The 2018 Goodwood Festival of Speed saw yet another exciting performance SUV as Maserati has unveiled the new Levante GTS. The mightier version of the Levante SUV will feature the same 3.8 litre twin-turbo V8 that is found in the Quattroporte GTS but is tweaked to work with Maserati’s Q4 all-wheel-drive system and tuned to deliver 542bhp at 6,250rpm and 730Nm of peak torque between 2,500 and 5,000rpm. With an added power of 192bhp and 230Nm over the regular Levante, the GTS is also 1.8 seconds quicker to 100kmph as it gets the job done in 4.2 seconds and will go on to achieve a top speed of 292kmph, i.e. 41kmph more than the standard version. The company also claims the chassis is similar to the 582bhp Trofeo Levante and so is the design, with a low slung front-end. On the inside, you get optional Pieno Fiore natural leather, sport pedals and a Harman Kardon audio system with 14-speakers. Expect Maserati to launch the SUV in India by the end of this year.
Here’s the full text of the press release from Maserati-
Maserati has chosen the 25th Goodwood Festival of Speed for the World Premiere of the V8 Maserati Levante GTS. The Festival of Speed, which since 1993 provides an exhilarating mix of glamorous cars and motorsport stars and is expected to attract more than 200,000 visitors over the four-day event.
The Levante GTS Twin Turbo V8 maintains the V90 architecture of the 3.8-litre unit fitted in the flagship Quattroporte GTS but has been re-engineered to work with the Q4 Intelligent All-Wheel Drive System and tuned to deliver 550hp (404 kW) at 6,250 rpm and 730 Nm peak torque between 2,500 and 5,000 rpm. Like all Maserati petrol engines, this V8 is assembled by Ferrari in Maranello.
Thanks to its remarkable weight/power ratio of 3.9 kg/hp the Levante GTS takes only 4.2 seconds to reach 100 km/h, while its top speed is 292 km/h – performance figures of a modern supercar disguised in a high-end SUV body.
The rigid and perfectly balanced Levante chassis has been tuned to effortlessly handle the immense power of the GTS engine, providing a driving experience true to the “Gran Turismo” pedigree of this new V8 Maserati of SUVs.
The Levante’s unmistakable design embodied a new level of sportiness in the Trofeo version and the new GTS has adopted a similar styling theme, which focuses on the lower front fascia and the rear bumper, achieving a sporty yet sophisticated look.
Interior designers have come up with elegant ideas to create a distinctive environment within the Levante GTS cabin providing it as standard with standard Full Premium leather or full-grain Pieno Fiore natural leather as an option, sports pedals and Harman Kardon Audio system with 14 speakers.