Also making its maiden appearance at the 2018 New York International Auto Show is the Maserati Levante Trofeo. The holy grail of the Levante range is powered by a Ferrari-sourced V8 powerplant with extensive mechanical upgrades to be the ultimate Maserati SUV.
Peeping under the hood, you’ll find a Ferrari-sourced 3.8-litre Twin Turbocharged V8 pumping out 590 hp and 730 Nm of torque, the latter peaking from 2,250 to 5,000 rpm. The petrol engine is mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission, deployed to all four corners via the Q4 Intelligent All-Wheel Drive System.
With Launch Control engaged, the Levante Trofeo will sprint from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.9 seconds and will register a top speed of over 300 km/h. The chassis has also been tuned to handle the higher outputs without compromising on comfort while it’s 50:50 weight balance and low centre of gravity are maintained to ensure balanced handling and lateral stability.
The designers have given the Levante Trofeo a much sportier appearance to match its high-performance credentials. The front is defined by a new bumper with aggressive side intakes, carbon fibre side bezel blades, a carbon fibre splitter, a vented bonnet, a piano black front grille and honeycomb mesh at the lower fascia.
Moving to the rear the Levante Trofeo gets a sharper carbon fibre bumper to complement the oval quad exhaust tips. A set of 22-inch forged aluminium “Orione” alloy wheels, available in either polished or matte finish, completes the look of the car.
Inside, the Levante Trofeo is furnished with sculpted sport seats with “Pieno Fiore” natural leather upholstery complemented with contrast stitching and “Trofeo” embossing on the headrest. Other touches include matte carbon fibre interior trims and paddle shifters, specific instrument cluster graphics, floor mats with metal Trofeo badges, a unique Maserati analogue clock and a 1,280-watt, 17-speaker Bowers & Wilkins premium surround sound audio system.
For the US and Canada, early customers can opt for the limited-run Launch Edition that adds a Grigio Lava matte paintjob, matte-finished 22-inch alloys, red brake calipers, black window surround trim, fog light rings, as well as Black Chrome Maserati badges, Trofeo “Saetta” logos, side air vents and boot accent.
The cabin of the Launch Edition features natural “Pieno Fiore” leather sport seats available in Black leather with blue or yellow stitching, Tan or Red with contrast stitching, matte carbon fibre weave interior trim as well as a serialised badge with the customer’s name on the centre console.
IMAGE GALLERY
Maserati Levante Trofeo Launch Edition
