Maserati’s new Quattroporte made its world debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show in Germany in 2003, relaunching the concept of the Italian luxury saloon, combining driving pleasure and performance, with style and elegance – the characteristics of a true Maserati.
The new flagship model for Maserati went on sale in Europe during January 2004, with right-hand drive production starting late spring.
Maserati designed the Quattroporte to be a luxurious limousine with a passionate Italian nature, a genuine driver’s car – utterly involving and sporty, entertaining in every circumstance, to be driven and enjoyed everyday, in all weathers and capable of generating rewarding emotions rather than being merely coldly functional.
Beneath the Pininfarina-styled, dynamic and sinuous lines, that gave the Quattroporte the look of a real Grand Tourer, were sophisticated engineering attributes which made that GT promise a reality. Siting of the engine behind the front axle and the gearbox in unit with the rear-differential, created a new first in weight distribution for a front-engined Maserati. The 47% front, 53% rear, weight split brought huge benefits in terms of traction and handling balance.
The electro-hydraulically actuated, Maserati Duo Select six-speed gearbox was fully automatic, but offered a level of responsiveness and significant weight savings not possible with a conventional torque-converter system. In Auto Mode, the gear changed is programmed for maximum comfort, but drivers were also able to select manual-mode and change gear using the steering-wheel mounted paddles. In Sport Mode, the overall settings for gearbox, suspension, traction and stability controls were all adjusted to make the Quattroporte an even more sporty drive.
The Quattroporte is powered by a compact, lightweight, normally aspirated, 4244cc, 90 degree V8 engine. Based on the Maserati power unit fitted in the Coupe and Spyder, the all-aluminium engine is modified for its new role in a luxury saloon to produce a maximum of 400 bhp and 75% of maximum torque from just 2,500 rpm, with maximum torque (333 lb ft) at 4,500 rpm. The modifications, primarily to boost torque at lower revolutions, include a new air-filter, new camshaft profiles, a new exhaust system and revised engine mapping.
Weighing just 183 kg, the engine is fitted with a dry-sump lubrication system - a sports-derived solution which allows it to be mounted lower in the car and in turn, lowers the car's centre of gravity for improved stability and handling balance.
The Maserati Quattroporte accelerated to 100 kph (61 mph) in only 5.2 seconds. The all-aluminium, double-wishbone suspension featured Maserati’s unique electronic Skyhook multi-mode damping control, as standard. |
