Maserati's first SUV priced from $140K

Maserati staged the Australian debut of its first SUV, the Levante, today in Sydney, where a starting price of just under $140,000 was announced.

Three diesel versions will be available from launch, starting with the entry-level Levante ($139,990 plus on-road costs) and also including more highly specified Sport and Luxury variants, both priced at $159,990 plus ORCs.

A fully-loaded Zegna Edition will also be available in Australia, featuring real silk seat inserts among a host of luxurious extras, but local pricing is yet to be announced.

Despite a starting price that's about $40,000 above chief rivals like the Porsche Cayenne and Range Rover Sport, the first Maserati SUV has already attracted almost 200 pre-orders in Australia and New Zealand.

That means almost a third of all Levantes allocated for those markets next year – between 500 and 600 -- is already spoken for. Production for our markets begins in October, with first deliveries expected very late this year.

The base and Sport models are expected to account for 40 per cent of local Levante sales, with the Luxury variant to comprise just 20 per cent and the Zegna option pack to attract about five per cent of customers.

So far most orders (40 per cent) have come from Sydney buyers, with 33 per cent coming from Melbourne and the rest in Brisbane and other state capitals.

After presenting a fully-loaded left-hand drive example for media this morning, Maserati's COO in Australia, NZ and South Africa, Glen Sealey, said he would travel to Maserati HQ in Italy next week to lobby for more Levante supplies for the markets he represents.

However, he could not say when petrol versions of the Levante, which is available with a twin-turbo 3.0-litre petrol V6 in Europe and the US, would become available for right-hand drive markets, or if the V8 and plug-in hybrid versions under development will ever be sold here.

"I've always got my hand up for every model we can get," said Sealey. "The bit that we're missing is still substantial and we'd like to take advantage of that."

However, he stressed that the diesel Levante would appeal to the vast majority of luxury SUV buyers in Australia, where 89 per cent of the market segment is powered by a diesel engine.

"The market clearly has a preference for diesels and so the priority is 90 per cent of the market," he said.

Sealey also stressed that even with 500 annual Levante sales, which would double Maserati's Australian sales to more than 1000 (up from 519 in 2015), the Italian brand would remain "exclusive", accounting for just 0.07 per cent of the market. He said Maserati's sales pre-2006, when only about 50-60 cars were sold annually, made it "exoctic".

The local Maserati chief did concede, however, that some Levante sales would be at the expense of the Ghibli sedan, which is priced lineball with the SUV.

"It's an interesting question because it's a similar price point," said Sealey. "There will be people with that kind of money to spend that may buy the Levante instead [of Ghibli], but we genuinely believe it will attract many first-time Maserati buyers.

"There have been Ghibli trade-ins. It's a natural cycle, because Australia is an early-adopter market. But ultimately we'd love to see two Maseratis in garages.

Arriving Down Under in three unique specifications, the Levante will come standard here with a 202kW 3.0-litre V6 turbo-diesel, which delivers 600Nm of torque over 2000-2600rpm and is matched exclusively with an eight-speed ZF automatic transmission.

All Australian-delivered Levantes will come standard with five-mode Skyhook adaptive air suspension with 80mm of ride height range, Q4 all-wheel drive, Hill Descent Control, Blind Spot Alert, reversing camera, front/rear parking sensors and a 8.4-inch colour touch-screen infotainment with Bluetooth, digital radio, downloadable apps, smartphone mitrroring via Apple CarPlay or Android Auto and 3D maps with pinch/zoon functionality.

Also standard across the range are bi-xenon headlights, dual-zone climate-control, velour floor mats, leather trim, heated and 12-way power-adjustable front seats, a powered tailgate, electrochromic interior/exterior mirrors, keyless entry, power windows, cargo net, tyre repair kit and tyre pressure monitoring.

However, Levante buyers must pay extra for key safety features including Forward Collision Warning with Advanced Emergency Braking, Lane Departure Warning, Surround View camera, Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop&Go and adaptive front lighting, while mica, metallic and metallescent paint also costs extra.

The Levante Luxury adds Alcantara roof lining, a chromed boot sill, power-adjustable steering column, extended exterior body-colour finishes, panoramic glass sunroof, full premium leather, steel door sills, 900-Watt/14-speaker Harman Kardon sound and 20-inch alloy wheels instead of the base models 19s (18s will be a no-cost option).

In addition, the Levante Sport offers 21-inch alloys, a Sport spoiler, aluminium shift paddles, Sport front seats, Inox Sport pedals, Sport steering wheel, red brake callipers and stainless steel door trims.

Relegated to the options list is hands-free tailgate opening, rear privacy glass, four-zone climate-control, a panoramic sunroof, headlight washers, skid plates, roof rails, ventilated front seats, heated rear seats, a heated steering wheel and 1280-Watt/17-speaker Bowers & Wilkins sound.

A range of accessories will also be available locally, including – for the first time on a Maserati – a towing kit (tow capacity is 2700kg), plus bike racks, ski racks, child seats, cargo pods, a range of interior trims (composite, carbon-fibre and wood), five brake calliper colours, various leather trims and 13 exterior paint colours includive three exclusive hues.

As we've reported, key attributes of the five-seat, five-metre-long Levante, which weighs 2205kg and offers a sizeable 580-litre boot, include 50/50 front/rear weight distribution, class-leading 0.31Cd aerodynamics, mechanical locking rear differential, a 20 per cent stiffer bodyshell than the Ghibli on which it's based, aluminium double wishbone/five link suspension, active front air shutters, average fuel consumption of 7.2L/100km, 0-100km/h acceleration in 6.9 seconds and a 230km/h top speed.

“This remarkable range of abilities and attributes for a Maserati is very accessible,” said Sealey. “With Levante arriving in Australia with a recommended retail price of $139,990 plus statutory costs, delivery and dealer costs, it delivers the unique and exclusive experience of Maserati ownership that will ensure that it becomes a key part of the Maserati range and will expand Maserati’s unique reputation.”

2017 Maserati Levante pricing (plus ORCs):
Levante — $139,990
Levante Sport — $159,990
Levante Luxury — $159,990