The Maserati Levante was an interesting entrant into the luxury SUV segment, but its 430 horsepower twin-turbo V6 left something to be desired. Luckily, the rumors of a V8 Levante have turned out to be true. At the 2018 New York Auto Show, Maserati revealed the Levante Trofeo: the V8 model we wanted from the start. As with the V8 Quattroporte, the Trofeo is powered by a 3.8-liter twin-turbo V8 engine. Instead of producing 523 hp as it does in the sedan, the Levante Trofeo produces a whopping 590 hp and 516 lb-ft of torque.
All of the grunt is sent to a Q4 Intelligent all-wheel drive system. Maserati claims 0 to 100 kph (62 mph) takes just 3.9 seconds and the top speed is greater than 300 kph (186 mph). With these performance figures, the Levante Trofeo bests fellow New York Auto Show reveal, the Jaguar F-Pace SVR. The engine itself produces the highest output per liter (156 hp) of any Maserati power plant ever produced. Maserati also stresses that the V8 engine is assembled by Ferrari in Maranello, Italy. In addition to the added power, Maserati has tuned the chassis so the car continues to offer an exhilarating driving experience.
Onlookers will be able to identify Levante owners who splurged for the V8 Trofeo model. The exterior has been redesigned with more aggressive sheet metal, featuring a revised lower front fascia and rear bumper, capped off with 22-inch forged aluminum "Orione" wheels – the largest ever fitted on a Maserati – available in both polished and matte finishes. The Levante Trofeo also pays attention to aerodynamics, with side air intakes, two wings, carbon fiber side bezel blades, and a carbon fiber splitter. Up front, the Trofeo is differentiated by Matrix LED headlights, a front grille with double vertical bars in a piano black finish, lower honeycomb mesh fascia, body color door handles, and quad oval exhaust tips.
Owners can customize their Trofeo with brake calipers in red, blue, black, silver or yellow. To finish off this SUV's special look, unique "Saetta" Trofeo logos adorn the C-pillars. Inside, the quality of materials befits the elegant nature of this high-class SUV. A Launch Edition will be available for those who really want something special. Natural "Pieno Fiore" leather sport seats are available in black, tan or red with contrast stitching. Black leather with blue or yellow stitching is exclusive to the launch edition. The Launch Edition also features a badge, integrated on the center console featuring the customer's name.
The Trofeo will be a limited production model, intended for a small number of Maserati customers in the U.S. and Canada. Maserati hasn't announced availability or pricing, but we expect it to be priced well above the Levante S GranSport with the V6 at $90,750.
