Maserati Levante GTS tops the food chain

No need to go to the jewelry store this year, because this gift is better than any diamond

When the words “Italian” and “muscle” are in the same sentence, Maserati rises to the top of mind. My love for FCA and its Italian automobiles such as the Alfa Romeo is no secret, but now that Maserati wants a piece of the Grasso’s Garage review pie, that only leaves a sliver of pie left to go around.

Known for luxury and performance, Maserati dealerships are only placed in affluent areas by its Fiat Chrysler Automobiles parent company, and for good reason. Its vehicles are top-notch and specifically designed to provide the affluent buyer that edge over the rest. Our Maserati tester, the Levante GTS, was a local hit.

Its ability to catch the eye of oncoming traffic, the obvious difference from other manufacturers, was indisputable.

Its oversized front fascia, curved exterior and large Trident logo were great status symbols for the five- passenger allwheel- drive SUV. The 22inch wheels with Continental SportContact sticky road tires were a perfect match for a three-hour road trip across New York state. It rode well on the highway, provided minimal body roll and was superbly quiet through mountainous ranges on its fluffy air ride suspension.

The Levante GTS also came equipped with highway assist which worked great on the long drive as it basically did the driving for me.

Interior luxury accoutrements were exquisite. The epitome of luxury was certainly in full force with comfortable extrapadded leather seats, an 8.4- inch infotainment system similar to that of FCA’s UConnect system, and tons of comfort settings to make sure that all passengers shrugged off the $123,000 SUV’s base price. Standard, the Levante GTS comes with a 14- speaker Harman Kardon premium audio system; ours was outfitted with a 17-speaker Bowers and Wilkins system as an upgradeable option.

Heated and cooled front seats as well as heated seats in the rear were standard.

The 550 Italian horses provided endless amounts of performance at the push of the pedal while instant torque was also impressive at 538 lb.-ft. But most importantly, the Italian exhaust was music to everyone nearby. The exhaust note of Italian vehicles are spectacular, best in the business if you ask me.

The 3.8-liter twin-turbocharged V8 engine came in at 4.0 seconds from zero to 60 and enjoyed maintaining higher than normal speeds, typical for Italian muscle.

For Maserati, it’s as simple as history; 106 years of Italian manufacturing and delivering the end-user a unique automobile full of sports/performance ability. From sedans and convertibles to now SUVs, Maserati delivers a global presence while keeping the consumer’s wants first. From at-home pickup and delivery for service needs, to bringing a car to your home to experience firsthand, Maserati knows automobiles.

I promise you the neighbor won’t have one.

Maserati Levante GTS

MSRP: $123,290 As tested: $137,160 MPG: 14 city, 18 highway, 16.9 as tested