Power Trip

A stab of the pedal and the car powers ahead in a surge of muscular prowess. It might only be a sedan, but the throaty growl from its engine as it speeds down the straight is a giddy reminder of the marque’s sporty heritage.

MOTORING

But it’s not just what is under the bonnet of the new edition of Maserati’s big four-door sedan, the Quattroporte, which impresses. From nose to tail, it shows off an outer beauty that snags plenty of envious glances from passing motorists.

POWER TRIP

Combining distinctive styling and handling powered by a heady V8 soundtrack, the updated Maserati Quattroporte S 4.7 proves it can stand up to any of its rivals in the same class, says Gavin Nazareth.

easily. The Skyhook suspension, with Normal or Sport options, provides optimised road holding ensuring a smoother ride, while the Maserati Stability Programme further enhances its dynamic handling with an integrated anti-lock braking system, electronic brakeforce distribution, and anti-slip regulation. The high-performance braking system designed by Brembo gives it the stopping power of a true supercar.

The interior is sumptuous with meticulous attention to detail, as seen in the rich wood trim and detailed piping The name, which means four doors in Italian, dates back on the soft Poltrona Frau leather upholstery. But buyers to the 1960s when the models were considered more can customise their car from a mind-boggling array of as status symbols than a simple car. That changed after colour and materials available. Think 19 exterior colours, Ferrari took over the company 10 variants of steering wheel, 11 colours in the late 1990s, infusing its of piping, and 10 dashboard and rear shelf engineering influence in the new From nose to tail, alternatives and much more. models as well as designs by famed it shows off Improvements have been made to the coach-builder Pininfarina. driving position, seat setup, the an outer beauty Now available in the base 4.2-litre, multi-functional steering wheel with its that snags plenty the S 4.7-litre, and Sport GT S sports grip, the controls now situated of envious glances trims, only minor cosmetic changes on the centre console, and the revised have been made for the 2011 instruments. Simplicity and speed of use update. The sleek bodywork hides were the concepts that went into the a dual (Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde) personality; that of sports interior design. The main controls are accessed easily and car athleticism combined with the sophistication of a quickly with switchgear linked to the driving dynamics luxury sedan. From the classic roofline smoothly tapering set close to the driver. into an elegant tail, to its predatory shark-like nose and In keeping with the times and its closest competitors, sharply raked windscreen, the Quattroporte is more navigation and entertainment systems have also been like a four-door sports car, unlike anything its German revised. The multimedia head unit with a 7-inch colour competitors from across the border offer.

TFT screen, created by Marelli, incorporates a Bose Multimedia System, an on-board computer Under the hood, the Ferrari-designed 430-hp, 4.7-litre aspirated V8 mated to a six-speed ZF automatic transmission accelerates from 0 to 100 kmph in 5.4 seconds, generating a maximum torque of 450Nm, while shifting from gentle growl to sweet wail as the needle swings to the 7,500-rmp red line.

On a fast road the Quattroporte, despite its weight at 1,990 kg, exhibits excellent body control with smooth and crisp shifts. On the highway it’s a luxurious and smooth ride, while within the city the electronic power steering is sharp and quickly responsive, taking corners

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with a 30 GB hard disk, satellite navigation system, a CD-ROM and mp3 player, voice control, Bluetooth technology, and a USB/AUX-in that doubles up as a USB reader. Sound is filtered through an 11-speaker Bose Surround Sound System. A colour display panel directly behind the wheel feeds the driver with useful information about the journey, including the settings of electronic functions fitted to the car as well as information from the satellite navigation system.

A dual-zone automatic climate control comes as standard in the new Quattroporte S with a series of sensors measuring the quality of the air coming into the car and accordingly activating the recycle function. A second sensor reduces the level of humidity in the air to stop the glass from misting.

To ensure the safety of the occupants, front-seat side airbags and full-length side curtain airbags come as standard, while comfort is provided with electronically adjustable seats that can be set to fourteen different positions. The driver’s seat has three memory settings and an easy entry/exit system that

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pushes the seat back and raises the steering column. An optional seat comfort pack offers heating, ventilation and massage functions as well. In the back, the contoured rear seats really only allow for two passengers, while the trunk is surprisingly small for such a large car, though it will take a couple of suitcases and bags.

Among electronic equipment that comes as standard are the light sensors that automatically measure the strength of ambient light and turn the headlights on and off accordingly.

Rain sensors activate the windscreen wipers and regulate their frequency, while a cruise control sets the cruising speed automatically without the driver having to keep his foot on the pedal. Optionals available are tyre pressure sensors, electro-chromic wing and internal mirrors and front parking sensors.

While this Italian pedigree costs more than its competitors in the same class, any second thoughts are obliterated the minute your foot hits the pedal. Also four doors sounds so much sexier in Italian!