Special edition Maserati Levante and Ghibli Sportivo launched

Maserati has launched a pair of special edition models for the Levante and Ghibli, called Sportivo and Sportivo X. The trim levels are exclusive to the SUV and saloon – and they feature fixed specifications, with an extensive equipment list and a choice of three unique paint finishes.

The Maserati Levante Sportivo is priced from £69,975. Upgrades over the standard SUV include 20-inch alloy wheels, red brake calipers and a panoramic sunroof. Inside, the special edition model also gets black leather upholstery, aluminium paddle shifters and a pair of electrically adjustable and heated front seats.

• Maserati Ghibli Hybrid gets four-cylinder 48-volt power

Maserati’s Levante Sportivo X model commands an extra £10,825 over the Sportivo variant – but it bolsters the SUV’s specification with adaptive LED headlamps, staggered 21-inch alloy wheels and a larger tailgate spoiler. Maserati’s Nerissimo pack is also included, which swaps the car’s standard grille, exhaust tips and brightwork for gloss black replacements.

Inside, the Levante Sportivo X gets red leather upholstery, a heated sports steering wheel, soft-close doors and brushed stainless steel pedals. There’s a little more technology, too; adaptive cruise control, blind spot assist, traffic sign assist, a pedestrian recognition system and a 360-degree parking camera all feature.

Prices for the Maserati Ghibli Sportivo start from £64,200 – and the saloon shares most of its specification with the Levante Sportivo, albeit with the brand’s Nerrisimo pack included as standard. As a bonus, buyers get some piano black interior trim for the dashboard and a rear-view camera.

The Ghibli Sportivo X is slightly cheaper than the equivalent Levante, at £72,950 – but it’s no less well equipped. Standard equipment includes Matrix LED headlights, 21-inch forged alloy wheels and Maserati’s “Skyhook” active dampers.

Like the Levante, the Ghibli Sportivo X’s cabin also has ventilated and heated front seats, trimmed in red leather upholstery, along with a heated sports steering wheel and brushed stainless steel pedals. There’s also a wireless smartphone charger and standard access to Maserati’s latest range of connected services, which includes over-the-air firmware updates.

Both special edition Levantes can only be specced with Maserati’s entry-level turbocharged 3.0-litre V6 petrol engine. The unit has an output of 345bhp and 500Nm of torque – enough, says Maserati, for a 0–62mph time of six seconds and a top speed of 162mph. The engine sends drive to all four wheels via an eight-speed automatic gearbox.

The Ghibli Sportivo line-up can only be specced with Maserati’s recently launched 2.0-litre four-cylinder 48-volt hybrid powertrain. The system has an output 325bhp and 450Nm of torque, which gives the saloon a 0–62mph time of 5.7 seconds and a top speed of 158mph. Economy and emissions figures stand at a claimed 33.2mpg and 192g/km of CO2 respectively.

What do you make of the Maserati’s new Sportivo special edition line-up? Let us know in the comments section below…