As much as we would have been entertained by the idea of a Maserati Ghibli sedan riding on stilts with a fancy-sounding moniker, it ain’t gonna happen.
At least not in the foreseeable future because you never know which path premium carmakers will follow to achieve their sales goals.
What we have here, is an early test mule for Maserati’s first ever SUV, the Levante, riding on the Ghibli’s hardware and body, thus confirming the most recent reports about the Fiat-Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) group choosing the Ghibli and Quattroporte platform over the Jeep Grand Cherokee underpinnings.
As such, the Levante will use a modified (for the occasion) version of the Ghibli and Quattroporte’s Q4’ all-wheel drive system adapted for its dual-role use – not that we expect Maserati owners to take their precious SUV off-roading…
It should also get the same 3.0-liter V6 turbocharged petrol with 410hp and 271hp diesel engines, and possibly even the 3.8-liter V8 twin-turbo with around 530-horses as the Ghibli, to rival the Porsche Cayenne Turbo / S, with all units all connected to an 8-speed automatic.
The Levante was previewed by the Kubang concept in 2011, but given the time that has passed, we’re not entirely sure if Maserati will keep the same design.
Photo Credits: CarPix for CarScoops
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