The market for ostentatiously fast and fancy SUVs in Malaysia has gotten a little bit bigger now that the Maserati Levante Trofeo is among us. The Trofeo spec takes the Levante to a whole new ball game with a Ferrari-sourced 3.8-litre twin-turbo V8, closing the gap between Maserati’s most versatile offering and the likes of the Bentley Bentayga and Lamborghini Urus, with Aston Martin’s upcoming DBX also waiting in the wings for a proper brawl. 

The Levante Trofeo’s engine, which is incredibly similar in architecture to Maranello’s award-winning V8, makes 590hp and 730Nm of torque. This is the most powerful engine ever fitted to a Maserati, which serves a teaser of sorts to the upcoming Ferrari Purosangue. Paired to an eight-speed ZF automatic, the twin-turbo mill helps a car as big as the 2,170kg Levante Trofeo dispatch the century sprint in just 3.9 seconds – just as quick as an AMG A45 S – before topping out at a supercar-chasing 304kph. 

Fast figures aside, the Levante stays true to its SUV purpose, to some degree at least, by retaining its “Q4 Intelligent  AWD” system. However, the application bears greater similarity to AWD setups employed in track-oriented road cars, as it can send 100 percent of the engine’s torque exclusively to the massive rear wheels. There’s even a new ‘Corsa’ driving mode with launch control  for good measure.

These performance-focused features, which include Maserati’s signature Skyhook adaptive dampers, come at a hefty price. The Levante Trofeo starts from RM838,800 before duties and taxes. That’s more than the on-road cost of a Levante S – expect to pay at least twice the Trofeo’s preliminary price to have it officially registered for use in Peninsular Malaysia. This puts the Levante Trofeo in supercar territory in more ways than one, but it has one trick up its sleeve to make the situation work to its advantage: exclusivity.

To get the ball rolling, Naza Italia is putting up three units of the Launch Edition up for sale, each finished in its bespoke Italian paintjob – Blu Emozione Matte, Giallo Modenese and Rosso Magma. Only 100 units of the Levante Trofeo Launch Edition exist worldwide, making this trio some of the rarest cars you can readily purchase in Malaysia today. There’s even a special set of 22-inch “Orione” wheels, colour-coded contrast stitching in the interior and “3D Touch” carbon fiber trim to sweeten the deal. 

Another reason to buy a Maserati (if you need one) is the new ‘Serenity’ warranty program for the Southeast Asia Pacific region, which basically gives owners seven years of coverage instead of the standard three-year warranty. This package is only valid throughout June 2020, though we’re told it applies to other Maserati models as well.