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)?
This might be the biggest gamble in Porsche's history. It's the latest version of its best-selling car, the Porsche Macan, only this one has a very big difference.
You see, this time, it’s all-electric. There is not an internal-combustion engine (ICE) in sight. And that makes climbing into an entry-level Macan significantly more expensive than ever before.
So, will this bold shift help or hinder the Macan in Australia? And is this the country’s best all-electric SUV?
There’s only one way find out.
Maseratis are built for a fairly specific niche buyer; someone with a lot of money, someone slightly older and certainly someone who likes the finer things in life and appreciates Italian style, quality and heritage.
They are not, typically, the kind of buyers who want to tear around race tracks like fiends in big, shouty SUVs. But apparently there is a niche within the niche of Maserati fans who do, and they are willing to invest big dollars in vehicles wearing the Trofeo badge, like this Levante.
It might seem a slightly strange creation, a track-mad SUV with a screaming Ferrari engine, but surprisingly, it really does work.
There is no doubting the substance of the Porsche Macan Electric. Its ride, steering and poise make it a joy to drive on twisting roads, and it ticks the practicality boxes, too.
The only lingering question is whether enough people are ready to make the all-electric switch. Only then will we know if Porsche's Macan gamble has paid off.
Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with travel, accommodation and meals provided.