The Maserati Levante isn’t exactly a Porsche Cayenne killer, what with its engine line-up consisting of a couple of V6 petrol motors and a six-cylinder diesel. Maserati, however, is now working on making the Levante a lot more potent with V8 power in the form of the GTS version.
The upcoming GTS version is expected to be unveiled in the first half of 2018. Packing an upgraded V8 from the Quattroporte VI GTS, the 2018 Levante GTS should develop around 570bhp and over 700Nm of torque. This amount of firepower would probably be enough to make it about as fast as the latest Cayenne Turbo which can hit a top speed of 286kmph.
The Ferrari-designed 3.8-litre V8 that will go in the Levante GTS comes with a spine-tingling Italian V8 exhaust sound. Even though it will send power to all four wheels through a modified ZF 8HP automatic transmission as standard, the Levante GTS will be less off-road friendly than its standard counterparts.
There is also a possibility that Maserati may delay the GTS version until the entire Levante line-up gets revamped with an early mid-cycle facelift, which should be unveiled sometime in the second half of 2018. Either way, the Levante GTS is bound to come with an updated Maserati Touch Control infotainment system, a torque vectoring AWD system and some design upgrades over the standard SUV.
