Maserati Levante Trofeo (2020) Review: A Hyper-SUV with the heart of a Ferrari

With luxury high-performance SUVs abounding nowadays, Maserati has finally joined the fray with their own interpretation of this concept. And, to ensure genuine abilities and eye-watering performance, they roped in some help from their sibling company, Ferrari. The result is one of the most exciting "Hyper-SUVs" around.

Martin Pretorius

12 Jun 2020 · 23:41Automotive News

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The Maserati Levante has found a small but viable market niche among well-off buyers who need something practical, but don’t want to be seen in anything as plebeian as a Mercedes, BMW or Audi.

But, up till now, the Levante traded mostly on its good looks, rather than its performance: it simply didn’t have an answer to the fiery top-end offerings from premium brands, let alone anything to counter the high-performance luxury SUVs from Lamborghini, Bentley, and Aston Martin. Sure, the normal Levante’s selection of V6 engines (in petrol- or diesel flavour) get the job done just fine with outputs ranging from 202 kW to 316 kW, but such numbers pale into insignificance against the Bentley Bentayga V8’s 404 kW and the Lamborghini Urus’s 478 kW.

Fortunately, Maserati is related to Ferrari (Italian families can be a bit convoluted, sometimes), who are, as before, only too happy to make their V8 expertise available to Maserati. Thus was the Maserati Levante Trofeo born: a luxurious and very good-looking SUV that now has the muscle to back up its visual aggression. And, to make sure that everybody notices its newfound athleticism, Maserati dressed the top-level Levante in an even sportier outfit.

Styling

One thing the Levante never lacked was road presence, and for the Trofeo, this is enhanced even further. The most dramatic changes occur around the front end, where a redesigned bumper with larger air intakes gives a wider, more aggressive look. Of particular interest is the pair of heat-extraction vents in the bonnet, further helping to cool the beast within.

In addition, the exterior has been stripped of all of its brightwork, except for the Trofeo-specific badges. Further visual distinction is ensured by the discreet application of carbon fibre trim pieces and gloss-black accents, while the standard specification for SA-bound Trofeos include dramatic 22-inch “Orione” alloy wheels (available with either polished- or matte finishes).

On the Trofeo’s rear end, there are carbon fibre inserts nestled in the bumper corners, with four burly exhaust outlets clearly signalling its intent of making a nice noise while going very fast. For the rest, it’s much like we’ve grown to expect from the Levante, right down to the gently-rising shoulder line, frameless side glass, and accentuated haunches over the rear wheel arches. The complete package displays classic Italian style, but with an undertone of menace always present.

Performance

Now we get to the nuts and bolts of the Trofeo, and the thing that makes it so brilliant. The engine originates from the Ferrari stable, but has been reworked for its application in a more-civilised Maserati. It’s closely related to the twin-turbo V8 which does duty in a number of Ferraris, but has a slightly shorter stroke thanks to a different (road-biased cross-plane instead of racing spec flat-plane) crankshaft.

This gives a displacement of 3.8 litres (instead of Ferrari’s 3.9 litre capacity), which is enough to produce 440 kW and 730 Nm. From here, the power is sent to all four wheels through an 8-speed torque converter automatic gearbox, where it gets the hefty (2 170 kg) Trofeo moving with considerable enthusiasm. It doesn’t rev quite as high as the Ferrari versions do, but the fact that peak power only arrives at 6 750 r/min gives an indication that this engine still loves to make Italian music with high revs.

Claimed performance is blistering indeed, and near the top of this class. The 0 – 100 km/h dash is dispatched in a claimed 3.9 seconds and it will run on to a governed top speed of 304 km/h. The sprint time is claimed with launch control engaged, but that feature can only be accessed once the car has covered 3 000 km, so my 900 km-young test Trofeo couldn’t give me the full-fat experience just yet. Pity.

The on-road performance should match those claims, however, because the Trofeo is comically quick on the road. Apart from some take-off lag from standstill in normal driving, there’s a surplus of power always on hand, with a twitch of the right ankle instantly adding 30 km/h or so to the speedometer readout. Acceleration is relentless and sustained, and, depending on the drive mode selected, accompanied by just enough thunder from the exhaust to keep the driver enthralled.

For some perspective, consider this: a full-bore start from standstill (even without launch control) will have the Trofeo storming past the national speed limit a third of the way down a typical freeway onramp, and it will easily add another 80 km/h or so before even merging with the actual highway. It’s no exaggeration to say that this machine really flies.

The Drive

The most pleasant surprise about the Trofeo isn’t in the way it rockets down the road, however. Upon approaching it for the first time, those 22-inch wheels and their attendant low-profile tyres (265/35 front, 295/30 rear) caught my eye, and not just because they look striking. No, they had me wondering exactly how unforgiving the ride quality would be on such rubber-band-thin tyres.

I’m pleased to report that, in spite of those very shallow sidewalls, the ride quality is much better than anyone would expect. In fact, with the standard adaptive air suspension set to comfort mode, it rides with the fluency of a luxury saloon, only firming up when one of the two more-aggressive driving modes (Sport and Corsa) are selected. But, even in its stiffest and lowest setting (Corsa mode, exclusive to the Trofeo), comfort levels are more than acceptable.

The wide tyres, well-tuned suspension, rear-biased AWD system and standard rear limited-slip differential also yields masses of road grip. It soon becomes clear why the rear tyres are so much wider than the fronts: 100% of the engine’s substantial torque output goes to the rear wheels by default. Power is only sent to the front end when the rear end loses grip, or to stabilise the car during extreme maneuvers.

Throwing the Trofeo down a winding road is an immensely satisfying experience. Not only does it catapult out of corners, but it stays planted and predictable, co-operating with the driver to deliver big thrills with very little effort. The best bit is that, even though it’s cossetting and smooth when cruising, it comes alive as soon as the driver starts making serious demands.

In enthusiastic driving, the steering wheel clearly telegraphs the state of grip under the front tyres, while well-controlled body motions and weight transfer through corners deliver a massive boost to the driver’s confidence. In fact, this Hyper-SUV might just be the easiest one of its kind to drive really fast, and somehow manages to skip the top-heavy and nose-led sensations that are prevalent in this class. Whoever tuned the Trofeo’s chassis dynamics deserves a prize for so blatantly ignoring the laws of physics.

If there has to be a point of criticism, it would concern the brakes. In spite of gigantic cross-drilled brake rotors all round (380 mm diameter in front and 330 mm diameter at the rear) and 6-piston calipers in front, the brake feel is a bit soggy. The ABS is, according to Maserati, optimised for the V8 model’s performance and weight, but the brakes could do with a sharper initial bite and stronger brake force in very fast driving. I have since learned that the brakes on this particular car have been replaced after its road testing duties, so its braking ability should be restored to specification now.

Space and Comfort

At slightly over 5 metres in length, the Levante is a big car, and this fact reflects in its cabin space. Five average-sized adults will find comfortable accommodation inside the cabin, with ample head- and shoulder room all round – in spite of that sloping roofline and panoramic sunroof. The luggage volume on offer is also more than adequate at 580 litres, although some opponents have even more boot space.

The cabin makes for a very pleasant environment as well. As is to be expected of a Maserati, most of the interior is lined in leather of some kind, which gives a classy ambience to contrast with the high-tech notes struck by the Trofeo’s standard carbon fibre trim inserts. Also standard on the Trofeo (an expensive option on other Levantes) is the super-soft “Pieno Fiore” leather used on the seats and door trims – black with grey contrast stiching in the case of this test car, but also available in tan or red to satisfy those with an extroverted streak. As finishing touches, the “Trofeo” logo is embroidered on the headrests, and the steering column-monted paddle shifters are beautifully wrought (moulded?) in smooth carbon fibre.

Signature Maserati details abound, such as the seat upholstery’s stitching pattern, slightly quirky ergonomics (the drive- and suspension mode selections are performed by a row of identical buttons with indecipherable labels next to the gear selector — properly Italian!), and the centrally-mounted dashboard clock. The latter is very pretty and intricately detailed, but so small and far removed from the driver's sightline that it’s almost impossible to read on the move. No matter, though. It looks brilliant, and that’s enough.

As it should be in a car of this calibre and in this price bracket, local Trofeos arrive with every possible option fitted as standard. The specification sheet includes a sliding panoramic roof with a retractable blind, rear side window blinds, electric memory sports front seats, a powered tailgate, 3-zone climate control, adaptive cruise control, parking sensors all round, surround-view cameras, an 8.4-inch colour touchscreen infotainment system with navigation and smartphone mirroring, and a 1280 W Bowers & Wilkins audio system with 17 speakers – to name but a few standard-fit items.

The main bugbear lies in that infotainment system, which clearly comes from the FCA Group parts bin. It's recognisable as FCA's Uconnect (also found in various Fiats and Jeeps), and it works well enough (even if it isn’t quite as slick as the latest BMW/Mercedes/Audi offerings), but it’s a tad disappointing to see such an obviously mass-market unit in a car with so many bespoke elements. That said, the display quality is decent and the touchscreen menus are fairly intuitive and responsive, so it’s still a better bet than the system you’d find in, say, a Lexus.

Safety

Standard safety equipment in the Levante is competitive for the modern era, with six airbags, stability control, ABS, hill-hold assist, and rear ISOFIX child seat anchors forming a solid baseline. Adaptive Matrix LED headlamps deliver an extra safety boost, as do the parking sensors all round and 360-degree camera system.

While none of the NCAP crash test organisations have hurled a Levante at an obstacle yet, its Ghibli sibling (with which it shares a platform) scored 5 stars in Euro NCAP testing, and there’s no reason to suspect that the Levante will be much different. It’s also nice to note that the cameras, lane-keeping assist, and blind-spot monitoring are all part of the standard equipment package for South Africa, which is not the case with most of its opponents.

Fuel Consumption

To be quite honest, I have no idea what the Levante’s fuel consumption looks like. Its thirst is bound to be prodigious, though, purely gauging by the way it reels in the tarmac at the slightest provocation. Maserati reckons that the Levante Trofeo should return an average consumption figure of 13.7 ℓ/100 km, but I can state right away that it’s unlikely to ever be that good: all that power is bound to be addictive, and the V8 up front is sure to be regularly wound out to the red line just for its accompanying soundtrack.

Price

The last officially listed price for a Levante Trofeo was a cool R3.5-million on the dot, but that only applied to the first consignment of 5 cars, all of which have been sold already. The second (and probably the last) consignment for 2020 (another 5 cars) is almost spoken for as well, but the current price has gone up to about R3.7-million. Part of that price increase is due to our weakening exchange rate, and part of it is due to the second consignment’s spec upgrade – the driver aid suite was optional on the first cars, but has since become standard equipment for SA-bound cars.

But, given its exclusivity, the Levante’s steep pricetag could be justified in the context of its market segment: it’s better-equipped than a standard Lamborghini Urus, for instance, but somewhat less expensive. It’s also quicker than a pricier mid-spec (W12) Bentley Bentayga, and it’s likely better to drive than anything except (possibly) the Aston Martin DBX.

The Verdict

Given the generally ordinary experience on offer in many lesser Levantes, this model’s transformation into a Trofeo is drastic and devastatingly effective. It’s blindingly quick, sounds great when you want it to, dances through the bends with an athleticism that defies its size, settles down beautifully into the role of luxury cruiser, and looks splendid inside and out while doing it all.

As with any other luxury vehicle of this nature, the Levante Trofeo is a pricey extravagance – something with which to showcase your success and style to the whole world. With this in mind, the Trofeo is graced with enough performance, comfort, and exclusivity to make a good case for itself amongst its high-brow opponents. It is however the only one in its class that has the heart of a Ferrari, and that makes all the difference.

Pricing is accurate at the time of writing, but may change without prior notice.

Included in the list price is a warranty for 3 years with no mileage limit, and a maintenance plan for 5 years or 100 000 km.

Expert rating:

4.5/5

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