Maserati Unveils Its 330 Horsepower Levante Hybrid SUV:
New Electrified SUV Makes Debut In Shanghai & Online...
The Maserati brand kicked off this morning with both a physical and digital unveiling of its new Maserati Levante Hybrid. The physical debut took place at the Shanghai Auto Show in China, while most of the world was treated to a virtual launch from a dedicated website.
While the Levante Hybrid is the second vehicle and first SUV to be electrified, it shows the brand’s future commitment to electrification on all of its models. The Italian automaker is proud to state that the new Levante Hybrid is “Faster, Greener, and Unique” over its diesel and gasoline (except the high-performance Trofeo) offerings.
The Maserati Levante Hybrid features the 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder (GME-T4) engine that is found under the hood of many of our favorite Stellantis products, however, for the Levante Hybrid, there is a huge boost in power. The 2.0-liter has been upgraded to a whopping 330 horsepower and 332 ft.-lb. (450 Nm) of torque at just 2,250 rpm.
To electrify the engine, a mild-hybrid system consisting of a 48-volt alternator, an additional electric supercharger (e-Booster), all of which is supported by a battery. The system is very similar to the famed eTorque system found on the Ram 1500 lineup. This allows the mild-hybrid system to exploit kinetic energy the car accumulates when in motion, recovering it and transforming it into electricity during deceleration and braking, and store it in a battery that has been mounted in the rear of the SUV for better weight distribution.
The Levante Hybrid will only be available in all-wheel-drive (AWD) with air suspension will have a top speed of over 150 mph (240 km/h) and a 0 to 60 mph around 6 seconds. Pretty impressive for a 4,607 lbs (2,090 kg) two-row SUV.
According to Maserati, the new powertrain will yield a 16% better fuel economy rating than the brand’s turbocharged V6 models. The Levante Hybrid also produces 18% fewer emissions than the gasoline Levante V6 models and 3% fewer emissions than the vehicle’s diesel offerings.
Levante Hybrid models will be recognizable thanks to the blue accents chosen by Maserati to identify its hybrid vehicles as shown on the Ghibli Hybrid already. The exterior will feature three iconic side air ducts outlined in the “Maserati Blue” colors, while the Maserati C-pillar logos will also have blue accents, there will be blue brake calipers on each of the models, and Hybrid specific 19-inch aluminum wheels. The same blue shade reappears on the car’s interior, specifically on the embroidered seams of the seats.
Maserati will also kick off the Levante Hybrid will a unique Launch Edition model featuring a new metallic tri-coat color called Azzurro Astro, which will be part of the brand’s customization program, Maserati Fuoriserie.
Maserati has not released any details on pricing or when ordering for the new Levante Hybrid will open just yet. But we expect to see something official in the upcoming months.
Maserati Levante Hybrid Image Gallery:
