Second-Gen Maserati Levante Digitally Moves to STLA Large, Do You Want a Hurricane?

Every automaker – especially the premium ones – strives to stand out in a crowd, even if it's the wrong one. The distinctive feeling of seeing a Rolls-Royce Cullinan, a Lambo Urus, a Ferrari Purosangue, an Aston Martin DBX, or a BMW XM Label Red for the first time should be with you an entire lifetime hopes every carmaker. However, there are some missteps, and one of them comes from an Italian brand.

Although the European peninsula is well known for its artistic qualities and automakers are no exception, somehow Maserati botched its foray into the mid-size luxury crossover game with the Levante. Named after a warm wind of the Mediterranean Sea, this design blows right past our eyes without ever making an impression, as the executive CUV feels more like an oversized hatchback from the 1990s more than anything else.

Of course, beauty is always in the eye of the beholder, so you can always feel free to disagree. In fact, someone deemed it worthy enough to receive a successor after the model ended its original production run between 2016 and 2023, with the remaining stock allowed to be sold into 2024, too. Since this person also dwells across the imaginative realm of digital car content creators, he also decided to do something about the Levante and try to give it a new CGI lease of life using a Cupra model.

This virtual artist, known as Theottle on social media, has recently resorted to CGI slicing and dicing the old Maserati Levante into something fresher because he believes the nameplate will be one of the new models launched on the STLA Large platform between 2024 and 2026 with both fully electric and internal combustion versions. So far, we only know of the Jeep Wagoneer S and Recon plus Dodge Charger Daytona, so a Maserati could also be next in line.

In the pixel master's latest behind-the-scenes making-of video, the old and rather boring (especially when viewed from behind) Maserati Levante gets mixed with Volkswagen AG's Cupra brand for some reason, and the result is indeed slicker and more modern while featuring an athletic shape for the body. However, from the front, it's rather uncharacteristic for a Maserati because of the edgier headlights. At the same time, the rear is again a bit drab as the full-width LED band style is starting to wear off its novelty factor.

Alas, the good things are hidden under the metal. Suppose this second-generation Levante arrives as an even larger full-size BEV and ICE-powered crossover with powertrains borrowed from the American division. In that case, it might turn out to be a potent competitor for the luxury rivals, especially with the new 3.0-liter Hurricane inline-six turbo mills under the hood.