Maserati Levante vs Mercedes-Benz G63

What's the difference?

Driving a whopping great SUV down the straight on a race track at more than 200km/h sounds like fun, but it actually feels a bit wrong, like entering a baby elephant in a dog show.

These are strange times, of course, and the Maserati Trofeo Levante is a suitably strange vehicle - stylish, classy, expensively appointed family hauler that also has the heart and soul of a race car.

Indeed, while performance SUVs are an increasingly commonplace vehicle, the Levante - which was actually getting along in the tooth as a model before this significant upgrade - has higher performance credibility than most.

That's because it has a big Ferrari V8 driving all four of its wheels and delivering a properly supercar-like 433kW and 730Nm.

It's not what you might call a typical Maserati buyer's car, but then only those who know what the Trofeo badge stands for - shouty insanity, basically - will be interested in this end of town. It is a lot of car, but is it worth the large load of money on the sticker ($330,000)?

Everything you need to know about the Mercedes-AMG G 63's personality pokes out from underneath the polished alloy steps running down each of its flanks. Side pipes… no one does side pipes.

A colleague was pulled over in a G 63 because the cops thought the '60s muscle car-style exhaust was after-market and illegal. But it's not, and it's brilliant.

Launched globally in early 2018, this brutal take on the second-generation Mercedes-Benz G-Class might look the same as the G 63 it replaces, but under the skin it's a whole new ballgame.

The first-gen was like grandpa's axe, regularly updated but underneath it all the same basic framework. This is a whole new axe, including a fresh drivetrain, suspension set-up and interior treatment.