Levante GTS/Trofeo Next Week?

MrMickS

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According to this https://www.carscoops.com/2018/03/h...s-v8-trofeo-versions-ny/#link_time=1521656436 the Levante GTS will officially appear next week along with a more powerful Trofeo version.

I know that people will think that putting either moniker on an SUV is taking the p*ss but its where Maserati are at the moment. Is it a response to the Urus?

Here's hoping that we start to see signs of the GT replacement soon or the marque could just become a brand.
 

safrane

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Oh my... will reserve judgment until I see one... but hope Maserati dont become all Bentley with huge wheels and spoilers etc.
 

Andyk

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Another step into the Abys..... Well for me it is.....Don't care how much power they give this 4x4 they are giving it to the wrong type of car.......Why can't they make Trofeo Ghibli now that would be worth waiting for but I suppose the Levante is regarded as the best car Maserati makes and one that can compete with the others in its class so a decent place to start no matter how ugly I still think the car is...... Ah well it's the way of the world I suppose and as I'll never buy one suppose it's all irrelevant.
 

MrMickS

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Another step into the Abys..... Well for me it is.....Don't care how much power they give this 4x4 they are giving it to the wrong type of car.......Why can't they make Trofeo Ghibli now that would be worth waiting for but I suppose the Levante is regarded as the best car Maserati makes and one that can compete with the others in its class so a decent place to start no matter how ugly I still think the car is...... Ah well it's the way of the world I suppose and as I'll never buy one suppose it's all irrelevant.

I really don't understand the lack of Ghibli versions. The engine bay has to be big enough as its the same as the QP. The gearbox etc is shared too. It should just be as simple applying the QP mods to it, add a bit of styling, and you've got two new models and something to push. I'd be interested in swapping for a Trofeo Ghibli :D
 

Ewan

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So, a Maserati to take the fight to the Range Rover Sport SVR. Bring it on!
 

Felonious Crud

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I really don't understand the lack of Ghibli versions. The engine bay has to be big enough as its the same as the QP. The gearbox etc is shared too. It should just be as simple applying the QP mods to it, add a bit of styling, and you've got two new models and something to push. I'd be interested in swapping for a Trofeo Ghibli :D

If Aston can squeeze a V12 under the bonnet of its smallest car then I'm sure as **** Maserati could fit a V8 under the bonnet of a Ghibli. Perhaps they perceive no market for such a beast. Shame, because Alfa certainly sees demand.
 

conaero

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bringing with it a 550 HP V8 engine. If that’s not enough, it appears that a Levante Trofeo model could be unveiled right next to it, with an even stronger V8, rated at over 600 HP

This is more like it, c'mon Maserati, bung it in the new GT and Alfieri, Pleeeeeeeeease!
 

Andyk

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This is more like it, c'mon Maserati, bung it in the new GT and Alfieri, Pleeeeeeeeease!

More like it Matt ?...Take it talking about the engine and not a huge 4x4 using the Trofeo name......Marketing men going mad again.....Gransport as a trim level, Trofeo as a Chelsea tractor....What the fecks going on inside their heads......Please make a Trofeo Ghibli instead.....
 

Andyk

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Yep it is.....And what a crying shame its this way....Well as long as all this money they are making from a Chelsea tractor gets some great new sports car models in the line up then so be it.
 

MrMickS

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They announced it https://goo.gl/ii7fsz.

The Levante Trofeo a 590HP SUV with a 3.7s 0-60 time which makes it more powerful and faster than the Stelvio QV. Not initially targeted for the UK market though and talking to the salesman last week he doesn't see them selling many here.
 

hoyin

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If Aston can squeeze a V12 under the bonnet of its smallest car then I'm sure as **** Maserati could fit a V8 under the bonnet of a Ghibli. Perhaps they perceive no market for such a beast. Shame, because Alfa certainly sees demand.

This is interesting though.

You say Alfa sees a demand. So they produce the Quada... (whatever).

However, how many have you actually seen on the road? Are they actually selling well. I have seen maybe around 3-4 since they have launched.

Compare that to how many new Ghibli's I have seen? In my area alone there are 3-4. When I go through London I see around at least a couple a day.

So whereas us petrol heads want a V8 in a Ghibli the general public I feel aren't that interested.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

Felonious Crud

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You're right, but a lot of it's about aspiration and association. Driving a car which looks like its fire-breathing tarmac-ripping relation will be good enough for many people. Seeing the quattroformagio in the showroom, even if you buy the diesel instead, will give the buyer a sense of sporting roots and capability. It's similar to 4x4 ads which se them crawling over mountains, through bogs, or loaded with armed militia in some flyblown civil-war ravaged third-world h3ll-hole. Buyers in Putney love a bit of that, even if the car is only used to drop the unartmed darlings at nursery.
 

DaveT

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You're right, but a lot of it's about aspiration and association. Driving a car which looks like its fire-breathing tarmac-ripping relation will be good enough for many people. Seeing the quattroformagio in the showroom, even if you buy the diesel instead, will give the buyer a sense of sporting roots and capability. It's similar to 4x4 ads which se them crawling over mountains, through bogs, or loaded with armed militia in some flyblown civil-war ravaged third-world h3ll-hole. Buyers in Putney love a bit of that, even if the car is only used to drop the unartmed darlings at nursery.

Agree 100%, however not sure what pizza has to do with things!
 

Wagons-Lits

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all I can say is thank the Lord! It seems like this is the first good bit of news (vs missed opportunity) for Maserati lately. Absolutely makes sense for them to take the fight to the RRS SVR; is this is a class (power if not size wise) above the Macan Turbo/Stelvio QV/Velar SVR/F Pace SVR)? Anyway whether I like it or not this seems to be where the market is these days: people rich enough to plop £60/70/80/90k on a new car seem to go this way by default and I don't see that changing. I don't think I'd ever buy one but I can appreciate my friends would.

Harry Metcalfe made a good point I thought in his recent Geneva show video about how the I Pace Jag was creating a new type of car, not really an SUV but not a 3 box saloon either, it's higher, has a less defined shape - I think that along with myriad SUVs are more likely than not where the space formerly occupied by 'luxury' cars goes. It feels like the formula of a couple of exec/luxury cars and a sports car is out of touch. If anything Maserati should get a smaller SUV ready to go so the Levante can stretch out a bit

History certainly cycles around: I was reading some 80s issues of CAR and it seems like the early Biturbo days aren't so dissimilar from the recent playbook (suddenly drop a 10-15 year run of beautiful GTs <Ghibli/Bora et al and 3200-->Strad these days>) and end up with an exec saloon to compete with the BMW and of course old faithful, the QP. At least you can still buy at GT

No disrespect to the Ghibli or current QP IV of course (although I won't be going to one next) but I wouldn't be surprised to see one or both disappear in favour of more trucks and/or these new style cars. Which hopefully leads to more GTs one day. We are a dying breed
 

Felonious Crud

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Agree 100%, however not sure what pizza has to do with things!

It has everything to do with pizza! Well, at does until I can remember Alfa's names as well as I can remember the names of Pizza Express' finest products.

I'd definitely buy a Giulia Pollo ad Astra.