Maserati reveals the first Levante built around a V8 engine at the New York International Auto Show. It is the Levante Trofeo, the ultimate Maserati of SUVs, capable of accelerating in style 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).

The Levante Trofeo is equipped with one of the most powerful engines ever fitted in a Maserati. A 3.8-litre 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 730 Nm of peak torque at 2,250 – 5,000 rpm. The engine boasts the highest output per litre (156 hp/litre) of any Maserati powerplant ever produced and, like all Maserati petrol engines, is assembled by Ferrari in Maranello, Italy.

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.

Elegant re-styled more agressive design for the Topmodel

The 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.

The side air intakes in the lower fascia feature a new, more aggressive design, defined by two aerodynamic wings. 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.

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 painted brake calipers in red, blue, black, silver or yellow.

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 carbon fibre. Even the bonnet is new, featuring two aggressive vents for better cylinder head cooling. And under the bonnet, the engine cover is also made of carbon fibre, while cylinder heads and intake manifolds are painted red.

Interior design with exclusive Pieno Fiore leather

Interior designers have come up with elegant ways to create a distinctive environment. The sport seats feature a premium 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.

A new matte carbon fibre trim and paddle shifters, specific instrument cluster graphics, floor mats with metal Trofeo badges and a Maserati clock underline the exclusive sporty character of this Levante, which is outfitted with a standard 1,280-watt, 17-speaker Bowers & Wilkins premium surround sound audio system for exceptional listening enjoyment.

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 U.S. and Canada.

Levante Trofeo is one of the fastest SUVs ever built

Maserati engineers developed the mighty 3.8-litre Twin Turbo V8 engine to accommodate the Q4 Intelligent All-Wheel Drive system, providing it with a new crankcase design, specific crankshaft assembly, new oil pump and auxiliary belt and a different wiring layout.

New turbochargers feature increased flow, while redesigned cylinder heads with specific camshafts and valves, different pistons and new connecting rods allow the ability to reach the maximum power targets in combination with specific engine calibration mapping.

The Levante Trofeo is one of the fastest SUVs ever built with a top speed of over 187 mph (>300 km/h). Thanks to its remarkable weight/power ratio of 8.1 lbs./hp (3.6 kg/hp) the Trofeo needs only 3.7 seconds to reach 60 mph (3.9 seconds for 0-100 km/h) and only 113 feet (34.5 meters) of braking distance to get back to a complete stop.

The ideal 50:50 weight balance and the low centre of gravity - common to all Levante models - in combination with the finely tuned double-wishbone front / Multi Link rear suspension and the larger tyres fitted to the 22-inch forged aluminium wheels, provides the new Trofeo with remarkably balanced handling and lateral stability.

A new “Corsa" Driving mode with Launch Control functionality in addition to the existing normal Sport and Off Road modes has been adopted. “Corsa” driving mode further improves engine response and opens exhaust valves in acceleration, as well as provides faster gear shifting, lower air suspension height levels, sportier Skyhook damping and optimized Q4 Intelligent All-Wheel Drive settings and interacts with Traction Control and ESP systems.

The Maserati Integrated Vehicle Control (IVC) system has been incorporated for the first time in a Levante, for impressive driving dynamics and better performance, by helping to prevent vehicle instability, instead of correcting “driver mistakes” as a traditional Electronic Stability Program (ESP) system does.

Limited series Levante Trofeo launch edition

As an introduction to its upcoming new model, Maserati is showcasing a limited Levante Trofeo launch edition. The show car is in the special matte Grigio Lava paint with matte finished 22-inch wheels and red brake calipers. This limited series Trofeo is exclusively intended for a small number of Maserati customers in the U.S. and Canada.



Photos: Maserati

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