Maserati Quattroporte GTS 2014 overview
Okay, okay... so the Maserati Quattroporte is worth the bomb. Even the V6 will set you back $240,000.
But the fact is that Maserati's new Quattroporte is selling like hot cakes abroad. Although it looks almost the same, the large four-door, four- or five-seat sedan is actually brand new from the ground up.
It rides on a new platform, with a new lighter body, new engines and transmission, and new brakes and suspension. Everything inside is new too.
Value
Maserati's new owners, Fiat, have clearly brought some business acumen to the exotic car making process. The car looks more polished and professional, and the cheaper variant is meant to boost sales.
in its sights Four-door Panamera from Porsche.. It outdoes the German in terms of looks, but backs it up with high performance, an abundance of leather and wood trim, and plenty of ways to customize the car, not to mention Italian-style overlays.
Technologies
This time there is a choice of engines designed by Maserati and assembled by Ferrari: a 3.8-liter twin-turbo V8 or a 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6. With 301 kW of power and plenty of torque, the V6 is almost as good as the previous 4.7-liter V8.
Both engines are connected to an 8-speed ZF automatic that has been specially calibrated for the car. The $319,000 V8 delivers 390kW of power and down to 710Nm of torque with a 0-100kph sprint of 4.7 seconds and a top speed of 307kph (18% more power and 39% more torque than before) ). Fuel consumption is rated at 11.8 liters per 100 km, with 98 liters of premium recommended.
The $240,000 V6 is good for 301 kW and 550 Nm, with 0-100 km/h in 5.1 seconds and a top speed of 283 km/h. Fuel consumption for the V6 is rated at 10.4 liters per 100 km/h.
Along with Sport Mode, the new ICE (Improved Control and Efficiency) system delivers better economy and a more relaxed experience. Throttle response is softer, it cancels the overboost function and keeps the exhaust deflectors closed up to 5000 rpm. It also adjusts shift points, making them softer and slower, and reduces torque at the engagement point of each gear.
Design
This is the sixth generation of the Quattroporte, designed by a dedicated department led by former Pininfarina designer Lorenzo Ramaciotti. The weight of the V8 has been reduced by almost 100 kg thanks to the abundant use of aluminum. Doors, hood, front fenders and trunk lid are made of lighter metal.
Interestingly, a new front-engine and rear-wheel-drive platform will underpin the new Alfa, as well as the new Dodge Charger/Challenger and the new Chrysler 300.
The new cabin features 105mm more rear legroom, Wi-Fi hotspot (SIM required), up to 15 speakers with optional Bowers and Wilkins audio system, and an 8.4-inch touchscreen. What a shame they've cut corners in some areas, like the signature concave grille that's made of plastic?
safety
With six airbags, a reversing camera and a full suite of safety systems, the car scored high in European crash tests but has yet to score here.
Driving
Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately), we only got to ride the 3.8-liter GTS. A cheaper and more interesting V6 will come later, as will the smaller one. An even more affordable Ghibli model is expected around the middle of the year. Diesel is also considered.
For a big machine, the Quattroporte is light on its feet. When we hit the road, the weather conditions worsened, and it was relatively easy for us to spin the rear wheels in the damp, despite the electronics. Overtaking is child's play, with large pillar-mounted paddles that allow the driver to shift gears at will, while the big Brembos disengage in a hurry as the corners rush forward.
For the first time, throttle and suspension settings have been separated, so you can put it in sport mode but leave the suspension in standard mode instead of suffering a rattling ride.
Having said that, we found the ride quality to be excellent with the stock 20-inch wheels, even with the shocks set to sport mode. The extra 21 wasn't bad either. In fact, the stock or comfort setting was a bit irritating in our opinion, and just not as comfortable. Fuel consumption can vary from 8.0 to 18.0 liters per 100 km, depending on the weight of your right leg.
What do not like. Better performance, better economy and even more legroom for rear passengers. But the exhaust sound is too muffled, and all things considered, it doesn't feel as luxurious as the outgoing model.
