Yahoo Autos 2022 Maserati Levante Trofeo Road Test | Paint the town red
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. -- It’s a transitional moment for Maserati and many of its contemporaries. We’re on the precipice of an electric future that is taking shape but not yet reality. Until that day comes, we’re taking our final laps in things like the 580-horsepower Levante Trofeo.
Dripping in attitude, sharp design and packing an engine that sounds ready for Imola, this Levante recalls everything Maserati has done well over its 108-year history, which predates Ferrari by three decades. Except for the sport utility body style, this vehicle could have been built by Maserati in almost any era.
In 2022, however, it’s not a template. Maserati will replace the Ferrari-built V8, like the one under the hood of my test vehicle, with its in-house Nettuno V6, a 600-hp twin-turbo engine that is Maserati’s biggest engine project in decades. Ultimately the brand will go all-electric.
In the here and now, the Levante Trofeo is an attention-getting vehicle. Even more awe-inducing than the engine, the $17,000 Rosso Magma paint looks like it should come with a parole officer. It's available through the Fuoriserie Corse customization program and is by far the most expensive option on this 2022 Levante Trofeo, which stickers for $173,550. It almost appears iridescent in some lighting. Other add-ons include carbon-fiber paddle shifters ($450), painted 22-inch staggered wheels ($400) and gloss black brake calipers ($500). Being the Trofeo trim, it’s already loaded with the best features from the Modena and GT variants.
This is our first taste of the Levante since Maserati reshuffled the trim lineup for 2021. It wears the updated Maserati emblem and Trident, and Trofeo is spelled out in a script that has a vaguely 1980s vibe. Otherwise, this is the Levante we’ve known for several years.
