Motoring | The CHESHIRE Magazine
built, twin turbo V6 in this car is a bit special. It simply sounds fantastic. There are whispers that this petrol model may come to the UK and Maserati says a plug-in hybrid will arrive in just two years’ time. And as most buyers choose diesel, the lack of a petrol option here is unlikely to dent sales. Travelling at high speed on French motorways, we’re catching plenty of admiring glances. Unlike some SUVs, the body shape benefits from Italian flair. An enormous Maserati grille dominates the front end, with slim headlights creating crease lines that flow back to the rear of the car. Levante has ten times more presence than the faster Porsche Cayenne – it’s just more elegant. Find a twisty French back road and Levante really comes to life. The steering is wellbalanced and somehow this big Maserati manages to disguise its two-ton weight rather well. It’s exciting to drive, encourages the driver to press on and doesn’t baulk at the first sight of a corner. I really had to push hard before it started to lose grip and the ESP safety system kicked in. Then it was a case of slipping down the eightspeed automatic gearbox, picking up the revs and using the paddleshift gear-changers to make the car fly. Inside, the interior is rather cool, too. Gone are the days when Maserati produced some of the maddest dashboard designs on the planet. This one is made from suitably upmarket materials, with every button where it should be. You can even specify the popular Zegna silk seat package for extra kudos. It’s equipped with heated and vented seats, six-way adjustable for the driver, while the optional Comfort Seat has 12-way adjustment. A Sport Pack beefs up body support for more enthusiastic driving. Our pre-production car did have a few gremlins in the infotainment system. The 8.4-inch screen locked up the satellite navigation and then refused access to Bluetooth. However, Maserati has dramatically improved on quality and reliability in recent
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years. By the time we reach Monte Carlo, I would have happily driven on to Italy. This is probably the most important car in Maserati’s 102-year history because it targets a mid-range part of the market that is expanding at a dramatic pace. There are plenty of rivals in the sector and more to come – Levante has to be a winner. If you like the look of the Ghibli – and who doesn’t – then Levante offers more space, extra practicality no compromise. And let’s face it; wouldn’t life be more fun if you knew there was a Maserati parked on your driveway? (maserati.com)