2017 Maserati Levante: AMA

"Reece-Current Stinger GT owner" (subzero384) 08/31/2016 at 11:37 • Filed to: None

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I forgot to post but I ended up driving a new Levante a couple of days ago, so any questions you guys might have, ask away!

Ash78, voting early and often > Reece-Current Stinger GT owner 08/31/2016 at 11:40

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Can the Islamic State fit inside, and if so, what would the acronym be?

PS9 > Reece-Current Stinger GT owner 08/31/2016 at 11:41

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Did you scoop up any krill on your test drive?

CB > Reece-Current Stinger GT owner 08/31/2016 at 11:41

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If you had the money to buy one, would you, or do other vehicles in the price range and body style of the Levante offer more?

Reece-Current Stinger GT owner > Ash78, voting early and often 08/31/2016 at 11:42

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Yes, and like maybe G.Y.R.O

Reece-Current Stinger GT owner > PS9 08/31/2016 at 11:42

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7. We were having a contest between this and the Lexus RX.

Reece-Current Stinger GT owner > CB 08/31/2016 at 11:43

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I would buy this. Dollar for dollar it’s better, bigger, and faster than a Cayenne. Also it’s technically better off road, but let’s be real no one is going to off road either of them. Also it makes sweet Maserati noise.

Chan - Mid-engine with cabin fever > Reece-Current Stinger GT owner 08/31/2016 at 11:52

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This is interesting. IMO the Ghibli is overpriced and sells too heavily on the Maserati brand cachet. The Levante could be a solid value.

PS9 > Ash78, voting early and often 08/31/2016 at 11:53

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New plan to stop ISIS; Give them an out-of-warranty Maserati. The service costs alone would bankrupt them in like 3 months. They’ll have to halt all their operations.

Ash78, voting early and often > PS9 08/31/2016 at 11:56

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“Hi, I'm Doug DeMuro and I've grown a beard and traveled to Syria to donate a Maserati to ISIS. But you'd already know that if you followed me on Twitter."

Reece-Current Stinger GT owner > Chan - Mid-engine with cabin fever 08/31/2016 at 11:57

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Honestly the Ghibli is well worth the money. It not be the best car on paper, but it has more character than anything else it the price bracket. The levante reminds me of like a station wagon version of the Ghibli.

Arrivederci > Reece-Current Stinger GT owner 08/31/2016 at 12:01

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Do the randomly-placed foglights bother you as much as they do me?

Reece-Current Stinger GT owner > Arrivederci 08/31/2016 at 12:02

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I kinda like them.

Chan - Mid-engine with cabin fever > Reece-Current Stinger GT owner 08/31/2016 at 12:03

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I’ve test driven a Ghibli before, and to be honest I liked it. My idle concern is that it sells in a relatively mainstream segment that values tangible specs.

And that engine sounds naughtier than a V6 has any right to sound. To a car guy like me, that pretty much makes up for any other shortcomings.

The lease deals are pretty good, but I’d have trouble with the MSRP if buying outright. Competitors come in at significantly less cash.

Reece-Current Stinger GT owner > Chan - Mid-engine with cabin fever 08/31/2016 at 12:05

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Yeah I can agree. I may be a little biased since I sell Maserati though. Also the Levante sounds just like that which is so funny to watch a big blue SUV pull away from a stop light sounding like a Ferrari.

facw > Reece-Current Stinger GT owner 08/31/2016 at 12:24

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Are racing handicap signs common now? Place I was at yesterday had them, but I can’t recall seeing them before.

Reece-Current Stinger GT owner > facw 08/31/2016 at 12:25

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I guess so. Makes me wish I had a wheel chair with like a go kart motor strapped to it.

pauljones > Reece-Current Stinger GT owner 08/31/2016 at 12:29

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My problem with the Ghibli is a philosophical one - and not in the way that you think. I have no problem with the fact that it’s a sporty luxury sedan rather than a two-door sports car that the prior Ghibli was.

That, my problem is that the entire car is a rolling contradictions. Italian luxury and performance cars (which is what Maseratis are) do not have the stereotype of being rational purchases or rational vehicles. When you think of Maserati, you do not think “sensible” in any way, shape or form. You think of speed, style, fun, passion, and emotion.

And then here comes the top-of-the-line Maserati Ghibli S with - wait for it - it’s amazing turbo V6!

Wait, what?

A turbo six-cylinder engine in a contemporary car in the class that the Maserati Ghibli competes in is a completely and utterly rational, sensible thing. It’s not very sexy, but it makes roughly the same power as a larger V8 with better efficiency. Totally rational - that’s why the Germans and the Japanese luxury brand do it. But a Maserati is not a German or Japanese luxury brand. It is an Italian luxury brand. If you can’t completely mimic your competition, then be as goddamned different as you can. Go big or go home. Go for the gold. Do it right or don’t bother doing it in the first place.

PUT A GODDAMN V8 IN THE GHIBLI.

Does it make sense? No, not really. But if I’m in the market for a Maserati, I don’t give a rat’s ass if it makes sense. I care only that it’s fun, it’s sexy, it’s fast, and it stands out from the sea of BMWs, M-Bs, etc. precisely because of the fact that it just makes no goddamned sense whatsoever, and it just doesn’t give a fuck. It just does it, and is all the more special for it.

Look at the new Alfa Romeo Giulia! In a class where even GM is using a turbo six, Alfa came out of the gate flipping birds to the glorious wail of its high-revving NA V8.

And that’s what makes it special.

Until Maserati figures that out, the Ghibli will remain an also-ran.

Reece-Current Stinger GT owner > pauljones 08/31/2016 at 12:33

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I think that there is no V8 in the Ghibli because it would step in to Quattroportte territory which wouldn’t work for Maserati. Plus part of it comes back to emissions standards, which makes an N/A v8 hard to do in a big car like the Ghibli.

pauljones > Reece-Current Stinger GT owner 08/31/2016 at 12:39

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Oh, I’m aware of the rational reasons behind the powertrain lineup. But the point is that that rationale is ironically what’s hurting the Ghibli, and arguably the Quattroporte as well.

Rational and consistent sensibility is for the German and Japanese luxury brands.

Vítor > pauljones 08/31/2016 at 12:49

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Wait what? The Giulia has a 2.9 V6 biturbo. The only NA car in it’s class is surprisingly the Lexus RCF/GSF

SonorousSpeedJoe > pauljones 08/31/2016 at 12:49

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The Giulia Quadrifoglio has a 2.9L TTV6.

The Mercedes-AMG C63/S uses a V8, although that’s turbocharged.

spanfucker retire bitch > facw 08/31/2016 at 12:59

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They’re the new standard now.

pauljones > Vítor 08/31/2016 at 13:14

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I stand corrected.

facw > spanfucker retire bitch 08/31/2016 at 14:08

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Hmm, looks like the MUTCD specifies the traditional style:

http://mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov/htm/2009r1r2/p…

spanfucker retire bitch > facw 08/31/2016 at 14:11

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Ahh, it’s been adopted as the symbol in NY. Not Federally. My mistake.

gawdzillla > Reece-Current Stinger GT owner 08/31/2016 at 14:31

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let me buy one of those FX35 and swap out the grill real quick

Party-vi > Reece-Current Stinger GT owner 08/31/2016 at 14:37

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Isn’t the Ghibli held together with paperclips and Elmer’s glue?

Reece-Current Stinger GT owner > Party-vi 08/31/2016 at 14:59

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Gorilla Glue. In memory of our boy Harambe

ACMPISMO > Arrivederci 01/23/2017 at 03:36

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I like them too

ACMPISMO > Reece-Current Stinger GT owner 01/23/2017 at 03:39

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The Ghibli has better lines than the Quattroporte, However, the early models were cheapy inside. The Levante has a much better interior and is a more useful vehicle. The QP looks like an old Buick to me. I just can’t warm up to the lines.

ACMPISMO > Chan - Mid-engine with cabin fever 01/23/2017 at 03:41

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You’re going to pay $20K - $25K just for the brand cachet. It has to be that way or everyone would be driving one and it wouldn’t be as special any longer. The cachet is worth the $25K if it means anything to you.