Maserati has revealed the first Levante built around a V8 engine at the New York International Auto Show, being held in the US.

The Levante Trofeo, the ultimate Maserati of SUVs, is capable of accelerating from 0-60 mph in just 3.7 seconds (0-100 km/h in 3.9 seconds) and reaching a top speed of over 187 mph (>300 km/h), said a statement.

The Levante Trofeo is equipped with one of the most powerful engines ever fitted in a Maserati. A 3.8-liter Twin Turbo V8 engine that has been engineered to perfectly mate with the Q4 Intelligent All-Wheel Drive System and delivers an astounding 590 hp at 6,250 rpm and 538 lb.-ft. (730 Nm) of peak torque at 2,250 – 5,000 rpm, it said.

The engine boasts the highest output per liter (156 hp/liter) of any Maserati powerplant ever produced and, like all Maserati gasoline engines, is assembled by Ferrari in Maranello, Italy, it added.

The chassis of the fastest Levante ever has been tuned to handle the higher power output and provides an exhilarating driving experience with no compromise in terms of comfort. This tuning ensures the Levante Trofeo continues to embody the essence of the Maserati GranTurismo philosophy with supercar performance.  

Tim Kuniskis, CEO, Maserati, said: “It’s proof that when you play with the elements you end up in a storm.”

“In the case of Trofeo, the engineers and designers in Modena knew that the driveline parameters were more than able to cope with additional power and they also knew that Maserati had access to the finest engines on earth. So, they were up to the challenge of making the finest luxury SUV also one of the fastest,” he added.

The Levante design has reached new levels of sportiness in this top of the line Trofeo. The elegant restyling was mainly focused on the lower front fascia and the rear bumper and is underlined by the 22-inch forged aluminium “Orione” wheels – the largest ever fitted on a Maserati – available in both polished and matte finishes, said a statement.

The side air intakes in the lower fascia feature a new, more aggressive design, defined by two aerodynamic wings that give a sense of further stability, visually “pushing” the weight of the car’s nose towards the massive front wheels. And to help improve the airflow distribution, Trofeo is outfitted with carbon fibre side bezel blades and a carbon fibre splitter.

The rear end also looks wider and more muscular with a sharper carbon fibre horizontal element and body-colour lower extractor that embrace the oval quad exhaust tips.  

In front, the Levante Trofeo has Full Matrix LED headlights, a front grille with double vertical bars in a piano black finish and lower honeycomb mesh fascia, as well as body colour door handles, oval exhaust tips in a dark finish and performance painted brake callipers in red, blue, black, silver or yellow. And to cap it off, specific “Saetta” Trofeo logos adorn the iconic c-pillars of the coupé styled SUV.

Specific details, like the lower splitter, the blade side bezels in the front air intakes, the side skirt inserts and the rear extractor are made of ultralight, high-gloss carbon fibre, giving the Levante Trofeo a polished racing look. Even the hood is new, featuring two aggressive vent for better cylinder head cooling. And under the hood, the engine cover is also made of high-gloss carbon fibre featuring a V8 inscription and the iconic Trident logo, while cylinder heads and intake manifolds are painted red.

Interior designers have come up with elegant ways to create a distinctive environment within the Levante Trofeo cabin. The sculpted sport seats feature a premium full-grain “Pieno Fiore” natural leather available in black, red and tan, all with contrast stitching and “Trofeo” logo stitched on the headrests. “Pieno Fiore” is like no other leather used in the automotive industry for its natural, soft feel and for the unique character it develops throughout the years,

The production of the Levante Trofeo starts this summer at the refurbished Maserati plant in Mirafiori (Turin), Italy. The fastest Levante in Maserati history is initially intended for overseas export markets, including the US and Canada, it stated. – TradeArabia News Service