2014 Maserati Quattroporte S V6

2014 Maserati Quattroporte S V6

2014 Maserati Quattroporte S V6

The Good:
– Strong power all the time
– Cabin space and features
– Sporty drive and handling
The Bad:
– High base price
– A bit too long externally
– Sporty even on a casual cruise

What is a Maserati? The nameplate’s had a resurgence over the past decade, after churning out painfully-outdated sedans and coupes that had built a solid reputation for being as trustworthy as Italian politicians. In the more recent past, more modern offerings like the previous-gen Quattroporte have helped to establish the brand as a proper contender in the luxury segment, although we never could figure out what segments their cars played in without looking at the price tag. Does the Quattroporte go up against a BMW 5-Series or a Bentley Flying Spur? Well, we’ve never driven the old ones, but we did get a round in the latest version.

Right off the bat, it’s obvious the enlarged new Quattroporte is now a proper full-size sedan. In fact, it looks awkwardly long in profile, thanks to a wheelbase that rivals those of cars like the Jaguar XJ-L. The front-end is aggressive, while the rear is a bit generic, if still handsome.

2014 Maserati Quattroporte S V6 7

Inside, the cabin is beautifully appointed all over with real wood, padded leather and metal trim, although the overall design is decidedly conservative. We did like nice details, such as the dash-wide chrome strip that integrates the a/c vents, the metal bits on the chunky steering wheel, and the logo-engraved aluminium pedals.

As we said, the new Quattroporte is a larger car, and therefore the interior is as spacious as anything else in its class. Room up front is good, even with that sharply-raking windshield, while space is in the back is positively enormous. Even the boot is big. And there’s enough proper cup-holders, door pockets and cubbies too, so it’s way more practical than a Porsche Panamera. All-round visibility is surprisingly good as well, even out the back.

Gadget-wise, the elephant in the room is the 8.4-inch touchscreen that’s obviously sourced from Chrysler. It’s an excellent system, better than most, with good response and big icons to play with the navigation, stereo, climate control and other doodads. There are redundant buttons for the solid CD/MP3 USB/AUX Bluetooth audio system of course, as there are for the good four-zone auto a/c. There’s also the obligatory sunroof, rear electric blinds, power front seats, cruise control, lots of airbags, electronic parking brake, rear camera and such, but nothing as fancy as a panoramic glass roof, heads-up display or reclining rear seats, though at least the latter is apparently an option.

2014 Maserati Quattroporte S V6 4

Powered by a 3.0-litre turbocharged V6, it makes a whopping 404 hp at 5500 rpm and 550 Nm of torque at 1750 rpm, all fed to the rear wheels via an 8-speed automatic. During our November test, we managed a 0-100 kph time of 5.9 seconds, which is impressive, although theoretically it can do even better if you can find ideal conditions. After the initial kick, the power is smoothly delivered over the rev range, and the push is relentless well into illegal speeds. Fuel consumption isn’t bad at all, as we clocked a 15.2 litres/100 km reading on the trip computer.

The driving feel is truly something else, at least for a car of its size. The Quattroporte – the name itself meaning “four doors” in Italian – behaves like a sports car trapped in a limo body. There are huge metal paddle-shifters mounted on the steering column with the most satisfying “click” action. The manual gear-shifting is quick enough to be useful, with an intoxicating exhaust burble on downshifts. There’s tons of grip from the 245/40 front and 285/35 rear tyres on its 20-inch wheels, while body roll is limited to the point of imperceptible in moderately-aggressive driving. And all the controls are sharp, with firm steering and powerful brakes. All in all, the handling is neutral yet exciting.

However, there are some niggles, if what you’re looking for a pure sports sedan. The weighty steering has almost no feedback, while the sharp throttle pedal can be somewhat uneven in response at times. It’s also a very long car, although it hides its size well, at least until it comes time to park.

The luxury aspect is done well up to a point, but compromises were made to retain that sporting goodness. The slightly-firm ride is comfortably smooth on most surfaces and compliant enough on rougher ones. Wind noise is virtually non-existent, but there is noticeable road noise from the wide tyres, while the throaty engine is always audible to different degrees depending on speed. In “sport” mode, the ride is harsher and the exhaust is louder, but that’s expected and welcomed.

This is the first time we’ve driven a Quattroporte, and it’s a bit of a revelation. Apparently Ferrari builds the engines for these cars, and that shows in its behaviour. We cannot think of any other large sedan that has as much character in its enthusiastic drive, and that may be enough to overcome its minor compromises and high price in the minds of those who buy one.

Price Range:
Dh 410,000-465,000

Current Model Introduced in:
2013

Body Styles:
4-door sedan

Engines:
3.0L 404 hp V6 turbo / 550 Nm

Transmissions:
8-speed automatic

Setup:
Rear-wheel-drive

Suspension:
Front: independent
Rear: independent

Brakes:
Front: discs
Rear: discs

Curb Weight:
1850 kg

Length:
5262 mm

Wheelbase:
3171 mm

Top Speed:
285 kph

Test Acceleration 0-100 kph:
5.9 sec.

Observed Test Fuel Economy:
15.2 litres/100km

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Comments

  1. You have a typo error in that the engine in a 3.6 litre V6 and not the 5.7 litre V8 that is the HEMI out of Chrysler’s SRT 8 range.

  2. I am not convinced… An engine does not maketh the car. Stylistically there appears to be an audiesque rear end and I find the front rather hideous… The interior also appears a bit “loosely” put together. I guess it is like meeting a Hollywood star… some people get “starstruck” and others are more like “meh”…

    • Compared to the previous model, from the rear 3/4 view the tgatliihls are changed to being a lot like a whole lot of other cars, and the rear fender bumpup is a lot lower with a trunk rise in the sort of BangleButt manner. Sort of more narrowed and pinched than before. Overall of course it’s I’m sure more contemporary but I don’t get these conformist changes. I thought the taillight concept of the old model was one of its coolest features, and the later Jaguar XJ taillight concept is not unrelated. And also cool.From the front 3/4 view it’s pretty much a more aggessive version of the old model. I think they should have done the same thing with the rear: a cooler more aggressive version of the old model. But in the marketplace, the most important thing is to be contemporary and get a reputation for being absolutely as reliable as the competition. Which has not been a Maserati feature in the past.

  3. in terms of practicality its is good i mean the engine, handling, acceleration but the design is just weird and headlights are too small for such long body and for the price u pay for this car its just not look like a car that worth that much imean s calss or jaguar xj is way more beautiful than this

  4. Neither Ghost, Phantom nor GranTurismo fall into that category. The Quattroporte has 4 coptemitors: AM Rapide, Porsche Panamera, BMW 6-Series Gran Coupe9 and MB CLS. None of those are even as remotely stylish as the Quattroporte.Of those, I’ve only driven the CLS, 350 CDI, that is. Nevertheless, I’d pick the Quattroporte, sight unseen.And as for the reliability issue: you’ve fallen prey to a marketing scheme. Italian sportscars aren’t as unreliable as they used to be in the 1990 s. This holds especially true for the QP model 2007 and later.

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