Maserati Dubs its SUV - The Levante

[Sabre]

Torque

Maserati revealed new details about its future lineup today at the 2012 Paris Motor Show. It was already confirmed that Maserati is working on a new SUV and smaller sedan, but now we know the names of the two new Maserati models. The new Maserati SUV will be called the Levante, while the new midsize sedan will be badged the Ghibli.

Maserati previewed its new SUV at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show with the Kubang concept, but the production version will not arrive until 2014. The Levante will share its platform with the Jeep Grand Cherokee and will also be built in the U.S. The name Levante draws from Maserati's early days when the Maserati brothers moved the company to a bigger facility in 1919, Via Emilia Levante in Bologna, Italy.

The Ghibli sedan is expected to debut next spring either in Geneva or Shanghai. This is the second time that Maserati has used the Ghibli name. The first time was on a two-seater coupe that was launched in 1967.

Maserati eventually hopes to produce 20-25,000 units a year of the Levant and 20,000 units of the Ghibli. A new Quattroporte sedan is expected to debut at the upcoming Detroit Auto Show in January.

Looks good.... but um, did we really need it? Sadly, I'm sure I'll see one near work...

[complacent]

while i wonder what type of "problems" this vehicle was built to address, it looks nice.

yes, you'll see several at work. guaranteed.

[drwrx]

I'm sorry, I can't get past the one name "Ghibli."
Does NO ONE at Fiat / Chrysler know anything about movies?
Studio Ghibli is one of the most famous animated film studios EVER!
Have they never heard of Hayao Miyazaki? Do none of them have kids?
It's akin to naming an SUV the "Disney."
Idiots!

(and yes, I'm familiar with ghibli granite, but ghibli granite is obscure, Studio Ghibli is far from obscure.)
/ rant

[PGT]

ahem. the name has a long history at Maserati

[drwrx]

I see. Still a bad choice IMHO. More people (especially outside europe) are likely to know the Studio than the cars from 40 years ago.
Also, why bother:
The First Generation Ghibli from (1967-73) was a 2 seat GT.
20 years later, the second Gen Ghibli II (1992-97) was a sports coupe.
Now (almost 20 years later again) it's an SUV?
So, Maserati needs to resurrect an old name and apply it to models that have nothing in common with a generation from 20 years previous?
Sorry, I know the US does it (Dart, Malibu, Challenger, etc.) but at least there is usually an attempt to equate the new to the old.
Here, the Ghibli is just a name that no longer has any meaning, except as an animation studio.

[Mr Kleen]

I think the show version might have been at the Maser booth at the Frankfurt Auto Show last year. Maybe.
Clearly it made a huge impression on me.