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NEWS
Towing first for Maserati
New Levante SUV to be first Maserati offered with a factory tow barMaserati’s first SUV made its Australian debut in Sydney yesterday, but the big news for cashed-up caravanners is that for the first time on a Maserati a towing kit will be available as a factory accessory on the new Levante, which will have a tow capacity of 2700kg and a starting price of just under $140,000 when it goes on sale here in December.
Going up against the Porsche Cayenne and Range Rover Sport, the first Maserati SUV has already attracted almost 200 pre-orders in Australia and New Zealand.
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.
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.
The five-seat, five-metre-long Levante, which weighs 2205kg and offers a sizeable 580-litre boot, can also boast 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.
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Written byMarton Pettendy
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