Maserati has unveiled another go-fast version of its Levante SUV, whipping the covers off the V8-powered GTS at the Goodwood Festival of Speed.
The GTS will sit beneath the range-topping Trofeo, revealed in March, and is powered by the same twin-turbocharged 3.8-litre V8 engine built by Ferrari.
In new GTS guise, Maserati's Porsche Macan-hunter makes slightly less power than its Trofeo sibling, now sending 404kW and 730Nm thundering toward all four tyres thanks to its Q4 all-wheel-drive system.
As you have probably guessed, those kinds of performance figures ensure the big Levante is no kind of slouch. In fact, Maserati tells us the GTS will clip 100km/h in just 4.2seconds, and that it will push on to a physics-defying 298km/h. The school run has never looked so fast.
Elsewhere, the Levante has had a sporty makeover similar to that of the Trofeo, with a lower front fascia and rear bumper, flared rear guards and a blacked-out effect on its gaping grille. Inside, expect leather trim, sports pedals and a 14-speaker Harman Kardon stereo.
The GTS is yet to be confirmed for Australia (nor is the Trofeo, for that matter), but given our appetite for luxury SUVs, we’d be very surprised if it didn’t make a local debut. So watch this space.
The Levante GTS or a Porsche Macan? Tell us in the comments below.
Andrew Chesterton
Contributing Journalist
Andrew Chesterton should probably hate cars. From his hail-damaged Camira that looked like it had spent a hard life parked at the end of Tiger Woods' personal driving range, to the Nissan Pulsar Reebok that shook like it was possessed by a particularly mean-spirited demon every time he dared push past 40km/h, his personal car history isn't exactly littered with gold.
But that seemingly endless procession of rust-savaged hate machines taught him something even more important; that cars are more than a collection of nuts, bolts and petrol. They're your ticket to freedom, a way to unlock incredible experiences, rolling invitations to incredible adventures. They have soul.
And so, somehow, the car bug still bit. And it bit hard.
When "Chesto" started his journalism career with News Ltd's Sunday and Daily Telegraph newspapers, he covered just about everything, from business to real estate, courts to crime, before settling into state political reporting at NSW Parliament House.
But the automotive world's siren song soon sounded again, and he begged anyone who would listen for the opportunity to write about cars. Eventually they listened, and his career since has seen him filing car news, reviews and features for TopGear, Wheels, Motor and, of course, CarsGuide, as well as many, many others.
More than a decade later, and the car bug is yet to relinquish its toothy grip. And if you ask Chesto, he thinks it never will.
About Author
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
Comments