Autoblog

2014 Maserati Quattroporte S Q4 [w/video]

Matt Davis — Fri, 10 May 2013 11:57:00 EST

Filed under: Sedan, Performance, First Drives, Luxury

The First Maserati To Run Full-Time On All Fours

About six months ago we tested the all-new 2014 Maserati Quattroporte GTS and its 523-horsepower 3.8-liter bi-turbo V8 engine, the latter being built in Maranello, Italy, by Ferrari. There were comments on both sides, mostly positive though, and we came away impressed by the sixth-generation Maserati sedan. This despite the fact that both we and you couldn't seem to get past the questionable aesthetics of the 20-inch Crono alloy wheels slapped on all of the test cars. Awkward looking they are, or is "distinctive" the word we're seeking?

For both the crucial United States market and the rest of the world, the most important version of the latest Quattroporte is bound to be the less powerful (and less expensive) bi-turbo V6 model we have just driven here in northern Italy; both rear-wheel-drive and Q4 all-wheel-drive versions. We spent nearly all day in the 404-hp 2014 Maserati Quattroporte S Q4, and found a lot that we prefer in the six-cylinder powertrain versus the champing aggression and $140,000 price tag of the GTS bi-turbo V8 model. These long and lanky executive-style statements traditionally thrive on the V8 mantra, so it will be interesting to watch how Maserati's need to use stronger and more efficient V6 engines is received by its six-figure customers.

It's a cynical thing to discuss so matter of factly, but descending into five-figure pricing for these rides actually damages their sales potential. It's bizarre, but keeping every trim of the Maserati Quattroporte north of $100,000 was crucial. So, is the 2014 Maserati Quattrporte S Q4 at a projected $108,000 base price worth it? To this stratum of clientele, apparently it is. Even the rear-wheel-drive S with this bi-turbo V6 will come in around $102,000 when it arrives in North America in mid-2014. (Or mid-2015, as yet to be decided.)

Continue reading 2014 Maserati Quattroporte S Q4 [w/video]

2014 Maserati Quattroporte S Q4 [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 10 May 2013 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Watch Maserati prep this Quattroporte for Geneva by hammering on its sheetmetal

Chris Paukert — Tue, 05 Mar 2013 13:01:00 EST

Filed under: Sedan, Performance, Etc., Maserati, Luxury

There are untold amounts of primping and set up that goes on in the days leading up to an international auto show. Of course, there are exhibits to erect, lights to hang and scripts to rehearse. There are also cars to prep. Usually the latter involves little more than removing finger prints and dusting, but in the case of Maserati the day before the Geneva Motor Show press days, the process apparently includes banging on the sheetmetal of one of your prized showcars like a crazed woodpecker.

We're not sure what caused a surface irregularity in the door skin of this 2014 Quattroporte - perhaps shipping damage - but it was interesting (and mildly painful) to watch, and hear, a show prepper attempt to PDR repair this six-figure sedan with a jeweler's hammer, high-intensity light and soft cloth.

That'll buff right out.

Continue reading Watch Maserati prep this Quattroporte for Geneva by hammering on its sheetmetal

Watch Maserati prep this Quattroporte for Geneva by hammering on its sheetmetal originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 05 Mar 2013 13:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2014 Quattroporte kicks off 50th anniversary for Maserati with new V6, AWD

Jeffrey N. Ross — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 09:03:00 EST

Filed under: Detroit Auto Show, Sedan, Maserati, Luxury

It's not that often that we get to talk about a new Maserati model, but that's all about to change. The Italian automaker is using the 2014 Quattroporte to begin a lineup expansion that will soon grow to no fewer than five models. Entering its sixth generation, the Quattroporte has been completely redesigned, and is also adding a new V6 engine and all-wheel drive.

Pictures of the car were released last year and we've even had the chance to drive the car in France already, but we finally got to see both the 410-horsepower V6 and 530-hp V8 versions of the car at its debut at the Detroit Auto Show. The new Quattroporte is 100-percent Maserati with its svelte-ye-aggressive styling, but it adds more of a mainstream look to better compete with the growing number of high-end luxury sedans. Not all of the Autoblog staff consider it an improvement, but it doesn't stray too far from the Italian styling of the last model.

The interior has also been brought up to date with modern infotainment technology and improved luxury courtesy of a longer wheelbase bringing more space to rear-seat occupants. While the V8 we drove had a bench rear seat and oddly retro-modern wheels, the car on display had more conventional wheels and the two-passenger rear seat bucket seat layout.

Both engines used in the new Quattroporte are proprietary to Maserati and produced by Ferrari in Maranello. A new all-wheel-drive V6 model, called the Q4, will now be offered, and it will allow a 50:50 torque split between the front and rear axles. Scroll down for the official press release for the new Quattroporte.

Continue reading 2014 Quattroporte kicks off 50th anniversary for Maserati with new V6, AWD

2014 Quattroporte kicks off 50th anniversary for Maserati with new V6, AWD originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 15 Jan 2013 09:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Autocar compares new Maserati Quattroporte to Jaguar XJ

Jonathon Ramsey — Mon, 07 Jan 2013 17:01:00 EST

Filed under: Sedan, Performance, Videos, Jaguar, Maserati, Luxury

Autocar's Steve Sutcliffe took the 2014 Maserati Quattroporte on a spin along snowy mountain roads to test it for a specific brief: as a limousine for the chauffeured class. It's sporting credentials are impressive: Twin-turbocharged 3.8-liter V8, 532 horsepower, 475 pound-feet of torque in casual circumstances that rises to 532 lb-ft in overboost, a 0-to-60 mile-per-hour sprint of 4.7 seconds and a top speed of 191 mph.

However, citing Maserati's desire to not just increase its sales to 50,000-per-annum by 2015, but to sell many more of its cars in China, Sutcliffe wanted to find out if the livery side of the Quattroporte could match its sport sedan side. So after taking the pilot's seat and trying out the sport settings, Sutcliffe hops in back to test out the CEO's seat.

Then he compares the Quattroporte against the long-wheelbase Jaguar XJ with its supercharged V8, a sedan that's 15,000 pounds less expensive than the Maserati. It doesn't take long for him to find that one of them is a clear winner when it comes to transporting VIPs. To find out which one, enjoy the video below.

Continue reading Autocar compares new Maserati Quattroporte to Jaguar XJ

Autocar compares new Maserati Quattroporte to Jaguar XJ originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 07 Jan 2013 17:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2014 Maserati Quattroporte goes on a night run

Zach Bowman — Wed, 02 Jan 2013 19:58:00 EST

Filed under: Sedan, Performance, Europe, Videos, Maserati, Luxury

While it was in development, Maserati rolled out its 2014 Quattroporte for a little testing, but rather than slather the big luxury sedan in gobs of camouflage to protect from it prying eyes, engineers used the cover of darkness to conceal the vehicle's design. Then they made a video about their cleverness and posted it on the Internet. The team spent some time whipping around the Balocco Proving Ground with chief test driver Fabrizio Galvan at the controls to evaluate the sedan's new drivetrain, noise levels and handling in the real world.

We got our hands on the 2014 Quattroporte last month for a first drive ahead of the vehicle's North American debut at the 2013 Detroit Auto Show. You can read our impressions here, but first, take a look at the video below for a new glimpse at the machine's development.

Continue reading 2014 Maserati Quattroporte goes on a night run

2014 Maserati Quattroporte goes on a night run originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 02 Jan 2013 19:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2014 Maserati Quattroporte [w/video]

Matt Davis — Wed, 12 Dec 2012 11:57:00 EST

Filed under: Sedan, Performance, Maserati, First Drives, Luxury

Vastly Upgraded Italian Speed Sedan Kicks Off Brand Renaissance

The sixth-generation Maserati Quattroporte is big - and not just because it's 6.5 inches longer than before with a wheelbase that stretches 4.3 inches beyond its predecessor. The new Quattroporte is big also because it's a huge deal both for its segment and for Maserati. Just as FoMoCo is finally chucking $1 billion at Lincoln MoCo, so too is Fiat investing 1.2 billion euros ($1.55 billion at the time this writing) in Maser's future hopes of achieving the larger success we all have wished for it. And after a thorough drive over the intensely challenging mountain roads of France's Mediterranean coast, we can't deny that there's finally reason to put some faith in this long overdue investment.

The much-applauded outgoing Quattroporte enjoyed a reputation of being among the very fastest executive sedans of its day, all while delivering the sportiest overall ride and handling, even in base trims. Yet there was constant corporate-level dysfunction that kept all Maseratis from getting important upgrades or receiving much-needed investment support. So, the outgoing Quattroporte has up until now sort of languished nobly, largely resting on the laurels it earned when it launched way back in 2003.

With continued proper mother company support and ambitious marketing initiatives finally on the table, this all-new 2014 Maserati Quattroporte looks fit to help lead "Il Tridente" through some huge changes as the company prepares to celebrate its centenary in December of 2014. First off, from its current annual total sales figure of 6,000 or so units, Maserati is confident that its global sales will reach 50,000+ per annum by the end of 2015, thanks certainly to all-new product coming on soon like a house afire. Try not to scoff at that too much. Rather cheer when the lights hit the new Quattroporte this January at the 2013 Detroit Auto Show, knowing that new products are on the way to help the FourDoor and the Gran Turismo in their quest for this ambitious volume target.

Continue reading 2014 Maserati Quattroporte [w/video]

2014 Maserati Quattroporte [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 12 Dec 2012 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2014 Maserati Quattroporte to get twin-turbo V6

Jeffrey N. Ross — Tue, 04 Dec 2012 14:14:00 EST

Filed under: Sedan, Maserati, Luxury

As we wait for the Detroit Auto Show to get our up-close and in-depth look at the redesigned 2014 Maserati Quattroporte, some details are just starting to emerge about the car's powertrain, but nothing is official just yet. Autocar has posted a first drive of the new Quattroporte, finally spilling the beans about what motivates this sporty and luxurious sedan.

We already knew that the 2014 Quattroporte will offer two engines - a V6 and V8 - but what we didn't know is that both engines will get a pair of turbochargers and direct injection. Previously, we speculated that the smaller V6 would be supercharged, but this 3.0-liter V6 will get turbos instead helping it produce an estimated 410 horsepower. As for the larger 3.8-liter V8, this engine is said to produce 530 horsepower (confirming our previous report) to go with 479 pound-feet of torque; performance specs for the V8 include a top speed of 191 miles per hour and a 0-60 mph time of well under five seconds.

All cars will have a ZF eight-speed automatic transmission, and all-wheel drive will be optional allowing for all of the engine power sent to the rear wheel during normal driving and a full 50/50 split between front and rear axles when needed. As we suspected, the 2014 Quattroporte has grown in size to better compete with the Mercedes-Benz S-Class.

With the Detroit Auto Show coming up in about a month, stay tuned as we await official details from Maserati.

2014 Maserati Quattroporte to get twin-turbo V6 originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 04 Dec 2012 14:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Maserati releases quartet of videos featuring new Quattroporte

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Tue, 06 Nov 2012 12:45:00 EST

Filed under: Detroit Auto Show, Sedan, Performance, Videos, Maserati, Design/Style, Luxury

In case you missed it, Maserati has decided to introduce the world to its next Quattroporte well ahead of its official debut at the 2013 Detroit Auto Show in January. As expected, it's beautiful.

Not content to leave well enough alone, the Italian automaker has revealed a series of videos to go along with the six images and press release it had already let loose upon the globe's unsuspecting automotive press.

We're still a bit shaky on the details, but Maserati says the Quattroporte's new engine, assembled by Ferrari in Maranello, will "[establish] new benchmarks for Maserati in terms of power and acceleration." That sounds good to us, though we're not sure if that means 530 horsepower as possibly alluded to by the license plate on the press shots. We also note that the automaker says the car is designed to accept "a wide range of engine architectures," so that rumored supercharged V6 sounds likely.

Maserati promises lower weight will bring increased performance and efficiency, despite the fact that its next Quattroporte will be "much larger than the previous" model.

Watch all four videos below, and stay tuned for our live coverage from Detroit in T-minus two months.

Continue reading Maserati releases quartet of videos featuring new Quattroporte

Maserati releases quartet of videos featuring new Quattroporte originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 06 Nov 2012 12:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New Maserati Quattroporte revealed before Detroit debut

Jeffrey N. Ross — Tue, 06 Nov 2012 10:01:00 EST

Filed under: Sedan, Maserati, Luxury

Well that didn't take long at all. Although we just saw spy shots of the new Maserati Quattroporte last week, Maserati has now taken the wraps off its redesigned sedan ahead of a confirmed Detroit Auto Show debut. Although no official details for the car were released just yet, we can infer quite a few changes just from the images. Celebrating 50 years of the Quattroporte, Maserati is referring to this new car as a 2013 model, but it will arrive next year for the 2014 model year in the US.

The overall exterior styling of the new Quattroporte hasn't evolved too far away from the current car. There is still the sloping hood, vented fenders and shapely body lines, but it also gets a much sleeker roofline and more steeply raked front glass. It also appears that the rear wheels no longer cut into the rear doors, suggesting a longer wheelbase. The biggest change made to the car's styling is found in the rear of the car where horizontal taillights and exhaust tip design now gives it a strong Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG vibe. Inside, the four-passenger sedan now gets a more stylish two-tier instrument panel, a larger touch-screen display on the center stack and what looks to be equally sized monitors for the rear-seat entertainment system.

Under the hood, we can definitely tell that the Quattroporte still uses a V8, but aside from the press release calling it an "all-new next generation powertrain," we don't have any real details of what powers the car. Or do we? The rear 3/4 image of the new design shows a license plate number of "QP 530 HP" possibly suggesting the engine's output has been raised to 530 horsepower up from the current 425. We are also expecting a supercharged V6 at some point down the line with an output of around 420 hp, and it is likely that both engines will be paired to eight-speed automatic transmissions.

Scroll down for Maserati's quote-filled press release.

Continue reading New Maserati Quattroporte revealed before Detroit debut

New Maserati Quattroporte revealed before Detroit debut originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 06 Nov 2012 10:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2014 Maserati Quattroporte revealed in patent drawings

Jeff Sabatini — Thu, 12 Jul 2012 10:28:00 EST

Filed under: Sedan, Performance, Maserati, Design/Style, Luxury

Curious about what the 2014 Maserati Quattroporte will look like? Recent spy shots of the big Maserati sedan haven't been much help, but now we have this: Three alleged patent drawings found by AutoWeek.nl. Better fire up your imagination, however, as like all European Patent Office images, these sketches have the unique ability to suck the beauty out of even Italian cars. Truth be told, if AutoWeek.nl had told us this was a new Buick, we might have believed them.

That said, we can certainly see the resemblance in the rear to the Maserati GranTurismo, with a similar C-pillar and that little flipped-up spoiler. In the front, too, we imagine the new Quattroporte will resemble its sportier sibling, with the crude lines from these drawings turned into more voluptuous curves through the magic of modern manufacturing.

Rumors say the next-gen sedan will be available with a choice of two engines assembled by Ferrari, either a turbocharged V8 or a supercharged V6. We're likely to see the new Quattroporte in the flesh for the first time at the 2013 Detroit Auto Show.

2014 Maserati Quattroporte revealed in patent drawings originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 12 Jul 2012 10:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Maserati Quattroporte to get Ferrari-built supercharged V6, turbo V8

Steven J. Ewing — Fri, 08 Jun 2012 17:16:00 EST

Filed under: Sedan, Performance, Maserati, Luxury

According to Car and Driver, the next-generation Maserati Quattroporte is slated to get two all-new forced-induction engines sourced from Ferrari.

At launch, the Quattroporte will be introduced with its range-topping engine, a 5.2-liter turbocharged V8, good for something like 520 horsepower. That's all well and fine, but the big news is that a smaller, supercharged V6 will launch shortly thereafter, pumping out around 420 horsepower. That's right, Ferrari will be making a V6.

C/D reports that the supercharged V6 comes from the group that is heading up the development of Ferrari's new 1.6-liter turbocharged six for use in future Formula One racers. This new 420-hp engine is said to be about 30 percent more efficient than the V8 currently found in the Ferrari California. The Quattroporte itself is tipped to be about 450 pounds lighter than its predecessor, which should also help in the efficiency department.

Both engines will be available with a ZF-sourced eight-speed automatic transmission. The current car's automated manual transmission option will no longer be offered.

We've seen the automaker's forthcoming Q-ship out testing on a number of occasions, and C/D believes that the new car will officially bow at the 2013 Detroit Auto Show in January.

Maserati Quattroporte to get Ferrari-built supercharged V6, turbo V8 originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 08 Jun 2012 17:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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