Maserati we have been presented in Geneva to their first SUV, the Maserati Levante. A Maserati Levante that Friday is already presented in society in a full city council of Madrid (yes, where days ago, smart introduced us to the smart fortwo Ushuaïa) thus allowing us to know already first hand, its design, its finish, and some indiscretions on their marketing in Spain.
20:00. The rain is falling, and a faint bluish light welcomes us to the inside of the Cibeles Palace, headquarters of the Madrid city council. A quick security check, a check on the guest list. All ready to meet the new Maserati Levante, the SUV Italian willing to stand up to the Porsche Cayenne, the key piece in the business plan of Maserati the failure of which could reach even to determine the order of the mark.
Photocall, a Maserati Quattroporte, a beautiful Maserati Ghibli red, familiar faces, colleagues from other media and there it is, the stage already prepared for that in a few minutes will scroll the new Maserati Levante.
a unit with a finish anthracite is passing between a large group of attendees that mobile in hand trying to photograph the new model of Maserati. On the stage the model Nieves Álvarez articulates a presentation that does not lack Guido Giovannelli, responsible for the brand the area to the west of Europe; Enrique Lorenzana, sales manager of Maserati Iberia and Silvia Pini, director of marketing and communication for Maserati Iberia.
The first few minutes are a frantic avalanche of guests entering and exiting the Lift. I save that for when the initial flurry has finished and I encounter a source close to the brand that leaves me with a few important keys about the arrival of this SUV to Spain.
we were told in this implementation over the Maserati Levante will move in a price corridor of between 83.000 and € 120,000.
During the presentation we have already warned that half of the units planned for this year’s Maserati Levante have been sold already, but how many units are planned? Expect a few 200 units sold for these first bars of the Lift, a forecast that now would be a good inertia if we take into account that already have sold 80 units.
But… how much does the Maserati Levante? We still don’t know the exact prices of this model for the Spanish market, but I suggest that your starting price will be 83.000 euros, closing the hairpin prices on a few 120,000 euros.
in Addition, we also know already that the first units of the Maserati Levante is expected for September.
It’s my turn. As the night progresses madrid the pretty inner courtyard of the Palace of Cibeles has been cleared of guests. I feel you behind the wheel of the Lift.
around my leather in a beautiful dark brown, in a tone tobacco, excellent quality, good settings and details, with inserts in aluminium and a display of generous size, presiding over the central console. Fiddling with the screen of the on-board computer, fingering a every crack in search of a bad detail, and I give the jump to the squares later.
In the back row I find myself with a good habitability. Repeat of good qualities and I encounter a good detail in the central bridge: two jacks USB lists so that our visitors can recharge their mobile.
A couple of laps around. don’t fit together all that well the integration of the wheels with the fins, I have the feeling that missing tire, I miss something in these steps of the wheel. I like those gills, I like its lenses, the view from the front… and I am interested in your air ride suspension system, which remember, is standard and allows a broad margin of regulation among the modes offroad, with a greater height and the modes designed for highway, with a lower height.
A brief look at 10 key: what mechanics are available?How long is it?How big is your trunk?
1.- The range of the Maserati Levante is formed by a Maserati Levante Diesel 275 horses as the only option and diesel are two alternatives to gasoline, the Maserati Levante of 350 horsepower and the Maserati Levante S of 430 horses.
2.- All are V6 and has awd.
3.- It will only be available with automatic. Signed by ZF, and has 8 speeds.
4.- The Maserati Levante’s account in addition with Brembo.
5.- a length of 5.003 mm, a width of 1.968 mm and a height of 1.679 mm. Its wheelbase is 3.004 mm
6.- It is longer than the Porsche Cayenne, the BMW X6 and the Volvo XC90. The Mercedes GLS overwhelms him.
7.- Their weight ranges between 2,100 and 2,200 kg.
8.- Your trunk is 580 litres. The electric gate is series.
9.- air suspension is capable of lowering the ground clearance at -40 mm (parking) and pick up the car in another 40 mm (offroad mode 2).
10.- The leather upholstery is of series, as the 8.4-inch touchscreen.
why buy a Maserati Levante?
what An excuse to buy a Lift instead of a Cayenne? In the absence of knowing its dynamics esgrimiría its exclusivity.
Neglect the Cibeles Palace under heavy downpour, and as I leave the parking lot I wonder what lead me to buy this Maserati Levante in place of a Porsche Cayenne. Of course, I still have to try it, I am still driving it and buying it dynamically with the German, but I think that in your favor, at the time of purchase, esgrimiría its exclusivity and the fact be buying a car when we are less accustomed, with the additional charm that it involves, is more beautiful?how less beautiful than the Cayenne? Taking into account that the two seem to me to be extremely attractive, within the limitations of your segment, leave it to your judgment that decision.
The Porsche Cayenne is a great product within the category of large premium SUVS. By design, dynamically, finishes and materials… and no, you are not going to put anything easy to the Maserati Levante. I hope to be able to drive it soon, and that their dynamics leave me with a good taste in your mouth.