Review: Maserati Levante Trofeo and Levante GTS
Picture a Maserati – in fact, Google the luxury Italian manufacturer – and click through to images. The first two dozen are as you would expect: sleek saloons and gracious GTs. But then something else will catch your eye – an altogether taller, meaner-looking machine. The Levante.
The Levante is Maserati’s debut SUV, a car that diehard Maserati fans would probably prefer not to exist. But not only has it opened up the Maserati brand to a whole new audience (90 per cent of buyers are first-time Maserati first-timers), but it’s the most popular Maserati ever and accounts for 52 per cent of the marque’s sales. And, on the face of things, it’s actually relatively affordable, if you opt for the entry-level, £59,800 diesel, that is.
But, at Millbrook Proving Ground recently, a UK automotive testing sanctuary, I wasn’t there to drive anything entry-level. No, I was there for something far more exciting, in the form of the 530hp Levante GTS and the 580hp Levante Trofeo – the latest models to join the Levante line-up.
Both powered by the same 3.8-litre V8 petrol, albeit tuned differently, the high-powered SUVs will line up against the likes of Porsche’s Cayenne Turbo, in terms of price and power but closer to the Lamborghini Urus in terms of exclusivity.
To look at the Levante is unmistakeably Maserati, with its contoured hips, piano grill and light signature reminiscent of the manufacturer’s saloon car staples. While the GTS adopts quite a subtle exterior appearance, the Trofeo boasts a much more aggressive presence, with sculpted bonnet scoops, a carbon-fibre front splitter, side sills, air intakes and rear diffuser.
The cabin of the GTS is less subtle than its exterior. The Pieno Fiore red leather trim that adorns pretty much everything is akin to sitting inside a bear’s stomach – a sensation compounded when the engine growls to life. Colour aside, the interior is what you’d expect; it’s spacious and incredibly well-designed, with tactile surfaces and an abundance of Trident badges. The centre console is finished with exposed carbon-fibre – an option on the GTS – with the driving mode, suspension and traction control buttons inlaid. Tech, meanwhile, includes a 8.4-inch touchscreen and a spec-dependant high quality speaker system from either Bowers & Wilkins or Harman Kardon. The seats are supportive, too, exactly what you need at Millbrook…
But back to that growling V8, which, in the Trofeo, is the highest specific output Maserati engine ever with 156hp per litre. Complementing all that power is a 730Nm of torque, which means this substantial SUV can crack 0-62mph in 4.1 seconds an top out at 186mph. Meanwhile, the 530hp GTS isn’t far behind with peak torque of 710Nm, 0-62mph in 4.3 seconds and a top speed of 180mph.
Both the GTS and the Trofeo make use of an eight-speed ZF automatic transmission straight from the Quattroporte, which provides perfectly timed and seamless gearchanges left in fully automatic. Flappy paddles behind the steering wheel are present, though, should you wish to change gear yourself, which, of course, you will.
Around Millbrook’s twisy alpine handling course, with Sport mode engaged and the Skyhook dampers in their stiffest setting, both the GTS and the Trofeo perform remarkably. Maserati claims the lowest centre of gravity in the segment and a perfect 50:50 front/rear weight distribution, and so as you’d expect both cars feel planted and stable, even on the most cambered of corners. The all-wheel-drive system, meanwhile, sends power predominantly to the rear wheels, engaging the fronts only when necessary, and it’s something you can feel working beneath you.
As a keen motorcyclist, it’s not often that a car’s acceleration impresses me, and while I still reckon my ’05 Honda CBR6 could beat it off the line, the grunt with which this two-plus tonne SUV can propel itself from a standstill is certainly impressive. It shouldn’t be able to accelerate as quickly as it does, a feeling the Levante shares with the Stelvio Quadrifoglio. But then again the Trofeo includes Corsa mode, which brings with it launch control, lowers the suspension, firms up the dampers and backs off the traction control and ESP. Throttle response is noticeably sharper in Corsa mode and the gearbox feels far more eager, too.
Our day with the pair of Levantes included a few trips along Millbrook’s mile-long strait. With my foot flat to the floor the torque showed no sign of abating in either car, and with the odometer still climbing past 160mph with ease I slammed on the brakes. The bite was immediate, and before I knew it the car had shuddered to a stop. Two-tonne SUVs shouldn’t be able to stop so quickly.
I hopped into a V6 diesel for some off-road adventuring. While it had a different engine, the Trofeo and GTS have all the same off-road tech and so should be just as capable off-road.
While not exactly Dakar territory, the off-road route at Millbrook is more than adequate to put most modern SUVs through their paces, and as we worked our way through the wet, rutted course, the electronic systems did wonders. Selecting the off-road drive mode gives the car a lift, with the ride height extending 40mm above standard. As I worked my way around the course – which I was sharing with a military Man truck – the dampers absorbed the potholes and ruts with surprising grace, while the all-wheel-drive system ensured that the right wheels had traction at the right time.
Most likely to be used when descending from one’s Verbier chalet, hill hold control proved its worth when I was directed to a 65 per cent concrete decline. Pausing at the top, the instructor strictly advised that I resist the urge to slam on the brakes during the descent, and to just let the car do its thing… Sure enough, as we rolled forward over the precipice, the bonnet tilting into the abyss, the system slowly and steadily brought the car down. Aside from a small squeak and a brief groan the system proved infallible. Likewise, on a 25-degree angled traverse, the Levante was comfortable – I was less so – and tackled the obstacle with composure.
As we exited the off-road section, I marvelled at the Levante’s capabilities – thanks to Millbrook’s extensive testing facilities, I had seen the very best it had to offer both on and off-road. The Levante manages to do things that you’d think impossible given the car’s weight and size. For those who think the company should never have built an SUV, the GTS and Trofeo’s extra power could prove enough to tempt even the staunchest purists across to the dark side…
Maserati Levante Trofeo Specification
Price: £124,900
Engine: 3.8-litre, twin-turbo V8 petrol
Power/torque: 580hp @ 6,250rpm/730Nm (540lb ft) @ 2,500-5,000rpm
Transmission: eight-speed automatic, all-wheel-drive
0-62mph: 4.1 seconds
Top speed: 186mph
Combined economy: 17.7-17.8mpg
Kerb weight: 2,170kg
Maserati Levante GTS Specification
Price: £104,900
Engine: 3.8-litre, twin-turbo V8 petrol
Power/torque: 530hp @ 6,250rpm/710Nm (525lb ft) @ 2,500-5,000rpm
Transmission: eight-speed automatic, all-wheel-drive
0-62mph: 4.3 seconds
Top speed: 180mph
Combined economy: 17.7-17.9mpg
Kerb weight: 2,170kg