Maserati, an Italian luxury vehicle automaker founded by Alfieri Maserati that dates back to 1914, debuted its first SUV, the Levante three years ago. Since then, the brand has introduced two new two trims: the GTS and the Trofeo. The Levante is manufactured at the Mirafiori Plant in Turin. Production of the Levante was confirmed on May 6, 2014. It is offered with a 3.0-litre V6 rated at either 350 or 425 horsepower states of tune. All models have all-wheel drive.

Both cost over £100k and feature a Ferrari V8-powered drivetrain. Currently, the Levante accounts for 52% of sales for the brand. Yet Maserati wanted to maintain the momentum by adding the two new V8 models. The Levante, which includes wall-to-wall cowhide, a re-engineered 3.8-litre twin-turbo engine from Ferrari and a 90-degree V with forced induction as well as efficient camshafts, valves, and mapping that give the model an extra-luxury edge.

The Levante also features a refined idle and eight-cylinders, making it fast, soundly aggressive and highly intuitive. Meanwhile, the shifts are quick and the paddles are over-sized. The Levante also offers a quasi-rear-wheel-drive with torque-vectoring technology.

Software includes steering angle, corner entry-speed and brake pressure to calculate potential losses of grip or prevent them from happening. The Levante is also stable on corner exits, and assured during entry speeds. Though the interior features high-end materials, the cutting-edge infotainment and design is a bit lacking are not, especially next-generation considering the price. The bonnet features vents, while the grille has double-pinstripes with full LED adaptive headlights.

The exterior is a full-performance model with carbon fiber on the splitter, side skits and side blades. The rear, is a bit more conservative, although these V8-powered Maseratis are a cooler, more modern option than the competition, such as Mercedes, Porsche and Volkswagen. The new Levante platform may promise electrification, hopefully without sacrificing character and dynamics.

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The company is headquartered in Modena, and has a trident as its emblem. It has been owned by the Italian-American car giant Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) and FCA's Italian predecessor Fiat S.p.A. since 1993. It currently generates €151 million with a production output of 35,000 units.