The car already had eight cylinders, and sounded like one of the best engines in the automotive world. Too bad, they added two turbos to the engine. They didn’t only do this to increase the power, this also reduces the CO2 emission. This saves us money but it does affect the sound of the V8. That’s maybe the only disadvantage of the Quattroporte. We drove this car for three days and this learned us that the Quattroporte is more robust and made some big steps with its finishing.
To create some more space for the Ghibli, the Quattroporte grew to a length of 5.26 meters. Measurements which will frighten the Jaguar XF, BMW 5 Serie and Mercedes-Benz E AMG. The Quattroporte is a true battleship. Everything is done to create comfort. This did affect the great steering of the old Quattroporte. The Ghibli will probably be better in it, maybe we’ll experience that soon. The Quattroporte is a car, focused on the Chinese market, for smaller people who want more space. A strange development, but China also isn’t very much affected by the economical crisis. Despite the fact that the Quattroporte grew quite big, they still managed to reduce the weight with almost 100 kilograms thanks to aluminum doors, trunk and front fenders.
Engine-wise, the Maserati is improved. Potential owners can now choose between three versions and they will have even more choice in the future. The 3.8 liters V8 is the new performance benchmark, with a sprint to 100 kph in just 4.7 seconds and a top speed of 307 kph. This makes it 20 kph faster than the last Quattroporte Sport GT S and it also produces an extra 200 Nm of torque. The car has a total of 530 hp and 710 Nm of torque. The V6 twinturbo is almost just as fast with a top speed of 285 kph. Further, the car has a automatic eight-speed gearbox and rear-wheel drive as well as four-wheel (V6) drive. Thanks to the all-wheel-drive system, the new Quattroporte is the most safe all-weather performance car in the history of Maserati. The V8 BiTurbo, which we drove, has a less good sound but the great engine makes you forget that sound. The torque is always available and the acceleration is amazingly fast for such a long car. When you still want to have some sound, you’ll just need to drive in sports mode.
When we take place behind the steering wheel we start looking for the start button. We start the search on the right side of the steering wheel, just like we’re used to. Eventually we find the start button on the left side of the steering wheel. When you’re used to this it’s no problem at all, but we don’t know why this button is replaced to the left side. Another big and necessary update was the center console. The old telephone buttons are gone and the system is replaced by a touch screen system. It might not be the best available system but it’s such an improvement compared with the old system. The audio system comes from Bowers & Wilkins who place fifteen different speakers in the Quattroporte. When we look at the interior we see that they made big steps forward compared with the old generation Quattroporte. The finishing and the entire interior are improved. No more loose stitches, but nice leather and soft seats. In the back, you can choose for two separate seats or a bench for three persons. Next to that, there are small options like a refrigerator, tables and LCD screens. Even a WiFi access point is available. Next to that, the rear windows have double laminated glass to reduce the noise from outside and create more comfort. This shows us again that the Quattroporte is focused on those who sit in the back of the car instead of the driver of the car.
The opinion about the optical changes are still very diverse. A big disadvantage of this demo car are the wheels. It looks like they come from the Bugatti EB110 and Maserati had the opportunity to use them on this car. One thing is certain, the Quattroporte looks more fresh than before but it still is a Quattroporte. The design is one you’ll need to get used to. The longer headlights and the rounder taillights make the Quattroporte look more soft.
Driving-wise, the car can compete with its competitors. Sometimes, you’ll miss some sensation in the driving because of the quietness in the car. You’ll accelerato to 160 kph without even noticing it. The engine of the last generation started to make more and more noise when you were accelerating but when you drive the new version in comfort mode, you won’t notice. Options like danger recognition and such systems aren’t available in the Quattroporte, maybe to reduce the irritating beeps to the minimum.
The price of the Quattroporte GTS is still something to think about. Will you choose for the V8 or the V6? The V6’s price is close the price of the competitors while the V8 is more expensive. When you drove the V8 of the last generation, you have to choose for the V8 because you can’t just take a step back. The Quattroporte GTS in this version will cost you 195.110 Euros. The V6 is cheaper and will cost 140.000 Euros. What will make the QUattroporte a big success? Probably the fact that you’re driving a decent Maserati of which the finishing is way better than its predecessor. When you look at its German competitors you’ll miss a few options but this is a car you can’t confuse with a BMW 518d or a Mercedes-Benz E 200 CGI. You’re driving a Maserati Quattroporte, a true Italian with a beautiful design!
