Maserati Levante 2016

[pennellotref]

http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-review/maserati/levante/first-drives/2016-maserati-levante-review

 

Cita

What is it?: 

This is Maserati’s long-promised SUV, a model it first displayed an intent to build long ago with the 2003 Kubang concept, a shapely V8-powered crossover designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro. That car never made it, but in 2011 Maserati unveiled another Kubang, this version based on Jeep mechanicals and promised for early 2014. In the event, it has taken five years rather than three to realise this car, and it’s (wisely) based on Maserati rather than Jeep hardware. It’s also produced in Italy rather than the US, as originally mooted, in a refitted portion of Fiat’s huge Mirafiori plant in Turin.

It arrives in time for a flurry of SUVs from unlikely brands, including theBentley Bentayga, Jaguar F-Pace and the budget MG GS. It’s aimed at the Porsche Cayenne (the grand-daddy of SUVs from unlikely sources) both as a sales and a dynamic target. So it’s big, but doesn’t look it, and expensive, but not as expensive as you’d expect of a car from a blue-blooded brand. The UK launch price is expected to be less than £55,000, pitching the 271bhp diesel V6 between the 258bhp Cayenne V6 diesel and the 380bhp Cayenne V8 diesel. It’s cheaper than all versions of the Range Rover Sport, most of the Mercedes GLE and Volvo XC90 ranges, if not the Audi Q7.

Although the specifications of the UK market Levante have yet to be determined, its core mechanical make-up is impressive for including self-levelling, height-adjustable air springs and electronic dampers, torque vectoring, a limited-slip rear differential and a hybrid materials bodyshell. Despite carrying an extra opening for its tailgate, the Levante’s body is 20% stiffer than the Ghibli’s in recognition of its need to go off-road.

The forward understructure and front suspension towers are aluminium, as are the bonnet, doors and most of the tailgate while magnesium is used for the cross-car beam. The diesel weighs in at 2205kg, however – more than the steel-bodied 2009kg Volvo XC90 D5 and the aluminium-shelled 2115kg Range Rover Sport TDV6, if not the aluminium 2245kg Audi Q7.

Only the 271bhp VM Motori V6 diesel will be offered in the UK; this is an update of the engine offered in the Ghibli and Quattroporte, but other markets will get two twin turbo petrol V6s of 345bhp and 424bhp.

What's it like?: 

This is a car that’s unusual for constantly monitoring the location of its centre of gravity, which besides shifting on the move is also altered by the presence of occupants, luggage and roof racks. Levante programme manager Federico Landini says it takes no more than a left-right turn of the wheel for the car to determine the load it’s carrying and what that does to its centre of gravity, the result enabling it to continuously adjust its air springs and electronic dampers to suit.

This is one reason why Landini confidently claims that the Levante understeers less than any of its rivals, and wields the graphs to prove it. Further bend-slaying aids include the 51:49 front-rear weight distribution, and a driveline apportioning 90% of the V6’s torque to the back axle by default. It can be adjusted in just 150 milliseconds, these continuous shiftings visible on an attractive instrument cluster graphic.

On a track, the deployment of this armoury of cornering controls is pretty impressive in the diesel, and aboard the 424bhp petrol V6 not far short of spectacular. Of which more shortly. For all versions, Maserati’s aim was to make the Levante easy to drive fast, unintimidating and viceless. And on FCA’s more demanding, long test circuit at Balocco it’s all of these things and more, at least in the dry. The Levante’s grip, body control, willingness to turn in and willingness to change direction mid bend soon have you forgetting that you’re riding high aboard an SUV. Instead, the Levante feels like a giant, fine-mannered, rear-drive hot hatch.

You can provoke understeer of course. On one tight, slippery Balocco bend it starts running wide, and if you have the ESP off it will judder wider still, but throttling off has it neatly edging into the bend’s apex, trajectory restored. Through most curves the Maserati is invigoratingly brisk and satisfyingly accurate, your pace rising with the discovery that you can trim its line with the throttle, impressively potent brakes allowing speedier post-bend departures. Maserati claims among the shortest 62mph-to-0mph stopping distances in the class, incidentally. The gearbox is pretty slick with its ratio selections down the eight-speed order accompanied by smile-firing rev-blending blips. This diesel certainly isn’t ragingly quick, but it’s just brisk enough to carry the badge.

The most potent petrol V6 feels, and sounds, more exciting. It fills your ears with cultured orchestrations of urge, propelling the Levante a whole lot harder and without uncovering any significant dynamic cracks. Turn-in is slightly slower, but there’s less understeer and a lot more of the electrifying physical sensations you’d expect from a Maserati. Market logic suggests a small-to-pointless UK demand for this model, but it’s unquestionably the most compelling realisation of the Levante, even if it’s more stiff-legged than the diesel on real-world roads. The diesel is pretty firmly damped, but acceptably pliant.

Off-road? It sounds unlikely in a Maserati, but the Levante has the tools to adventure without embarrassment, aided by an adjustable ride height, hill-descent control, bags of torque - and the means to effectively split it. Longer wheel travel than offered by its saloon siblings, an impressively robust body structure and a couple of off-road modes complete the toolkit. The Levante’s cabin furnishings will be more readily enjoyed by most owners.

Which as you’d expect is luxurious, if not as sumptuous as several Maseratis past. Striking features include frameless doors (although the front door glasses can come perilously close to your face when boarding), a subtly elegant, leather-upholstered dashboard, an infotainment system more convincing than found in Maserati’s saloons and a high-altitude driving position completely different to that of any previous trident bearer. Mercedes owners will be familiar with the a single stalk controlling indicators, wipers and main beam, the space immediately behind the classy steering wheel dominated by a pair of sizeable alloy paddles. 

Practicality has never been a major consideration for a Maserati, but it’s a major reason for SUVs to be. The Levante scores with plenty of room up front, a long if not especially, deep boot and easily folded seats. Rear comfort is reasonable despite limited foot room, while oddments storage is average.

Should I buy one?: 

If you want a large, aristocratic, adequately practical and brisk SUV with exceptional handling, you should shortlist a Levante. It’s also refreshingly different, surprising value given its lineage and entirely able off-road.

It’s missing a few of the latest electronic and infotainment flourishes (self-parking, a giant-size infotainment screen) and the petrol version is a more complete realisation of a Maserati SUV. This diesel won't win many CO2 emissions face-offs, either, but ultimately the Levante is a handsome SUV that drivers – and passengers - will enjoy.

 

http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/maserati/levante/94812/new-maserati-levante-2016-review

 

Cita

Verdict

4

The Maserati Levante is an essential car for the brand if it’s to hit its future growth targets and first impressions are very positive. It’s an accomplished and appealing machine with a breadth of capabilities plus character and identity that set it apart from its growing band of rivals. The diesel-only model range in the UK means there’s no halo model and a lack of truly blistering performance but sharp looks, comfort and great handling combine with sensible pricing to give it a good chance.

 

 

This is Maserati’s first SUV, a car that might just be the most important Maserati built in the marque’s 102-year history. The Maserati Levante continues the tradition of Maserati cars named after winds, Levante being taken from the Viento de Levante that blows through the Strait of Gibraltar in the southern Mediterranean, but in other respects it’s a huge break from Maserati’s past. 

Enthusiasts may well baulk at the prospect of a Maserati SUV but the Levante is Maserati through and through. The car was designed and engineered in Italy and it’s being built there, at the Fiat Group’s Mirafiori plant in Turin. The car was first hinted at by the Kubang concept at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show and in the time it’s taken to get the Levante production car to market, the luxury SUV sector has boomed. Maserati is eagerly eyeing the potential profits its first SUV could generate and it’s no exaggeration to say that the brand’s future prospects hinge on its success or failure.

From launch two engines are available - a 3.0-litre 430bhp V6 petrol and 3.0-litre 275bhp V6 diesel - but only the diesel is set to be sold in the UK. This risks further disappointing Maserati fans but the vast majority of SUV sales are diesel so the move is understandable. Perhaps once the Levante is established a V8 petrol version might be forthcoming to rival the sector’s big guns but that seems a long way off.

The Maserati Levante measures in at 5m long and just over 2.1m wide. It’s a big car but the elegant curves have a welcome lack of the blunt aggression that often characterises the luxury SUV breed. Maserati’s established styling cues sit surprisingly well on the SUV blueprint and the Levante looks good on the road.

The interior is equally impressive with its high quality feel and sharp design. The optional Luxury Pack features a high-class combination of leather and silk by Zegna that gives the Levante an indulgent ambience that’s unique in the sector. The allure of the Maserati badge combined with the unyielding premium feel of the Levante make the diesel‘s predicted list price of between £53,000 - £55,000 feel like very good value.

Maserati has been bullish in its claims of class-leading ride and handling for the Levante so the car has a lot to live-up to. Initial impressions are encouraging, with a strong sense of structural rigidity and smooth, well-judged steering that’s quick-witted without feeling overly sharp. The suspension manages to connect you to the road while isolating you from the bumps and above all, the Levante hides its size admirably - for a 2,205kg SUV.

On the performance front, a generous 599Nm of torque ensures the Levante is lively off the mark, but its performance is brisk rather than truly rapid. The 0-62mph time of 6.9s is little better than average in the company of today’s power-packed premium SUVs. The 5.2s 0-62mph pace you get from the most powerful petrol version is nearer the mark, though the diesel gets its own back with a CO2 figure of 189g/km vs 253g/km for the Levante S 435.

On the motorway the Diesel lopes along nicely, and the 8-speed torque converter gearbox responds quickly when you want to kick-down. It’s a refined, comfortable long distance car without doubt. Wind noise is subdued despite the frameless windows and the general ambience is that of an elevated Maserati GT car, which is a very good thing. 

The Levante is also impressively capable off-road with five suspension settings including two dedicated off-road modes. The highest of these two settings lifts the ride height by 40mm to give useful ground clearance. Back on the tarmac and its good to see the Maserati genes in evidence on twisty roads where there’s plenty of poise and a fine balance that reflects the car’s 50:50 weight distribution. A mechincal limited-slip differential and Torque Vectoring help, as does a 4x4 system that sends 100 per cent of drive to the rear, but can send up to 50 per cent to the front as required.

However much you might dislike the notion of this blue-blooded Italian marque embracing the SUV you simply can’t ignore the business case. One-million cars are sold annually in the premium luxury segment, with some 500,000 of those being SUVs. If Maserati is to achieve its aspiration of building 75,000 cars a year, it needs a slice of that action and the Levante might just have the qualities to deliver it. 

 

P.S.: se cliccate, ci sono varie fotazze 

Modificato 10 Marzo 2016 da pennellotref

[infallibile_GF]

Una cosa che mi paice dei fari anteriori: una semplice striscia di led, senza strambi ghirigori come fa la concorrenza.

[poliziottesco]

il prezzo qui in UK e' davvero competitivo, se mettono offerte interessanti cole leasing or PCP potrebbe avere un ottimo successo. 

[p.fina]

It’s missing a few of the latest electronic and infotainment flourishes (self-parking, a giant-size infotainment screen)

 

 

La diesel parte da 55.000 sterline. Meno della RR Sport e poco meno delle GLE, Q7 e XC90

[T a u r u s]

On 8 March 2016 at 16:36, Marco88 dice:

 

 

 

 

16 minuti fa, p.fina dice:

It’s missing a few of the latest electronic and infotainment flourishes (self-parking, a giant-size infotainment screen)

 

 

La diesel parte da 55.000 sterline. Meno della RR Sport e poco meno delle GLE, Q7 e XC90

 

 

meno di RR si... non meno delle altre...costa 10% in più rispetto a Cayenne 

 

prezzi UK

 

Maserati Levante Diesel 55K GBP

Porsche Cayenne Diesel 50,4K GBP

BMW X6 xDrive30d 51,8K GBP

BMW X5 xDrive30d 49.9K GBP

Volvo XC90 D5 46,95K GBP

Audi Q7 3.0TDI 272cv quattro tiptronic 49,475K GBP   

 

 

p.s. quanto all'infotainment certamente meglio di altre come Cayenne che offre uno schermo di 7'.....

Modificato 10 Marzo 2016 da T a u r u s

[pennellotref]

Una versione un po' più lunga ed articolata della recensione di AutoExpress, redatta dallo stesso giornalista, ossia Richard Meaden, per EVO:

 

http://www.evo.co.uk/maserati/levante/17485/maserati-levante-review-still-want-that-cayenne

 

Cita

The Levante honours Maserati’s tradition for naming its cars after exotic winds, but little else about the all-new SUV sits quite so comfortably with Trident’s rich and noble heritage. Nor with our enthusiast sensibilities, truth be told. Yet here it is; Maserati’s first-ever SUV and, in all likelihood, the most important model in the marque’s 102-year history. So what do we make of it?

Engine, Transmission and 0-60mph time

Forget 2011’s Kubang concept and its proposed platform share with Jeep. Levante is pure Maserati, designed, engineered and built in Italy. Two engines are offered - a 3.0-litre 430bhp V6 petrol and 3.0-litre 275bhp V6 diesel. We only get the diesel in the UK, which instinctively feels like a shame, but with the overwhelming majority of SUV sales being diesel such pragmatism is understandable, for now at least. Perhaps when Maserati’s foot is in the door and it fancies a pop at the Big Guns a V8 petrol Levante might be forthcoming, but for now that’s a dream.

A generous 442lb ft of torque helps the Levante off the mark, but its performance is brisk rather than genuinely rapid, as 0-62mph time of 6.9sec confirms. This compares with 5.2sec for the most powerful petrol version, though the diesel fights back with a CO2 figure of 189g/km vs 253g/km for the Levante S 435. Out on the autostrada the Diesel lopes along nicely, and the 8-speed torque converter shuffles the ratios nicely when you want to kick-down. It’s a refined and adept mile-eater, no question. Wind noise is subdued despite frameless windows (Maserati has worked hard on this) and the general ambience is that of an elevated GT. It’s a very nice way to travel. 

Ride and Handling

With big claims made for a class leading blend of ride and handling the Levante has much to live-up to. Initial impressions are really encouraging, with a palpable sense of structural rigidity, smooth, well-judged steering response (from a hydraulic power-assisted rack) that’s quick-witted without feeling overly sharp, and damping that connects you to the road but isolates you from the bumps. Above all it hides its size and weight (2205kg for the diesel) admirably.

After two hours of lumpen back roads and rapid autostrada work we arrive at the Balocco Proving Ground, where we can explore the opposite ends of the Levante’s capabilities on the high speed handing circuit and a technical off-road course. I’m not sure what feels more incongruous; pointing the bluff nose of a 2-ton+ SUV out onto one of the world’s more challenging manufacturer test tracks, or slamming it through rocky ruts , wading through mud and nudging over the edge of a precipitous 70% slope and falling into the invisible catch net of the hill decent electronics. 

While it’s impressively capable off-road (Of the five suspension settings available, the highest of the two off-road modes lifts the ride height by 40mm) the biggest surprise and greatest pleasure comes on the high speed handling course. Too often these big beasts contain their mass with huge tyres, musclebound damping and resolutely rigid anti-roll bars, but the Levante feels free and fluid from the off. There’s plenty of poise and pliancy, and the handling balance really does reflect the 50:50 weight distribution.

A mechincal limited-slip differential and Torque Vectoring helps, as does an active torque split that prefers 100 per cent to the rear, but can send up to 50 per cent to the front as required. It has a natural athleticism where others SUVs feel like they had had it thrust upon them.

When grip fades it yields from the front first, but its gradual and easily contained with a gentle lift of the throttle. You can feel the ESP at work in Normal, but switch to Sport and the thresholds are upped to minimise the intrusion. Disable the ESP completely and you access the final 10 per cent of the Levante’s abilities, though in deference to the increased c of g the ESP reawakens if you’re a complete hooligan. That might puts a dent in potential YouTube video views, but outside of that rather daft bubble it doesn’t get in the way of your enjoyment of the car.     

Tantalisingly we also get he chance to try the Levante S 435. What are we missing? In terms of looks, luxury and chassis dynamics, very little, for all Levante’s share the same transmission and air-suspension with Skyhook damping, albeit with subtle differences between 275 Diesel and 430 S petrol models.

As you’d expect the petrol V6 has greater urgency and a pleasing appetite for revs that the diesel can never hope to match. It has a pleasingly gruff note, in fact it’s really rather vocal on full-throttle with Sport mode engaged. It sounds like a Maserati, in other words. The uprated brakes have a slightly firmer pedal and more insistent stopping power when used hard, but they retain the diesel’s smooth, progressive feel at low speed.

There’s more outright grip, and because the rear tyres are wider the balance remains more neutral, but it still has poise where more musclebound SUVs like the Range Rover Sport and Cayenne can feel numb and flat-footed. Of course it’s the quicker and more exciting car, but far from overshadowing the 275, the 430 merely underlines the inherent rightness to be found in both models. 

However much you might dislike the notion of this blue-blooded Italian marque embracing the SUV you simply can’t ignore the business case. One-million cars are sold annually in the premium luxury segment, with some 500,000 of those being SUVs. The US and Chinese markets in particular devour them, and we’re rather partial to them in Europe, too, so you don’t need to be a genius to grasp the fact that if Maserati is to achieve its aspiration of building 75,000 cars a year it needs a slice of that action. On the evidence of this first drive Levante looks set to do just that. Deservedly so, for it’s an accomplished and appealing machine with a breadth of capabilities, character and identity that set it apart from its rivals. As such Levante is a breath of fresh air in the segment and a wind of change at Maserati. We like. 

Price, Specs and Rivals

Looks-wise the Levante is a curious and appealing machine. At 5m long and just over 2.1m wide it’s a hefty car, but there’s elegance to its curves and a welcome lack of the thuggish aggression that characterises the breed. Familiar Maserati styling cues sit surprisingly well and it looks good amongst other traffic.

The interior is equally impressive with its sharp, tailored design and quality feel. Worthy of special mention is the optional Luxury Pack, which features a bold combination of leather and 100% silk by Zegna and gives the Levante an indulgent and original ambience. These looks and luxury combined with the allure of the Maserati badge make the Levante 275‘s predicted list price of somewhere between £53,000 - £55,000 feel very keen indeed.

In terms of rivals, the Porsche Macan is the most obvious competitor to the Levante, alongside Jaguar's still to be launched F-Pace. An entry-level Cayenne can also be had for similar money.

Per le foto, cliccate sul link 

[poliziottesco]

Ottima recensione. 

PS- non credo abbiano azzeccato ad individuare la concorrenza....

[Matteo B.]

2 minuti fa, poliziottesco dice:

Ottima recensione. 

PS- non credo abbiano azzeccato ad individuare la concorrenza....

 

hanno guardato solo il prezzo d'attacco.

 

alla fine è un'approccio un po' "piatto", ma anche corretto. la domanda è "quanto ho da spendere". e da li si parte.

[poliziottesco]

1 minuto fa, Matteo B. dice:

 

hanno guardato solo il prezzo d'attacco.

 

alla fine è un'approccio un po' "piatto", ma anche corretto. la domanda è "quanto ho da spendere". e da li si parte.

Approccio tipicamente anglo-ammerecano. 

[Matteo B.]

Adesso, poliziottesco dice:

Approccio tipicamente anglo-ammerecano. 

 

volevo scriverlo nel mio post.