Maserati’s V6 engined Levante SUV is the latest model in a leisurely launch calendar and marks the first time the ‘base model’ of the company’s high-riding vehicle can be bought in the UK without a diesel engine. For a well-known maker of fast cars, Maserati seems to move comparatively slowly.
The Levante’s V6 slots beneath the range’s upcoming pair of V8-engined flagships. It offers up to 430bhp in Gransport trim. It has an orchestral stab of an exhaust system. It is a finely crafted contemporary automobile, one that competes sufficiently well with its burgeoning class while still retaining an aura of difference.
The Levante arrived in Maserati’s lined up in 2016 It doubled the sales and brought in customers who weren’t especially taken by the Quattroporte and the ageing GranTurismo.
Needless to say, Levante still retains a lingering aura of Maserati magic. It still succeeds as a desirable machine is a testament to Maserati’s enduring appeal.