Yahoo Autos 2019 Maserati Levante GTS: A 542-HP Trofeo Lite
As it currently stands, the Maserati Levante lineup offers a wide array of power levels. The diesel offers 275 horsepower, the base gasoline-powered Levante offers 345, the Levante S has 424, and the mack-daddy Trofeo boasts 590. But Maserati is adding yet another choice, the GTS, with 542 horses.
Maserati bills the GTS, a label also used on the flagship Quattroporte sedan, as the “quintessential V-8 Levante.” The shared name is fitting, as the engine under the hood of the Levante is derived from that in the Quattroporte. It is a twin-turbocharged 3.8-liter V-8 that has been re-engineered for the SUV. Its 542 horsepower arrives at 6250 rpm, and its 538 lb-ft of torque comes on stream at 2500 rpm. Perhaps more impressively, this engine is assembled by Ferrari in Maranello, Italy.
Compared with the version in the Quattroporte, the Levante GTS V-8 has a new crankcase, a new oil pump, a new auxiliary belt, and reworked wiring. The cylinder heads were also redesigned to fit new camshafts and valves for a better blend: more power while maintaining efficiency. The pistons and connecting rods were also redesigned.
The engine is paired with an eight-speed ZF automatic transmission. It is operated with a new gear selector that can switch between automated manual and automatic modes and has a new park button. It sends the V-8’s oomph to all four wheels. Maserati’s Q4 intelligent all-wheel-drive system is set up to operate mostly in rear-drive mode, but slippery surfaces can trigger up to 50 percent of the torque being redirected to the front wheels. A standard limited-slip differential and torque vectoring further increase the Levante GTS’s abilities.
The air-spring suspension and adaptive dampers have been tuned to handle the extra power and weight of the V-8 powertrain (claimed to be 132 pounds). The GTS is stopped by six-piston monoblock front calipers squeezing 15.0-inch rotors with 13.0-inch rotors at the rear.
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Visually, the exterior of the GTS is similar to that of the Trofeo, but it does adopt uniquely designed 20-inch wheels (21- or 22-inch wheels are optional). Inside, leather is the name of the game. The sport seats, door panels, lower dashboard, and armrest are covered in black, red, tan, or beige hides. A full-grain Pieno Fiore leather is optional, as are a microsuede headliner and contrast stitching.
Dealers are ready to accept your order now, with deliveries expected to start in October. The GTS starts at $121,475, a full $50,000 less than the starting price of a Trofeo. It’s not cheap, but it is the least expensive way to get an SUV that boasts a Ferrari engine.
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