with the Maserati Levante
That first roar of the engine starting up the SUV, was a great indicator that I was embarking on an excellent test drive. The 2017 Maserati Levante accelerates from 0 to 60 mph in 5.0 seconds and reaches 164 mph, the highest top speed in its class. Just about everyone is producing a line of SUV’s now; Jaguar with the F-Pace, and Porsche’s Cayenne. Why not Maserati? They thought so too and outshined the competition.
Engineered by Ferrari, the engine is a 3.0 liter twin-turbo V6, with the ability to speak for itself. Engine sound alone is intoxicating, even when remembered. First, you feel the rumble in your chest, and before you know it, there is an uncontrollable smile spread across your face. No need for an evenly balanced sound system when you can roll the windows down and hear the perfectly engineered 424 hp engine roar.
Driving the Maserati Levante is an experience akin to riding a gravity- defying roller coaster. Acceleration is incomparable, setting the tone of what to expect throughout all aspects of the drive. A genuinely pristine performance.
Handling the Levante became more natural and instantaneous due to its heightened responsiveness. I found my ability to drive this car with confidence increasing, quickly. The Levante’s responsiveness derives from the 90 percent of both twin engines’ torque, available in less than 2,000 rpm; making the Levante, one of the most agile SUVs on the road. Easily shifting between the automatic transmissions drive modes (Normal, Sport, Off-Road and I.C.E.) are seamless, despite all 3.3-inches of suspension adjustments.
The grip is impeccable within the city. Featuring 50/50 weight distribution and a front suspension comprised of double A-arms, the result is a satisfyingly sporty drive. The effortless feeling of driving the Levante resonates long after the drive is over.
Combined weight distribution and fluid maneuvering of the Levante, inclines one to presume that this must be what driving on clouds is, that, and absolute power. The Maserati Levante is the apex, a powerful driving machine that calls for adventure.
Italian design resonates not only in the structure of the SUV but throughout the interior as well. Zegna mulberry silk and Italian leather adorn the seats, floor panels, roof lining and sun visors.
Design is king here. Combining Italian engineering and the Ermenegildo Zegna interior, a custom line for the Levante, has achieved the pinnacle to which all others aspire.
Once you have driven the Levante, you will always take the long way home, that includes a straightaway, tight curves, and maybe another straightaway. I expect after purchasing the Levante, taking a longer route will be the new normal.
| | | Test drive today at Sill TerHar Motors, STHMotors.com, 150 Alter St, Broomfield | | |