5 Things I Learnt From Driving A Maserati For A Day

1. The Maserati Levante SUV is as stirring as a sports saloon.

Like nearly all the premium manufacturers, Maserati has developed an SUV. The Levante is Maserati’s first SUV (available from £56,250) and it was launched in 2016. In Belfast recently I had the opportunity to drive the Maserati Levante S V6 Twin Turbo petrol with 430hp and 580Nm of torque. On our test route the Levante S made noises for me I never knew a SUV could make. It’s a sporty and athletic SUV with real heart. Very stylish too.

2. Maserati makes gran turismos, not sports cars.

According to Mike Biscoe, General Manager at Maserati GB, the Maserati is the car you take cross-continent with a partner and stop some place for lunch, whereas a sports car  is one that you drive on the limit and gives you ‘sweaty palms’. Well, this may be true of the Maserati Ghibli and Quattroporte saloons, but a ten minute stint in the GranTurismo gave me sweaty palms!

3. In 2007 Maserati only had three models.

Now they have five, including one SUV in the big growth segment. Maserati’s full range consists of the Ghibli (from £51,165) and Quattroporte (from £70,825) saloons, Levante SUV (from £56,250) and GranTurismo (from £89,888) and GranCabrio (from £95,275).

4. Maserati is the only brand that offers silk trims.

Some of the cars we drove in Belfast had beautiful Ermenegildo Zegna Silk interiors The Ermenegildo Zegna Silk interiors have 100% natural fibre Zegna mulberry silk inserts on the seats, door panels, roof lining, sunshades and ceiling light fixture.

5. Switch to Electric Power Steering (EPS).

The 2018 Quattroporte, Ghibli and Levante are the first Maseratis to get an electric power steering system replacing the hydraulic system of old, but retaining the ‘razor sharp’ steering feel associated with Maserati.

Click here to read my first drive review of the Maserati Quattroporte.