Maserati adds petrol power to Levante range

MASERATI will add a petrol-powered engine to its Levante SUV line-up in the form of a Ferrari-built twin-turbo V6 that is more powerful than the Ghibli and Quattroporte from which it is borrowed.

Due to arrive in Australia in the second half of 2017, the Levante S pumps out 316kW of power and 580Nm of torque, 15kW/30Nm more than the equivalent Ghibli S and Quattroporte S.

It is also 114kW more powerful than the 202kW/600Nm 3.0-litre turbo-diesel V6 powering the rest of the Levante range, which allows the new flagship crossover to complete the zero to 100km/h sprint in 5.2 seconds – 1.7 seconds quicker than the oil-burning model.

The Levante S will also continue on to a top speed of 264km/h.

Fuel consumption for the new unit is rated at 10.9 litres per 100km, while CO2 emissions stand at 253 grams per km.

Grip and stopping power is enhanced, with the Levante S employing 19-inch wheels wrapped in wider 295/45 rubber at the rear and 265/50 at the front, compared with the 255/60R18 tyres on the diesel-powered Maserati SUV.

For braking, the Levante S employs six-piston Brembo callipers with 380mm drilled discs at the front, and aluminium callipers with 330mm drilled discs in the rear.

Maserati’s trademark exhaust note can be configured in the Levante S to let off a more sonorous bark, with the exhaust system controlled by pneumatic valves that open when in sport mode, increasing performance and sound levels.

Engaging sport mode also changes the handling parameters of the vehicle.

Since launching at the start of the year, the Levante has helped reinvigorate sales numbers for Maserati, with the Italian brand increasing year-on-year sales 49.5 per cent in the first four months of the year so far.

The Levante has been Maserati’s best seller by a considerable margin, recording 196 registrations through the end of April compared to 55 for the Ghibli, 14 for the Quattroporte and 10 for the GranTurismo/GranCabrio pair.

Maserati Australia COO Glen Sealey said that he expected the Levante S to make up only eight to ten per cent of sales for the luxury SUV, with most buyers to continue opting for the turbo-diesel model.

Despite pricing not yet being released, Mr Sealey’s sales projections suggest the Levante S will attract a higher pricetag than its oil-burning siblings, with the current range-topping variant selling for $159,990 plus on-road costs.

He also indicated the Levante S will have a “substantially different price point” to the turbo-diesel version.

Mr Sealey said there were a number of different characteristics that set the Levante S apart from other offerings.

“Of course, with 114 more kW, the new Levante S will be faster than the turbo diesel, but the Levante S is much more than just speed,” he said.

“It is the vigor, the brio and, of course, the sound with which the performance is delivered that sets the Levante S apart from the both its turbo-diesel sibling and the Levante’s rivals.”“Although the Levante S will share the same trim and equipment as the existing turbo-diesel Levante, its engine bestows on the Levante a different character and a substantially higher level of performance. We believe, therefore it will attract a different kind of customer.”