Quattroporte Now Sharper Than Ever

Maserati is celebrating its centennial this month. It has provided one of the most interesting chapters in the history of the automotive industry over that century, with some iconic vehicles such as the legendary “Birdcage” concept, pivotal wins in F1 and even the odd bankruptcy issue.

At one point it was so in the doldrums that even the company’s own museum collection was at the docks ready to be shipped out when Umberto Panini, he of the famous football sticker album company, raced to the docks and bought all the cars, to be relocated to his own farm outside Modena.

It was then owned by a number of companies over the years before settling down under the ownership of Fiat, a company which itself has been through tough times. However, Fiat has been on the rise in the past decade and so has its subsidiary, Maserati. In fact the company has some ambitious plans to raise production from about 6,000 vehicles per year to 50,000.

Some have called this plan sacrilege, but with sister company Ferrari reducing its output to maintain exclusivity, Maserati is following the Porsche model. This means a raft of new models with the BMW 5 Series-rivalling Ghibli coming next year, to be followed by the Levante SUV. However, some of this regeneration started last year with the launch of the new Quattroporte.

It is a name that can be traced back to the first Quattroporte in 1963 but I would be inclined to call the new one the second generation of the modern era. The last one was large with loads of handcrafted elements and some superb sounding engines. It had a fair degree of sportiness to it as befits a Maserati but it always felt as though it leant more to the cigar lounge lifestyle than that of a racing driver. The new one is totally different. Yes, it uses many elements from another Fiat company in the form of Chrysler, but the latest Quattroporte is much sharper in all aspects, from the edgier look to the more dynamic feel. The styling takes a few cues from the GranTurismo coupe at the front while the rear has lost that bulbous look of the previous generation.

It has a more modern look which definitely puts it in a stronger position to take on the likes of the Mercedes S-Class and BMW 7 Series in the looks department, not to mention the exclusivity that owning a Maser provides compared to its rivals. Inside it is also a different affair to the last model. It still has acres of leather and plenty of wood trim in a bid to give it that classy feel, but there is more technology. You do get a number of Chrysler bits and pieces here in the form of the infotainment system and trip computer display, but again it has been given a Maserati look and feel which works well.

Space is superb and there is masses of legroom for those in the rear and a huge boot. Up front the driving position is excellent and a great compromise between luxury and remaining true to the sporty heritage of the brand. Unfortunately my drive with the vehicle was somewhat restricted due to the distributor having to adopt chaperoned drives after an unfortunate incident involving another journalist. So it was a trip to Magaliesberg for lunch at the Black Horse Brewery, giving me a chance to stretch the Maser’s legs a little on the long roads through the hills.

The V6 provided great response and with the paddle shifters it was possible to drop a cog here and there and see how well it galloped. The ride is superb with very little of the wallow that was present in the last model, being replaced by a ride that is smooth when you want it to be but in a car that still allows you to get decent feedback when you push it into the corners.

The eight-speed box provides quick changes although not quite in the vein of the GranTurismo with its MC Shift. Overall, Maserati has created a much sharper and classier act than the last model. It has all the executive appeal you could want with a fair amount of Maser heritage thrown into the mix. The current exchange rate situation has hammered the range when compared to mainstream models of the genre but you do get some serious boasting rights when you put your Maserati key on the bar next to the BMW and Merc fobs.

In essence, that is the thing about this car. You know that it is hand assembled in the Modena plant and has a real history to it. It remains a car to be proud of.

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-Mark Smyth