Italian luxury vehicle manufacturer Maserati will display its first SUV, the Levante, at Auto China 2016 in Beijing. Photo provided to China Daily

New SUV features unrivaled blend of design, comfort and technologies

Italian luxury vehicle manufacturer Maserati launched its first SUV Levante at the 2016 Geneva International Motor Show.

The new model complements the brand's existing product portfolio of the Quattroporte, Ghibli, GranTurismo and GranCabrio.

"The Levante, a new and pure Maserati with exclusive style, sporty yet elegant design, will set a new benchmark in terms of performance coupled with capability relative to the best current segment alternatives," said Maserati CEO Harald Wester.

"It is a vehicle that we are proud of because it will give customers in China, finally, a unique alternative," Wester said. "The Levante gives owners the ultimate in elegance, convenience and comfort of a luxury SUV yet allows for the release of their inner energy."

The company said the Levante will bring an unrivaled blend of design, luxury, technology and efficiency to lead the SUV segment.

The Levante's interior has been decorated with the finest materials. The company offers buyers two options for the interior, leather or Ermenegildo Zegna silk made in Trivero by the Zegna wool mill.

The design of the new Maserati SUV is based on the Quattroporte and Ghibli architecture. The company refined the new model to meet the expectations of the SUV segment, an area that Maserati will be competing in for the first time.

The Levante offers a three-liter twin-turbo V-6 with two horsepower ratings: 350 hp and 430 hp. The SUV is also available with a diesel turbo engine version with 275 hp.

The Levante S, with the 430 hp engine, accelerates from zero to 100 km/h in 5.2 seconds. It has a top speed of 264 km/h. Fuel consumption reaches 10.9 liters per 100 km under the New European Driving Cycle.

The Levante features a wide range of sophisticated advanced driver assistance systems. Photo provided to China Daily

The 350 hp engine accelerates to 100 km/h in six seconds from zero, with a top speed of 251 km/h. It consumes 10.7 liters of fuel per 100 km under the NEDC, a standard to assess the emissions levels and fuel economy of car engines.

All engines are equipped with the Q4 intelligent all-wheel drive system, which can instantaneously transfer torque between the axles. The vehicle is equipped with a ZF eight-speed automatic gearbox along with an integrated start-stop system.

Maserati said the technology applied to every Levante will guarantee outstanding performance both on and off the road. For instance, its sophisticated suspension - uble-wishbone on the front axle and multilink on the rear, combined with electronically controlled damping and four corner air-springs providing five dynamic ride levels - ll make the vehicle easy to handle.

Furthermore, compared with its rivals, the Levante has the lowest center of gravity in its class, a perfectly balanced weight distribution (50-50) between front and rear, high levels of dynamic torsional and flexional stiffness and a mechanical self-locking rear differential.

All the standard features ensure the Levante will deliver all the performance typical of every Maserati.

An interface, based on the Maserati Touch Control system, offers a 21.3-cm high-resolution screen that can be operated using a rotary control or a touch system.

A wide range of sophisticated advanced driver assistance systems are equipped on the Levante, such as adaptive cruise control with automatic start-stop function, forward collision warning, automatic brake assist system and lane departure warning.

There are two extended feature packs for the Levante that each include a variety of distinctive stylistic and technical features that will enable customers to extensively personalize the exterior and interior of the Levante.

The company revealed that a new state-of-the-art production line was set up exclusively for the Levante in the historic Mirafiori plant, where high quality standards are maintained in the design, development and production facilities.