The Levante SUV is critical to Maserati, which joins a growing number of luxury marques that have recognized just how big the profit payload is on these vehicles, which are replacing sedans for many consumers.
“It’s essential for the brand as we continue to develop,” said Sergio Marchionne, CEO of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles. “I think it’s crucial.”
The Levante goes on sale in Europe in May, followed by China. The first U.S. models should arrive at the end of August. A plug-in hybrid will follow in late 2017 or early 2018. A high-performance variant has been under consideration since the start of development but is an expensive proposition, Maserati CEO Harald Wester said. “We looked at it and decided ‘not yet.’ ”
For now, the Levante is expected to singlehandedly reverse last year’s 11 percent global sales slide, which included a 10 percent drop in U.S. sales. The projections are staggering: 30,000 Levante global sales in the first full year for a brand that only sold 32,517 total vehicles last year.
Other automakers have proven SUVs can be a profitable move. The Cayenne was such a sales success that Porsche added the smaller Macan, and together they easily outsell the full car lineup. Jaguar’s new F-Pace is on schedule to be its best seller based on advance orders, and Bentley increased production of the Bentayga from 3,600 to 5,000 before the first ones were received by customers and is looking to bump up capacity even more given that the 2017 model is almost sold out.
“The SUV space is on fire in the U.S.,” said Christian Gobber, head of Maserati North America and global sales chief for the brand. Awaiting the Levante’s arrival are 116 dedicated Maserati dealers in North America, including 109 in the U.S.
When the Kubang concept was shown in 2011, the plan was to share underpinnings with the Jeep Grand Cherokee and build it in Detroit. But the decision to use the Ghibli platform instead changed within a year after talking to dealers and others who wanted to distinguish it from Jeep, Wester said. He and Marchionne say it won’t be cross-shopped against Jeep.
The Levante will appeal to luxury sedan buyers. “There will be more and more people leaning toward utility vehicles, especially as the premium brands start putting performance into these vehicles,” Marchionne said. “Why would you buy a normal sedan when you can get that performance out of a UV with all-wheel drive?”
Read the 2017 Maserati Levante First Drive review HERE.
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