Maserati has unveiled the first Levante built around a V8 engine at the New York International Auto Show

The Levante Trofeo is a powerful motor, capable of accelerating in style from 0-60 mph in just 3.7 seconds (0-100 km/h in 3.9 seconds) and reaching a top speed of more than 187 mph (>300 km/h).

What else is impressive is that the motor is equipped with one of the most powerful engines ever fitted in a Maserati. A 3.8-litre Twin Turbo V8 engine that when combined with a Q4 Intelligent All-Wheel Drive System  delivers 590 hp at 6,250 rpm and 538 lb.-ft. (730 Nm) of peak torque at 2,250 – 5,000 rpm.

The engine boasts the highest output per litre (156 hp/litre) of any Maserati powerplant ever produced and, like all Maserati petrol engines, is assembled by Ferrari in Maranello, Italy.

“It’s proof that when you play with the elements you end up in a storm”, says Maserati CEO Tim Kuniskis. “In the case of Trofeo, the engineers and designers in Modena knew that the driveline parameters were more than able to cope with additional power and they also knew that Maserati had access to the finest engines on earth. So, they were up to the challenge of making the finest luxury SUV also one of the fastest.”

The Levante Trofeo features Full Matrix LED headlights, a front grille with double vertical bars in a piano black finish and lower honeycomb mesh fascia. The body colour door handles, oval exhaust tips also come in a dark sleek finish and performance painted brake calipers in a choice ofred, blue, black, silver or yellow. 

The interior offers ultimate comfort, with sculpted sport seats feature a premium full-grain “Pieno Fiore” natural leather available in black, red and tan, all with contrast stitching and “Trofeo” logo stitched on the headrests. “Pieno Fiore” is like no other leather used in the automotive industry for its natural, soft feel and for the unique character it develops throughout the years.

A new matte carbon fibre trim and paddle shifters, specific instrument cluster graphics, floor mats with metal Trofeo badges and a Maserati clock with a unique dial elegantly underline the exclusive sporty character of this extraordinary Levante, which is outfitted with a standard 1,280-watt, 17-speaker Bowers & Wilkins premium surround sound audio system for exceptional listening enjoyment.

Maserati has confirmed that the production of the Levante Trofeo begins this summer at their refurbished Mirafiori plant in Turin, Italy.