If I had a nickel for every time Maserati claimed that it’s going to make things right, I would probably afford a nice dinner out with my significant other. But as you already know, the House of the Trident still hasn’t made true on its promise despite Stellantis' backing and Ferrari's know-how.
Take, for instance, the Levante GTS in the following video. Not only does it cost more than the pictured GLE 63 S Coupe, but its performance leaves much to be desired for a Maserati with a Ferrari-sourced V8.
From a dig and a roll, the Levante GTS can’t keep up with the Affalterbach machine that’s actually produced in Tuscaloosa instead of Germany. Adding insult to injury, the Maserati loses the straight-line battle to a performance-oriented SUV known for its rather worrisome build quality.
Internet mechanic Scotty Kilmer had the opportunity of checking out a GLE 63 S Coupe recently, a go-faster utility vehicle with 21,000 miles (33,796 kilometers) on the clock that can rightfully be described as a money pit.
From weld spatter on the passenger door jamb to an incorrectly made driver-side mirror, the list of issues beggars belief. Other highlights include cracks in the Panamericana front grille because the bolts were tightened too much from the factory, a windshield washer reservoir cap that doesn’t fit right, and one too many diagnostic trouble codes that include a general electrical fault between the instrument cluster and touchscreen infotainment system.
Worse still, the GLE 63 S isn’t available to order at the moment of writing due to a quality issue and the ongoing chip shortage. Considering that Maserati isn’t a byword for quality either, the Levante is better enjoyed through a lease rather than buying the car outright with hard-earned cash.
Although Tesla hasn’t improved its build quality either, the EV manufacturer from Texas currently offers the quickest-acceleration utility vehicle in the world in the guise of the Model X Plaid. This variant is listed with a tri-motor powertrain and 2.5 seconds to 60 miles an hour (97 kph).
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. Full profile
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