With the 2012 Frankfurt Auto Show a little more than a month away, details about Maserati’s new mid-sized Levante sedan continue to filter down to the automotive press.
Recently it has been learned that the intended competitor with the Mercedes 5-series will be based on none other than Chrysler’s 300C underpinning. The 3052 mm wheelbase will be the same as the Dodge charger, though that will likely be the end of the similarities between the high-end powerhouse and its economical Fiat family cousin.
Industry watchers expect to see a tri-turbo V6 under the hood of the nascent Levante in Frankfurt next month. An eight speed automatic is likely to come standard, as it will with other new Maserati models like the Kubang SUV, GranSport mid-engine and the updated QuattroPorte.
The QuattroPorte is expected to extend its wheelbase by 205 inches, thereby freeing up some room in the mid-size range for the Levante while at the same time growing large enough to compete with BMW’s Z-Class.
With the addition of the Levante and the Kubang, Maserati hopes to increase its yearly output from 7,500 units to 50,000. The Levante is expected to be crafted in a vacated Bertone factory purchased by Fiat, close to Turin.
The Frankfurt Auto Show takes place September 29 through October 14 in Frankfurt, Germany.
