Maserati Levante Modena Brings A Touch of Italy to Every Road

Modern SUVs offer safety, a sporty demeanor, plenty of space, and an abundance of comfort. What has made them so successful nationwide and here at Jim Butler Maserati of St Louis is their ability to be the perfect touring cars, but with perfection can still come a few qualms! Some of today’s most common examples tend to lean on the slightly pompous side, enough so that you could be a bit bashful to roll through locations such as a remote and picturesque Italian village. 

In the Swiss Alps, leading inclement-weather-prone contenders from a few of our esteemed competitors tend to be a bit on the wide side, rendering them potentially just a bit more difficult to enjoy in heaping or fresh-powder helping! The ClassicDriver.com team was pleased to get their hands on the keys to a Maserati Levante Modena S last week and were first genuinely taken aback by the exterior paint color. Much like a high-end Sicilian mint sorbet, the “Verde Royale” was eye-popping and impressive. 

The test drive model’s design language was completed by A-list creator Lorenzo Ramaciotti, the genius responsible for our spellbinding Quattroporte VI. The Levante now has a decidedly sporty look without appearing insanely aggressive, with the silhouette offering up a sweeping presence. When large vehicles are enduring their first impression, it pays to be restrained, to not greet others with such a gaping and overbearing footprint. The crew turned the ignition key, and the 3-liter 6-cylinder greeted them with a very powerful and unique note. 

The Levante Modena S comes with more than just stocking stuffers, as this “commemorative gift in droves” cranks out 430 horsepower and 580 lb-ft of torque. They headed excitedly to the Graubunden pass roads, and away from the persistent confines of Zurich city traffic. Sport mode was the first choice to navigate Albula Pass, and the crew noticed an intense and immediate change in character during the drive. The suspension tightens up, the exhaust has a bona fide sports car roar, and you truly get the feel of a top-tier SUV at every turn. 

Most drivers have an understandable preference for the tight suspension without the hearty sound effects, and as soon as this crew fully got into the mood, they had left the 18-hairpin bends of the Albula Pass in the rearview. St Moritz and the Engadine are very stylish and visceral weekend destinations for Zurich and Milan. Amazing structures such as the Alpine Grand Hotel have long defined this area, surrounded by a fairy-tale forest and breathtaking mountains. Guest rooms here feature amazing windows that invite in the warm mountain sunshine, and what is undoubtedly some of the freshest air on the planet. As the group embarked over the Bernina Pass the next day, they didn’t have to contend with any ice or snow. The Maserati remained quite sporty and confident, with one of the final stops being a renowned European car mecca of sorts. The Meyers Manx Café was the ideal spot for a double espresso, and a moment to reflect on how decades of top-tier Italian style have influenced these majestic and jet-setting peaks. The Truecar blog claimed that “enthusiasts looking for the intangibles of an exotic in a luxury SUV will be hard-pressed to find something better.” With head-turning style, a one-of-a-kind exhaust note, and a Ferrari-tuned swagger, the Levante gives its rivals a “molto serio” and fine-tuned run for the money!

Tags: Jim Butler Maserati, Jim Butler Maserati St. Louis, Levante Modena, Maserati, Maserati Levante
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