV, so a lot is riding on its success. Believed to borrow several components from Maserati’s Quattroporte and Ghibli sedans, it could receive twin-turbo V6 and V8 engines, as well as the newly-introduced turbodiesel 3.0-liter V6 mill.
He goes on to say that the Levante “will remain an exclusive vehicle,” which the Australian publication has interpreted as meaning that the SUV will receive only a V8 engine But it could also mean that price-wise it will be positioned above the Cayenne, or that it will come with a lot more features as standard.
All of the German premium makers are well known for their expensive buy well built options, which can sometimes even double the price of a vehicle. Rivals like Lexus have tried to battle this by offering as much standard tech as possible, which makes assembly simpler.
This is not coming from an Maserati official, so we should treat the information as such. Especially when you consider that the Ghibli is offered with a V6 turbo engine and has a de-tuned basic version for the Chinese market.
Originally expected to enter production at the end of 2015, the Levante now looks poised to exist the Mirafiori factory’s doors in 2015. Fiat is believed to have invested over €1 billion into this exclusive SUV, so a lot is riding on its success. Believed to borrow several components from Maserati’s Quattroporte and Ghibli sedans, it could receive twin-turbo V6 and V8 engines, as well as the newly-introduced turbodiesel 3.0-liter V6 mill.
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