What are these Maserati SUVs I keep seeing?

[DJMC]

Pulled up by a transporter load of disguised SUVs a few weeks back then followed one on the road Friday. Is it a Macan wannabe?

[lukeharding]

Its the new Levante, now available with a petrol engine too apparently.

http://www.maserati.co.uk/maserati/gb/en/models/le...

[cayman-black]

DJMC said:

Pulled up by a transporter load of disguised SUVs a few weeks back then followed one on the road Friday. Is it a Macan wannabe?

Far prettier and more upmarket than a Macan.

[Quickmoose]

Stylistically, a mildly massaged Infiniti. Sad times for Maserati's design office IMO.
Macan or Stelvio for me.

[lukeharding]

Quite different to an Infiniti in terms of styling really though

[Squadrone Rosso]

They are further automotive proof that money can't buy class.......or taste.

[Quickmoose]

lukeharding said:

Quite different to an Infiniti in terms of styling really though

personal opinion aside

Maserati are now much more aligned with a far eastern design language externally AND internally, than with their more traditional and exotic Italian style of recent times (excusing their 80's adventure with rulers).
Getting Chinese buyers more important I guess.

[Hugo a Gogo]

cayman-black said:

DJMC said:

Pulled up by a transporter load of disguised SUVs a few weeks back then followed one on the road Friday. Is it a Macan wannabe?

Far prettier and more upmarket than a Macan.

pretty...

.. is not the word I'd use

[Quickmoose]

...and that's one of the better angles.

[adamjsmith]

HR Owen use them as courtesy cars for Ferrari service customers so I had one for a few days last month. I thought it was a disgusting vehicle in every way. It's like someone in Maserati's product development division once drove a Range Rover and thought to themselves "we can make one of these, but we're just going to use old Fiat Punto parts".

[priley]

adamjsmith said:

HR Owen use them as courtesy cars for Ferrari service customers so I had one for a few days last month. I thought it was a disgusting vehicle in every way. It's like someone in Maserati's product development division once drove a Range Rover and thought to themselves "we can make one of these, but we're just going to use old Fiat Punto parts".

Ouch. I'm no fan of this 'sector' but it looks to me like the Alfa Stelvio in Quadrifoglio (spl?) guise is going to make a better looking car. I guess it might be a little smaller but a strange move for FIAT if so.

[johnnyreggae]

Is there a way to ban discussion of this vehicle in the Supercar section ? It isn't

If necessary move all of 'Maserati' to 'Other Marques' where it probably now belongs

[lukeharding]

Quickmoose said:

personal opinion aside

Maserati are now much more aligned with a far eastern design language externally AND internally, than with their more traditional and exotic Italian style of recent times (excusing their 80's adventure with rulers).
Getting Chinese buyers more important I guess.

Their design language has changed definitely, aiming at a lower cost market than they were before, though I don't quite agree that it is far eastern design language it definitely isn't their Italian flair. The point is about Chinese buyers is that they will allow the company to survive and hopefully build great cars again. The interior of this car is still recognisably Maserati though and better than most of its class aesthetically in my opinion.

[MDL111]

not a fan of current Maserati design language - loved the facelift Quattroporte (2008ish?) of the last model and the Gransport, even the Grantourismo is quite nice - and all of them sounded amazing and were not available with diesel engines ....... but the latest models all seem a little 'meeh' - general excitement level not there anymore

[vsonix]

jebus wept that's ugly

[Quickmoose]

Take the Trident off the steering wheel.. could be literally anything...


in fact cover up the badge of this random find....and given it's lovely clock....you could swap the badges and be none the wiser, aesthetically.

[astroarcadia]

Harry Metcalfe has a review of one on his Youtube channel - it's seriously ugly and looks cheap.

[BaronMcLaren]

johnnyreggae said:

Is there a way to ban discussion of this vehicle in the Supercar section ? It isn't

If necessary move all of 'Maserati' to 'Other Marques' where it probably now belongs

Amen.

Motion seconded!