Hampshire Newbie

Davykettlechip

Junior Member
Messages
51
Evening all. Just joined as i start my journey towards ownership of a Maserati.
I am currently mulling over which is the better path, practicality of Levante S petrol, or emotional path to a GTS.
Odd you may say (And you may be right...) but hoping Friday will start refining the answer with a drive in both, side by side.
I am leaving behind a Touareg R-Line+ which has been fantastic for semi-rural living, country lanes and moving 4 about in comfort. I have an Audi S2 quattro in the garage which i have owned for 20 years and will always be in love with the 5 cylinder sound. I co-run s2forum.com, so a very passionate owner of cars and fairly handy with a spanner...for those at least.
GTS lives as an idea due to its genuine 2+2 and that noise! Look forward to learning from here and hopefully giving back at some point!
cheers,
David
 

Zep

Moderator
Messages
9,110
Welcome! And I must say your timing on choice between a Levante and a GT S couldn’t be better. Just don’t read the other SUV threads ;)

I think you will need to make the choice as to what suits your lifestyle best, a Levante is a great bit of kit, but a GT S is a thing of visual and aural beauty.
 

Davykettlechip

Junior Member
Messages
51
Thanks for the welcome! Yes, proper head over heart decisions. Never even sat in a GT S...but i know life would be richer (likely poorer lol) for it.
 

Wattie

Member
Messages
8,640
Welcome.
As a former owner of an MC Shift its a pretty special car with an amazing sound. Ancient Tech tho and if you live anywhere hilly with standing starts it would be a nightmare.
The Levante S petrol sounds decent though.....modern too.
Enjoy the drives, good luck with your decision.
 

conaero

Forum Owner
Messages
34,593
Welcome. Pop down our workshop in Eastleigh (SportsItalia) and there will be 3 two seater Strads (black, white and yellow) on site today and tomorrow, your decision will be made in under 60 seconds. It does come in 4 seat guise too so that may suit your needs better.

The 3 come in standard, intermediate and ‘asbo’ exhaust set ups.
 

Davykettlechip

Junior Member
Messages
51
Thanks all, great to know there are so many passionate owners out there! I may have to tip toe down to Eastleigh in between conference calls.

i know its not Italian but this stole my heart 20yrs ago and also has a orchestral voice with a very free flowing exhaust. Realised through the years, that in many ways sound is One of the most important driving emotions for me...hence arriving at this dilema :cool:
 

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philw696

Member
Messages
25,114
Looks very nice in silver and you're right if something sounds nice it keeps the juices flowing.
 

GeoffCapes

Member
Messages
14,000
Thanks all, great to know there are so many passionate owners out there! I may have to tip toe down to Eastleigh in between conference calls.

i know its not Italian but this stole my heart 20yrs ago and also has a orchestral voice with a very free flowing exhaust. Realised through the years, that in many ways sound is One of the most important driving emotions for me...hence arriving at this dilema :cool:

Another one of those cars that I never got round to buying. They still look good today. Albeit small in comparison to todays cars.

Nearly bought Red a 2.3 (I think) when I was 23 (I think), looked at it on the Thursday, agreed a price, got a little bank loan to cover my shortfall, but went on the lash the next night in London after work and then on holiday to Magaluf on the Saturday for 2 weeks with the boys.
Ironically was sold by the time I got back.
 

Davykettlechip

Junior Member
Messages
51
Another one of those cars that I never got round to buying. They still look good today. Albeit small in comparison to todays cars.

Nearly bought Red a 2.3 (I think) when I was 23 (I think), looked at it on the Thursday, agreed a price, got a little bank loan to cover my shortfall, but went on the lash the next night in London after work and then on holiday to Magaluf on the Saturday for 2 weeks with the boys.
Ironically was sold by the time I got back.

Yeah, I have to say it has aged as a shape really well. Maintaining one is a proper challenge, parts are in short supply and servicing is at best via specialist, though I do all my own these days. If you take one to a dealer and you can have an arguement about whether they even made the S2. All the guts of the legendary urq in a more GT package. Unfortunately it is in need of paint. It was a pearlescent white cost option and when I bought it, almost unique (i know of about 3 left in the UK through the forum we run). HOwever to make it pristine, needs a full recommission, obviously not something that can be done on a single panel. It has a single box, non-cat exhaust and its about 105db. Sounds lovely. Values have risen steeply over the last few years but its a keeper, regardless of my Maserati decisions (i hope). It is currrently in pieces as I was doing a ton of work during lockdown but stopped due to a major back op which came out the blue.
 

hashluck

Member
Messages
1,515
Thanks all, great to know there are so many passionate owners out there! I may have to tip toe down to Eastleigh in between conference calls.

i know its not Italian but this stole my heart 20yrs ago and also has a orchestral voice with a very free flowing exhaust. Realised through the years, that in many ways sound is One of the most important driving emotions for me...hence arriving at this dilema :cool:

Ooh lovely S2. Had one back in the day in Pearl White and yes the paint match was a nightmare. Still got 3 Audis now though
 

GeoffCapes

Member
Messages
14,000
Yeah, I have to say it has aged as a shape really well. Maintaining one is a proper challenge, parts are in short supply and servicing is at best via specialist, though I do all my own these days. If you take one to a dealer and you can have an arguement about whether they even made the S2. All the guts of the legendary urq in a more GT package. Unfortunately it is in need of paint. It was a pearlescent white cost option and when I bought it, almost unique (i know of about 3 left in the UK through the forum we run). HOwever to make it pristine, needs a full recommission, obviously not something that can be done on a single panel. It has a single box, non-cat exhaust and its about 105db. Sounds lovely. Values have risen steeply over the last few years but its a keeper, regardless of my Maserati decisions (i hope). It is currrently in pieces as I was doing a ton of work during lockdown but stopped due to a major back op which came out the blue.

Hopefully you'll get it back together asap.
 

Davykettlechip

Junior Member
Messages
51
Ooh lovely S2. Had one back in the day in Pearl White and yes the paint match was a nightmare. Still got 3 Audis now though
hah...small world then! Any idea what the reg was be interested to know if it was still living somewhere.
Hopefully you'll get it back together asap.
yep hope so, looking a little neglected just now lol
 

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slay

Member
Messages
409
I had a Levante S as a loaner when I took my GT in for a service.

of course, the infotainment system was much better, and offers higher driving position ...etc. However, I got a bit bored of it after just a couple of days and could not wait to get my GT back.

my opinion - if you really need to go off-road in country driving and definitely needs a 4x4, then I guess it would need to be a Levante, otherwise it is a Granturismo for me... every drive is still an occasion in a GT (after 8 years of ownership - 4 different GTs in total) and I can’t say the same for the Levante...