Maserati Opts for Pirelli P Zero OE on new Levante

Maserati is well known for its stylish sports cars and sedans. This year, Maserati ventured into the SUV segment for the first time by launching the Levante at the 2016 Geneva Motor Show. Premium tire manufacturer, Pirelli has continued its partnership with the renowned Italian brand and the two companies collaborated on developing a customized version of Pirelli’s popular P Zero tire to be used as the OE fitment on the Levante. The tires were designed specifically to be compatible with the handling requirements and the performance of the Levante.

Based on what Pirelli said, the P Zero that will be used on the Levante have been differentiated from other tires of the P Zero range as they come with very specific characteristics that make them the best fit for the Levante. These include adaptations to make them match the nature of the 8-speed automatic, on-demand AWD SUV, which was built using the same design platform that was used for the Quattroporte and Ghibli models from Maserati. Pirelli developed the tires for the Levante using a new compound and a “highly specific” tire profile. The outcome is a tire that makes a ride in the Levante highly comfortable. The new tire also makes a significant impact on the handling of the Levante, in view of its size and performance.

The petrol variant of the Levante which has a 3 liter V6 twin-turbo engine having an output of 350 hp and the 275hp 3 liter V6 Levante Diesel variant will be fitted with a size 255/60 ZR18 version of the Pirelli P Zero tire. The 430hp 3-liter direct injection GDI V6 Levante S will have P Zero tire in size 265/50 ZR19 at the front and P Zero size 295/45 ZR19 tires on the rear wheels