Spy pics of the upcoming Maserati Levante SUV have been spotted on the web. Scheduled for production in 2015, the car you’re looking at here is a very early test mule and doesn’t really point to what the styling might be (a good thing as this isn’t exactly a looker).
What it does point to, however, is that the new car will be underpinned by Maserati’s own RWD platform used in the Quattroporte and Ghibli, rather than the Jeep-sourced Cherokee internals as we originally thought.
Styling-wise, it should look more like the Kubang concept car seen at the 2011 Frankfurt Auto Show, although Maserati’s design DNA has moved on a little since then so expect a few tweaks. The basic silhouette should remain.
As Maserati will be aiming at the luxury/performance niche within the SUV segment, don’t expect any pukka off-road ability, but rather something with sportier urban pretensions. Under the hood is likely to be a choice of Porsche Cayenne-challenging 3.0-litre V6 and 3.8-litre V8 petrol units found in the Ghibli and Quattroporte, as well as a diesel derivative. An 8-speed auto ‘box is likely to be the only option in all models.
Picture courtesy: Motorauthority.com
