Maserati confirms Ghibli sedan and Levante SUV names
Maserati has confirmed the names of two of its highly anticipated new models, the Ghibli sedan and Levante SUV.
The Maserati Ghibli - previously referred to as the baby-Quattroporte - is due to arrive next year ahead of the marque's centennial in 2014 when it will be joined by the Maserati Levante – the production SUV based on the Maserati Kubang concept.
The all-new Ghibli, previously spied testing, will provide the Italian manufacturer with a smaller performance sedan to rival the likes of the BMW 5 Series, while the Maserati Levante will be the brand’s first venture into the luxury SUV market, going up against segment staples such as the Range Rover and Porsche Cayenne.
While initially appearing somewhat strange, the two model names are spawned of a deep heritage. The upcoming Ghibli marks the third incarnation of the name for Maserati with the original Ghibli being a two-door grand tourer launched in 1967 that preceded its second use that ran from 1992 to 1997.
Levante is the name of the car maker's birth place, the Via Emilia Levante in Bologna, the street that saw the Maserati brothers, Alfieri, Bindo, Carlo, Ettore, and Ernesto, found the prestigious Trident-stamped company before moving to its current residence in Modena, also home to Ferrari.