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Detour Maserati Puts Real Sport in Utility Detour PHOTOGRAPHY BY BRIAN DOUGLAS It's pretty hard to get better than the Levante Trofeo BY BRIAN DOUGLAS 2022 Maserati Levante Trofeo transportation N EARLY 20 YEARS AGO, Porsche stunned its loyal customers as well as auto enthusiasts with the launch of its Cayenne SUV. More than a few pundits feared that the panache of Porsche was over, and I wondered why they didn't add a sports sedan instead of a tall family hauler. Since then and with SUVs appearing from Lamborghini, Aston Martin, and now Ferrari, I've learned not to bet my paycheck on what the public will accept from creators of fabled sportscars. Creating Big Excitement e formula for adding sporting performance into a big vehicle is hardly a secret. Add lots of power and bigger brakes to overcome the extra weight, and sharpen the suspension tuning to keep the big fella on the road. Okay, that's a bit of over-simplification, but those are the basics that are required. Trofeo is Maserati's extra performance level that it happily injects into its Levante SUV as well as the Ghibli and Quattro sedans, similar to Mercedes-Benz's AMG and BMW's M editions. While this tuning sleight of hand is common these days, the results differ dramatically. In the Maserati Levante Trofeo's case, the tuning team appropriately chose "aggressive." When you climb into the sports seat and light the turbocharged V8's fuse, you're greeted with a great snarl. And that greeting comes without selecting the "sport" mode, letting you know that there's even more fun ahead. When performance drive modes are employed, the Trofeo matches its growl with a bite that really delivers the brand's sportscar heritage. If you're game, zero to 60 MPH is attained in just 3.8 seconds and the top speed is 187 MPH. @ranchandcoast ranchandcoast.com 104 SEPTEMBER 2022 RANCH & COAST MAGAZINE