Maserati Quattroporte 2017 review

Chris Riley road tests and reviews the 2017 Maserati Quattroporte with performance, fuel economy and verdict.

Maserati has expanded the Quattroporte range with two models and a powerful V6 engine.

Once the brand's bestseller, the sedan has been eclipsed in recent years by the more compact and cheaper Ghibli. The Levante SUV, due next year, is expected to be a sales champion, but Maserati Australia chief Glenn Seeley says the four-door model remains a key model.

“It's very important to us that a car like the Quattroporte, which has been around since 1963, maintains a strong individual presence,” he says. "The Quattroporte GTS GranSport continues to be the top of the range."

Prices for the new model, which is very similar to the old one, start at $210,000 for the diesel, $215,000 for the V6, and $345,000 for the V8.

Competitors include the Audi A8, BMW 7 Series, Benz S-Class, Jaguar XJ, and Porsche Panamera, all starting at around $200.

We tried the entry-level V6 and the top-end V8 GTS GranSport, which was predictably superior in a straight line.

Maserati sold 458 cars here this year, slightly less than in 2015, and 50 of them were Quattroportes.

The range starts with a 202 kW 3.0-litre turbodiesel that consumes 6.2 l/100 km and can sprint to 100 km/h in 6.4 seconds.

It is followed by two twin-turbocharged V6 petrol engines, one with 257 kW/500 Nm and the other with 302 kW/550 Nm.

The first makes a dash in 5.5 seconds, and the second in 5.1 seconds.

The 390 kW/650 Nm V8 engine raises the bar with an acceleration time of 4.7 seconds.

The new V6 claims a $25,000 premium, powering the Quattroporte S from $240,000, the sport-oriented GranSport from $274,000, and the luxury GranLusso model from $279,000.

As is the case with most high-end cars, no one buys the standard model, and options include a $40,000 custom paint job, a $15,000 Bowers & Wilkins audio system, $13,000 full leather trim, and massive 21-inch wheels with a diamond finish for $ 5000 XNUMX.

Driver assists include adaptive cruise, automatic emergency braking, forward collision warning with advanced brake assist, blind spot and lane departure alerts, and a new 360-degree camera.

The 8.4-inch touchscreen supports Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

On the way to

We tried the entry-level V6 and the top-end V8 GTS GranSport, which, as expected, was better in the straight, with more audio feedback as the muffler vents open wide.

The no-slouch V6 had better grip and better cornering balance, and a semi-decent exhaust sound.

It has more appeal than German rivals and plenty of rear space.

The Quattroporte has a retuned nine-speed automatic and an adaptive suspension that has been redesigned to handle a wider range of surfaces. The beefed-up brakes provide a better feel and response, but the steering remains the old hydraulic one - Maserati says it's more fun that way.

The end result is a car that feels more composed, more capable of handling bad back roads, and one that can be pushed with confidence.

Make a statement about it. It has more prestige than its German rivals and plenty of rear space - and it's a lot of fun to drive. We prefer the V6, which costs $100,000 less than the V8.

Can the Quattroporte distract you from the German competitor? Tell us what you think in the comments below.