Named for the warm winds of the western Mediterranean, the Maserati Levante SUV is as unlikely as it is lyrical. But the initial skepticism surrounding the launch of the Italian sports car maker’s first crossover last fall has abated as the Levante has proved itself equal parts curvaceous and capable. This month Maserati is introducing two trims that skew even more upmarket: the GranSport and the GranLusso.

The five-passenger Levante gets its performance chops from a Ferrari-developed 3.0-liter, twin-turbo V6 that makes 345 horsepower for the base model and 424 horsepower for the higher-performance Levante S. Both engines are paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission and an intelligent all-wheel-drive system that knows when to transfer torque to the front wheels for more power and better traction.