Maserati Quattroporte S 2015 overview
Maserati V6 Grand Tourer lacks V8 bark, but still has plenty
I first drove a Maserati Quattroporte in 2008 in Salzburg, the Austrian city where The Sound of Music was filmed. The hills were filled with the sound of V8 engines and it was music to my ears. At the time, eight cylinders was the absolute minimum for any Italian sports car.
Seven years later, when I took the Quattroporte S to the slightly less scenic surroundings of Zetland, New South Wales, times have changed in many ways.
Environmental concerns dictate that the world's great supercar makers are dabbling in hybrid and plug-in electric powertrains, and the short story is that the Quattroporte S now has a twin-turbo V6 in a space where the 4.7-liter V8 once resided.
Design
The new model is larger than its predecessor, has more cabin space, but is also over $80,000 cheaper and weighs 120kg less (thanks to more aluminum use).
Interior updates include a multimedia touchscreen and more modern trim on the dashboard and doors.
It retains its Italian character.
Slipping into the cockpit for the first time in seven years, I was struck by the familiar surroundings.
Despite all the changes inside, it retains its Italian character: the analog clock still takes pride of place on the dashboard, and the smell of stitched leather upholstery hovers around the cabin.
There are nice modern touches too. The touchscreen center menu is easy to navigate, there's a Wi-Fi hotspot and a 15-speaker Bowers and Wilkins stereo system.
Around the city
The Quattroporte is a big beast with a wide turning radius, so downtown parking negotiations are a little tight given the price.
The lack of agility is exacerbated by the gear selector, which is too fancy and requires surgical precision to find reverse or rush. Three-point turns can be a painstaking exercise.
Parking sensors and a rear-view camera make parking easier to some extent, but the camera readings become less clear after dark.
In town, the suspension is docile and a little smooth, while the transmission can be set to ICE (Increased Control and Efficiency) mode for smoother shifting, less harsh throttle response, and a quieter exhaust sound. It works well.
He eats kilometers with an admixture of flair and great haste.
On the way to
Maserati feels at home on the open road. A grand tourist in many ways, he eats the miles with a touch of flair and great haste.
The steering, which feels a little light at lower speeds, loads well in faster corners, and once you get into a sportier suspension setting, the Quattroporte feels impressively nimble for such a big car.
Suspension and brakes are noticeably improved, with good stopping power and reasonable comfort even in sportier settings. The seats are highly adjustable, but finding a comfortable position for short motorway trips proves to be a challenge.
There is a clanging sound when shifting gears, as well as crackling and spitting when braking before corners.
There's a hint of lag when starting from a standstill, but once the Quattroporte fires up, it's both quick and raucous, and the twin-turbo howls as it heads towards the higher ends of the rev range.
Switch to sport mode and you'll hear a clanging noise as you shift gears, as well as crackling and spitting as you slow down through corners.
The intuitive, quick-shifting eight-speed gearbox also clicks the gas pedal when downshifting - it's not as pleasant a sound as the previous V8, but it has its own charm.
Performance
Despite the V6's smaller displacement, it has more torque than its predecessor.
Power output from the V8 was 317kW and 490Nm - the new 3.0-liter V6 puts out 301kW and peaks at 1750Nm at a low 550rpm.
This gives the new six an advantage over the old eight; it is three tenths faster in the 0-100 km/h sprint, stopping the clock by 5.1 seconds.
This is an impressive Grand Tourer
The V6 has an official fuel consumption label of 10.4L/100km, compared to the V8's 15.7L.
Fuel consumption and performance are helped by a new eight-speed automatic that replaces the six-speed.
There is no doubt that the new Quattroporte is a more technologically advanced car, but has all this progress made driving more enjoyable? Or has it lost some of its charm?
It may not have the bark of the V8, but it's still good, and overall it's an impressive grand tourer.
It's more reasonably priced, more efficient and easier to live in the city than its predecessor, without losing any of its character (except for a V8 purr) on the open road.
