Maserati Levante Unveiled - The First Ever Trident Badged SUV

Maserati has unveiled the Levante, its first ever SUV ahead of its official debut at the 2016 Geneva Motor Show. The Levante is named after the warm Mediterranian wind which can change from mild to gale force speeds in an instant.

Engine, Gearbox & Supension Details

Maserati has not confirmed what powerplants will rest under the Levante's long hood, but it is expected to give customers the option of either a 3.0-litre turbocharged V6 petrol in two different states of tune or a 3.0-litre diesel engine.

Also expected to be seen is a performance model borrowing the 3.8-litre twin-turbo V8 from the Quattroporte. A plug-in hybrid variant is also expected to join the lineup later on.

All the engine options will be mated to an 8-speed gearbox that will send the power to all four wheels through Maserati's 'Q4' all-wheel drive system.

Styling

The new Levante SUV features a long sculpted hood which starts off from a rather imposing version of the Maserati grille. Flanking the dominating hood are the tapered two element headlamps and the air intakes.

The sides feature Maserati's trademark triple air vents, and the Maserati 'Saetta' logo. The rear is dominated by the roof mounted spoiler and the twin exhaust vents that pop out on each side of the rear bumper.

Availability & Rivals

The first few SUVs bearing the Levante name have already rolled off Maserati's production line in Turin, Italy and the car is expected to go up against the likes of the BMW X5, Mercedes-Benz GLE, Audi Q5. and the Porsche Cayenne.