New 590hp Levante Trofeo Maserati has unleashed a 590hp version of its Levante, dubbed the Trofeo, to challenge Alfa Romeo’s Stelvio Quadrifoglio. Maserati’s new V8 petrol-powered Levante Trofeo slots in at the top of its range as one of the most powerful SUVs on the market – and one of the most potent Maseratis ever.
Mhe Ferrari-built 3.8-litre twin-turbo V8 engine has been developed from that seen in other Maserati range models, and delivers 590hp at 6250rpm, while peak torque of 538lb ft (730Nm) arrives at 2250rpm. It has the highest output per litre (156hp per litre) of any Maserati powerplant ever.
It’s been specially developed to mate up to Maserati’s Q4 ‘Intelligent All-Wheel Drive’ system. The chassis has also been tuned to handle the higher power output and Maserati’s Integrated Vehicle Control (IVC) system arrives for the first time in the Levante, ensuring “improved driving dynamics,” says the company.
Claimed performance figures are 0-62mph in 3.9 seconds and a top speed of 187mph (300km/h). A new ‘Corsa’ driving mode includes launch control, as well as opening the exhaust valves, providing faster gearshifts, lowering the air suspension and sharpening the damping.
The Trofeo is distinguished by a plethora of carbonfibre details. The front side air intakes are more aggressively designed, and there are two aerodynamic front winglets, carbon blades and a carbon splitter. A redesigned bonnet features two vents for better cooling, while the V8 engine cover is made of high-gloss carbonfibre and the intake manifolds are painted red.
Full Matrix LED headlights join a front grille with piano black bars and a lower honeycomb mesh grille. Other features are body-colour door handles, carbon side skirt inserts, brake callipers in red, blue, black, silver or yellow, and ‘Trofeo’ logos on the C-pillars.
At the rear end are more carbon elements and a body-colour lower valance embracing dark-finish oval quad exhausts. 22-inch forged aluminium ‘Orione’ wheels are the largest size ever fitted to a Maserati and are available in either polished or matt finishes.
The interior features sport seats in ‘Pieno Fiore’ natural leather with Trofeo logos stitched on the headrests. Also new are matt carbon trim and paddle shifters, specific instrument graphics, Trofeo-badged mats and a unique Maserati clock.
Production starts this summer, initially for North America, but Maserati hasn’t ruled out a European and UK launch.
MASERATI GRANTURISMO NEARS END OF LINE Maserati dealers report that they are ordering their final stocks of the recently updated GranTurismo and GranCabrio models. Production is slated to end later this year, with the last examples likely to be registered in 2019.
