Maserati has released the first photographs of its Levante SUV which will debut at the Geneva Motor Show next week.  The Levante is the first SUV in the company’s century-long history.

The company says its design signature is clearly visible on the sides: the three air vents on the front wings, the trapezoidal C-pillar with the “Saetta” logo and the large, frameless door windows. The rear is dominated by the very tapered back window and streamlined shape, both of which Maserati says is typical of a high-performance sports car.

All versions of the Levante feature electronic suspension with controlled damping and air springs, which can be set on several levels, “Q4” intelligent all-wheel drive and an eight-speed automatic transmission specially calibrated for an SUV.

When it comes to power units, the Levante is equipped with both petrol and diesel engines that are all Euro6-compliant.

The Maserati Levante is built at the Mirafiori plant in Turin; the first cars have already come off the assembly line with the launch planned for this spring in Europe, to be followed by the rest of the world later this year.