The Maserati Levante

British Columbia’s pristine West Coast mountains are prime territory for off-roading and, fittingly, those peaks weren’t far off when Maserati launched its first sports utility vehicle on Canadian soil last night in Vancouver—the first of six stops on the Levante’s three-week, cross-Canada road trip.

Maserati Levante, outfitted with Luxury Package options.

The slick new Levante remained mysteriously cloaked while Ferrari Maserati of Vancouver general manager Mark Edmonds introduced the car to a room of VIPs, and then unveiled a chic white model upon the sun-drenched showroom floor. In Italian, levante is a warm wind that flows from the Alborán Channel and is funnelled through the Strait of Gibraltar. Inside the dealership the car’s impact hit like a cool breeze, however; guests lined up with sparkling flutes of Bottega Gold prosecco in hand, hurriedly snapping first-look photos and taking turns behind the wheel.

“We are entering into the Canadian Luxury SUV segment with a completely new Maserati,” says Richard Trevisan, head of Maserati Canada. “[The] Levante is built like a classic Maserati sports car, offering unparalleled agility, performance, and Maserati’s distinctive Italian style.” Trevisan notes that the active-lifestyle appeal is a key component of the vehicle’s allure, drawing attention to the Ferrari-designed V6 twin-turbo 3.0L engine at rest beneath the Levante’s hood.

Maserati Levante, outfitted with Zegna Edition Package options.

Physically, there’s poetry in the SUV’s undulating lines and a considered functionality in its thoughtful design, from the low centre of gravity to the advanced active air suspension for off-roading ease: there are no less than five different ride heights. An adventure vehicle in the sleekest sense, the Levante’s architecture is based upon its sedan predecessors—the Quattroporte and Ghibli—and, like them, will offer added options like silk Ermenegildo Zegna interiors, which are specially developed by Zegna’s technical team in Trivero, Italy.

Maserati Levante, outfitted with Sport Package options.

One thing is certain: as the new Maserati Levantes roll off the Italian assembly line, B.C. roads will see their fair share. By the close of last night, the Vancouver dealership had tallied nearly 100 pre-orders of the new trident-emblazoned steed.

The Maserati Levante continues its cross-Canada launch with stops in Calgary, AB; Oakville, ON; Vaughan, ON; Montreal, QC; and Laval, QC.

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