[St.Who]

It seemed like a foregone conclusion that the new Maserati Levante would be based on the Jeep Grand Cherokee, but we are now being told by the Italian automaker that this is not the case.

The SUV will instead be built on the new Quattroporte and Ghibli architecture from the Italian automaker. This news comes from from Maserati CEO Harald Wester.

The Levante will most likely share the new Q4 all-wheel drive developed for the Quattroporte and Ghibli models. It will also use the Q4's modified "Skyhook" suspension. All this means that it is likely that the Levante will share its powerplants with the Quattroporte.

 

[mavante]

thank god, at least it will be more Maserati based and not Jeep. I was sort of worried how it would turn out being on a jeep platform

 

[gibson]

heh, pure subterfuge on Maserati's part. They don't want people thinking their Maserati is a Jeep so they said its going to be based on QP and Ghibli. One problem... The QP and Ghibli both make use of a tweaked Chrysler 300 Platform, that is actually a Mercedes platform from the mid 90's. But hey whos counting...

 

[pitchfork]

hahah good one gibson.

it is true.

 

[mavante]

At least our friends won't make fun of us for owning a fancy Jeep Cherokee

 

[pitchfork]

well what are they waiting for! make the darn thing already

 

[gibson]

Actually by proxy the Levante will still be "based on" Grand Cherokee. A small bit of research turns up that the GC uses a beefed up derivative of the Chrysler LX platform, while the Ghibli and QP use a sportier tuned version of the same LX platform. No matter what they do to the platform its still a a mashup of Mercedes cast offs from the late 80's and 90's...

Now we wait for the Ferrari version

 

[Maverick]

How can they just change their minds about which platform the Levante will ride on though. Wouldn't that substantially change the design of the vehicle? I'm just surprised given how far they are into the design process with the Levante.

It seems a lot of the decisions about the Levante are based on image. Its not about which platform is better, but rather which platform has more prestige. Same with the name change from Kubang to Levante, and same with the production locale change from the US to Turin, Italy.

 

[mavante]

i dont care if it was a situation where they changed their minds or if it was all along not a Jeep platform, im just happy to hear it's all if not, mostly Maserati!

 

[pitchfork]

ahh who cares what its made on

just make it good and sell it!

 

[mavante]

ahh who cares what its made on

just make it good and sell it!

Amen to that.