A decade ago, it was hard to imagine an SUV with performance figures equivalent to the Italian sports and touring cars of the time. Since then, almost every major luxury carmaker has released an entrant into this now-flourishing category. Maserati entered the segment in 2016 with the Levante crossover SUV. Earlier this year, the Maserati Levante Trofeo—with its svelte Italian lines and 590 horses worth of Ferrari-built V-8 power under the hood—added a superlative expression of the lauded SUV to the lineup. Drivers may be hard-pressed to distinguish the driving experience from that of modern Italian sports cars.
The Levante Trofeo’s 3.8-liter twin-turbo V-8 is one of the most powerful engines Maserati has put into any car, ever. Hand-assembled by Ferrari in Maranello, this engine is considered by many to be one of the finest on earth. It enables the Trofeo to hit 187 mph, which is light speed for an SUV. With 538 ft lbs of peak torque and a weight-to-power ratio of 8.1 lbs/hp, it launches the Trofeo to 60 mph in just 3.7 seconds. The engine is mated to the Q4 intelligent all-wheel-drive system, ensuring all that power makes it to the right wheels at exactly the right time. The ZF 8HP 8-speed automatic transmission delivers power to the rear wheels in normal driving conditions, like a true sports car, but as much as half the power can be routed to the front wheels when performance handling is needed.
Also like a sports car, the Trofeo offers three suspension modes: comfort for cruising, sports for spirited driving, and Corsa—exclusive to the Trofeo—which drops the car an inch and sets all the driving parameters to their maximums. In Corsa mode, the SUV crouches down low on its 22-inch wheels and transforms from a comfortable cruiser into a race-ready Italian rocket.
Beyond performance, several visual cues set the Trofeo apart from the base model, such as exposed carbon fiber on the lower front splitter and rear bumper, and red-powder-coated valve covers and intake plenums. But for buyers of the Levante Trofeo, performance is the real motivator. Most SUVs aren’t built to wind through back roads or blast off the line; they make better family haulers and grocery getters. The Levante Trofeo can carry out typical duties with luxurious ease, but with a Ferrari V-8 under the hood, it is perhaps more sports car than SUV.
Prospective buyers should contact Penske Automotive Group or browse the inventory at PenskeLuxury.com to learn more.
For more information, contact:
Michael Famiglietti
Sr. Vice President, Super Premium Brands
Penske Automotive, Inc.
michael@penskeluxury.com
