With Maserati’s head of product development behind the wheel, the Levante SUV showcased both off-road capability as well as high-speed performance at the Balocco Proving Ground in Piedmont.

Before he sets off in the Levante, Roberto Corradi touches on the fact that with this car, the Italian automaker’s goal was to build something that was 100% Maserati but also 100% SUV, which means offering the best of two worlds that had never intersected before while wearing a trident badge.

At Balocco, the Levante demonstrates its abilities by taking on both straights as well as corners, but also the off-road portion of the track which had inclines, water, gravel and a few other “obstacles” that would normally shut down any other Maserati.

Safe to say, this particular run required a little more skill than the Goodwood Hillclimb (the Levante’s previous appearance), where you won’t find the same types of challenges that you do at Balocco. Speaking of Goodwood, UK customers recently found out how much they need to spend if they’re interested in purchasing their very own Levante.

Prices start at £54,335 ($71,545) for the entry-level V6 diesel model model, and go up to £60,285 ($79,251) for the Luxury and Sport packages. In other words, significantly more than you’d spend on a Porsche Macan Diesel S.

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