The post-war boom of the 1950s shaped our culture as we know it. It was a transformational moment in the history of our society that sent a ripple through time. Manufacturing, housing and the automotive industry grew stronger and supported millions of new families and ideas. At that same time Hollywood was re-defining American culture through the big screen. Its lights and glamour romanticized luxury and had a reach far beyond America. Many families, including my own, flocked to the area’s economy in hopes of striking it rich, while manufacturers of luxury goods quickly realized there was a larger market for opulence than ever before.
Maserati was one of those manufacturers and in 1959 started producing just 34 units of the 5000 GT. It was their first ever V8-powered production car that sent its own ripple through time, kicking off decades of V8-powered Maseratis and shaping the brand as we know it. The original 5000 GTs were sold globally to the rich, royal, and famous which meant a few even found their way to California. And 65 years after the 5000 GT’s debut I found myself in Los Angeles with the keys to Maserati’s last ever production V8, the 2024 Levante V8 Ultima.
Between now and 1959 over 100,000 V8 Maseratis have been sold and through all that time the brand never lost sight of its heritage. Just like the original 5000 GT, the Levante Ultima is a limited production model, except this time it’s meant to bring a close to six decades of their iconic V8 luxo-sports cars. And similar to the Levante, I also had my own 68 year-old story to bring to a close while I was in town. But not before a few miles of fun.
The Levante Ultima comes in only two colors for its last year, Royale Blue or my tester’s Nero Assoluto Metallic (black). Beneath its dark facade lie a crinkly red Ferrari-derived heart. This twin-turbo 3.8-liter V8 cranks out 580 horsepower to catapult it up the Hollywood hills faster than ever before. A double-click of the key fob remotely cranks over the starter and the tiny V8 settles into a high-rpm idle. At the same time its, air suspension rises in a subtle agreement to whatever adventures lie ahead.
Opening the drivers door I was greeted to a swath of dual-tone black and brown leather and alcantara. A mixture of the two materials stretches from the headliner, down to the depths of the dash, and then all the way to the bottom of the door panels. High end materials cover seemingly every inch of its cabin. I slotted the ZF eight-speed into Drive and then gave the shifter one extra click to the left to lock it into “manual” mode. When you’re given the option of two huge aluminum column-mounted paddle shifters, it would be a crime not to use them.
Pulling out onto the streets of L.A., the Levante thrums along in comfort thanks to its adjustable air suspension and “Skyhook” dampening technology that actively adjusts shock rebound over uneven pavement. It almost wallows over the most aggressive bumps and potholes until you ask it to clean up its act by switching it over to sport mode. Maserati’s branded version of Stellantis’ UConnect infotainment is easy to learn quickly, and worked reliably for our time together.
The lack of a fully digital dash may seem outdated to some, but felt just right given the Levante’s “no frills” Italian attitude . An analog speedometer and tachometer sit molded to either side of a digital screen that provides all other vehicle information. Those two simple gauges are another subtle indication that the powertrain is meant to be the star of the show. The interior as a whole may feel a little dated if you’re comparing it to the newest German offerings, but it’s fitting for a more pointed and enthusiast-oriented SUV. Only the unique sound of a small-displacement V8, and the extra road feel from 22-inch summer tires gives you an indication that a special transformation happens in the twisties beyond LA traffic.
Snaking up the mountains to Angeles National Forest is when a surprising transformation begins. With the adjustable suspension stiffened and the exhaust valves opened, the stars of the show quickly introduce themselves. A good engine and transmission are the beginnings of any great enthusiast vehicle. And a V8 from Maranello paired to a ZF eight-speed is the driving enthusiast’s equivalent to fine Italian dining no matter what chassis it’s cooking in. And that’s coming from a person who doesn’t even particularly love Italian food, though I can still respect it when it’s cooked well.
The same can be said for any performance oriented SUV. A sweet drivetrain dropped into an amazingly neutral chassis is engineering that cannot be faked or overcome by electronics. The Levante is an honest-to-goodness driver’s SUV that just wants to make you smile in the silliest ways possible. Its forgiving multi-link rear suspension and double wishbone front allows it to keep up with stiffly sprung sports cars on the bumpiest of pavement – a party trick that left a well-driven almost-Spec-E46 BMW struggling to keep up on Angeles Crest Highway.
The Levante’s well controlled suspension allows the chassis to hunker down on its outside rear tire while soaking up the rest of the pavement’s imperfections with ease. It felt more analog and reminiscent of the E46 in my rearview than any of its modern German competition. And when you get the chance to really wind out the V8 between corners, you realize its boisterous power doesn’t settle down until redline arrives. A “clink” of the big aluminum paddle shifter resets the stage for the next gear of drama and speed.
With so much “go,” it’s easy to forget about needing to stop. And that is where the idea of a performance-oriented SUV is still a little silly in practice. The chassis and engine of the Levante egg you on to keep the hammer down between corners, but the brakes bring you back to the reality of things. They work great around town with plenty of feedback and bite, and are just fine for the type of spirited driving most Levante owners may find themselves doing. But if you really want to pick up the pace and show some sports car owners what a silly $188,000 Italian SUV is capable of, you’re reminded that not all physics can be cheated with excessive engineering. Sure Maserati could have thrown on even more expensive carbon-ceramics and called it a day. But that drives up the cost of entry even more as well as the cost of maintenance.
Coasting down the mountain while the Maserati’s brakes cooled, I looked out over the Los Angeles skyline where one final decades-old destination waited for me and the Levante. While Maserati was busy in the 1950s shoving their first V8 into the aforementioned 5000 GT, my own family was doing their best to settle down on the outskirts of LA. The booming manufacturing industry drew my grandparents to California from New Jersey. They wound up staying for less than a decade, but those years were the source of countless childhood stories. My Grandfather worked as a machinist for Douglas Aircraft, which resulted in hours of passionate generational story-telling that allowed his moments on the West Coast to live on in my memory.
Just like Douglas Aircraft and now Maserati V8s, I kind of just assumed everything else from that time also faded away. But before my trip I found one small picture of my grandfather leaning proudly against the fender of a 1950s Chevrolet. It brought a very real image to countless stories of their time on the West Coast that were previously only illustrated by my imagination. Some more digging led me to their old address just south of LAX.
Maybe it’s just a coincidence, but it isn’t lost on me that of all the things to lead me to a place that always felt imaginary in my mind, was just a simple photo of my Grandfather and his car. The same exact type of timeless photo we’ve all taken so many times before. And now that I’ve found myself so close, I had to give one last goodbye or “So Long” as my grandfather would say.
Rounding the corner of a mostly unchanged post-war neighborhood and seeing my grandparents’ modest concrete rancher still standing after almost 70 years left me overcome with emotion. I lost both of my grandparents 12 years ago and never expected to still be uncovering parts of their lives from so deep in the past. And while everything else in the world, including Maserati’s idea of a performance car, may be unrecognizable from that period in the 50s, our passion for cars and the memories they are capable of creating are still the same.
Heritage and history can create a strong intangible emotion toward anything, including a vehicle, whether you consider yourself a car enthusiast or not. Maserati is a brand that draws from their own history for that very reason. They know that throughout their time as a manufacturer they’ve created memories and emotions that are different, but no less valuable for each person who has gotten to experience one.
And while it may be sad that the world is moving in such a direction that a Ferrari-derived V8 SUV can’t stick around forever, Maserati managed to send this one off in a way that only a company truly in-touch with their own heritage can do. So while the Levante V8 Ultima may not stack up directly to its competitors on paper, my time behind the wheel reminded me that there is a lot more to a vehicle than just the numbers.
