From what I've read, it might use the 3.8L V8 that produces 523bhp and 479lb-ft of torque. "Should" cover 0-62mph in around 4.5seconds which is more than 2 seconds faster than the current model. That's a lot faster in terms of acceleration.
Future Levante Models
Maserati is moving towards hitting their sales target of 75,000 annually, possibly by 2018, and the Levante is a making a sizeable contribution to the automaker’s sales numbers since its launch.
Globally, Maserati sales have gone up 21% year to date and they are on track to hit a target of around 40,000 vehicles sold. To capitalize on the SUV segment’s popularity, the company may release a 500bhp+ V8 powered Levante and an electric vehicle by 2020. The V8 Levante is a possibility, but the market for SUVS with more than 500bhp is small, so Maserati will have to crunch some numbers and see how much they can put in and get out of it.
What Maserati won’t do is follow in Porsche’s footsteps and add a smaller SUV to their lineup. In an effort to protect the brand’s DNA, there won’t be any Macan rivals in the future. Those who want one may have to look towards other brand, maybe Alfa Romeo as the size may better fit their lineup.
Giulio Pastore, general manager of Maserati Europe, told Auto Express: “For us, it’s Levante then stop.” We won’t see a Levante coupe-SUV either. Marketing boss Alberto Cavaggioni shot that idea down when he commented: “Our company does not like coupe-SUVs. The Levante is already a GT SUV, anyway.”
That’s two Levante spinoffs cut down and a third is a more basic trim than the 271bhp diesel.
Even without those three Levante variations, the luxury SUV will still go on to bump up Maserati’s sales volume next year.
