Autoblog

Irony: Maserati and American Express to offer special Centurion model - for U.K. customers

Frank Filipponio — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 12:33:00 EST

Filed under: Sedan, Performance, Marketing/Advertising, Maserati, UK, Specialty

Click above for a high-res gallery of the Maserati Quattroporte by Centurion

Call it the Italian Express by American Express for British Execs. Maserati and American Express have just announced a special edition Quattroporte that features the AE Centurion logo in several strategic locations on the car. This limited edition model is officially known as the Maserati Quattroporte for Centurion special series. Presented to AE Black cardholders in the U.K., the exclusive sedan will be available in left- and right-hand drive, and in any color so long as it's black Nero Carbonio (carbon black).

As the post-jump press release tells us, it features a bespoke Bianco Polare (polar white) Poltrona Frau (we looked it up, it's an upscale Italian furniture maker) leather interior with an embossed Centurion logo on the headrests, a dash plaque, titanium colo(u)red trim and 20-inch polished wheels. The QP for Centurian will be available in either 4.2-liter 400-horsepower regular strength, or 4.7-liter 430-hp extra bold flavor, with prices starting at £88,315 (around $125k USD) for the former and £94,185 ($133k) for the latter in the UK. More details after the jump and a full gallery available by clicking on any image.

Gallery: Maserati Quattroporte for Centurion Special Edition

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Irony: Maserati and American Express to offer special Centurion model - for U.K. customers originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 06 Mar 2009 12:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Detroit 2009: Maserati Quattroporte Sport GT S is a mouthful

Jonathon Ramsey — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 16:02:00 EST

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

Click above for high-res image gallery of the Maserati Quattroporte Sport GT S

Maserati says that its new Quattroporte Sport GT S "sets another milestone in terms of sportiness in the high performance luxury sedan segment," and it also appears to be trying to set a record for one car's syllable allotment. Suitable then that it takes more than just a couple of changes to be able to append that "S" to the regular Quattroporte Sport GT.

Torque remains the same, but the 4.8-liter V8 is cranks out 433 hp, eight ponies over the regular model. And you get that horsepower a tad later - the engine's rev limit is 7,200 rpm, but you won't get every one of those ponies in action until 7,000 rpm. The transmission software has also been recalibrated for more engaging shifts in three different modes. The suspension has been lowered, stiffened, and imbued with passive damping for higher cornering speeds and improved response. And the sport exhaust has pneumatic valves that render a "deep, throaty, and captivating sound" through large, twin-oval tailpipes.

Aesthetically, the Maser's big black snout gets concave vertical fins and a trident with red trim, the headlights are finished in metallic titanium, and the door handles are body-colored. Inside, new M-design seats come in perforated leather paired with Alcantara, and a standard trim called Titantex, which must have come from the marketing department. Slightly cheesy, but definitely beautiful. The entire package sits on 20-inch wheels. You can read all about it in the press release after the jump, and check out the gallery of high-res photos below.

Gallery: Detroit 2009: Maserati Quattroporte Sport GT S

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Detroit 2009: Maserati Quattroporte Sport GT S is a mouthful originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 12 Jan 2009 16:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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LA 2008: Restyled Maserati Quattroporte makes North American debut

Drew Phillips — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 15:57:00 EST

Filed under: LA Auto Show, Sedan, Maserati

Click above for a high-res gallery of the Maserati Quattroporte S

The updated Maserati Quattroporte made its debut at the Paris Motor Show earlier this year, but us Yanks are getting our first look at the LA Auto Show this week. The most noticeable new feature is the front grille that mimics the GranTurismo's vertical slat design. Both front and rear lights have also been updated with LEDs. Inside, the center console has been reorganized and a new Maserati Multimedia System features an upgraded navigation system. The Quattroporte S also benefits from a new 4.7L V8 with 430 horsepower mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission found in the standard model, as well. We've included the original press release after the jump, and added more live photos of the world's most gorgeous four-door in the high-res gallery below.

Gallery: LA 2008: Maserati Quattroporte

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LA 2008: Restyled Maserati Quattroporte makes North American debut originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 20 Nov 2008 15:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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First Drive: Maserati Quattroporte S in Europe

Noah Joseph — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 11:58:00 EST

Filed under: Sedan, Europe, Maserati, First Drive

Maserati Quattropore S - Click above for high-res image gallery

Let's be honest: cars can be a mode of transportation, but you're not reading Walkoblog or Cycleblog, now are you? At the heart of matters, what we're really pursuing here is that unbridled enthusiasm we had for cars as children. With every comparison of engine output and Nurburgring lap times, we're reaching back to the schoolyard, childishly debating the superiority of one sportscar over another. And all these galleries of high resolution images we bring you are just our updated version of hanging posters of Ferraris and Lamborghinis on the walls of our childhood bedrooms. How disappointed our younger selves would be, however, at what we end up driving when we finally have the means: ho-hum family sedans, bloated SUVs and wobly mini-vans. If only someone made an exotic sedan - not a compromise between the two, but a genuine exotic with four doors. That's exactly what Maserati did in 2003 with the revival of the Quattroporte, with a little help from sister-brand Ferrari.

With the Quattroporte, Maserati has proven itself capable of satisfying both our inner child and the one sitting in the back. A tough act to follow, then, because a sequel is seldom as exciting the original. But after 15,000 units delivered, the Quattroporte was treated to a mid-cycle refresh, sharpening up its already luscious styling, throwing in a host of new features and, most tantalizingly, dropping a bigger, more powerful engine into the mix. With such promise in store, we headed out to Austria to see what the boys from Modena had cooked up... and to seek out that boyhood grin once again.

Gallery: First Drive: Maserati Quattroporte S

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First Drive: Maserati Quattroporte S in Europe originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 25 Jul 2008 11:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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