2012 MASERATI QUATTROPORTE REVIEW 2012 Maserati Quattroporte is a very different machine from luxury cars such as the Mercedes-Benz S-Class; it's more of a four-door sports car than a sporty luxury sedan. On patchy back roads, the suspension can get a bit jittery, yielding more road noise than you might expect. Also worth mentioning, though some might not complain, is the Ferrari-designed, dry-sump V-8 under the hood, which causes a constant rumbling accompaniment. To a car enthusiast, that is part of the Maserati's appeal; its faint rumble in gentle driving yields to more urgent sounds under brisk acceleration and a tuneful wail by the time it reaches its 7,500-rpm redline.
OPTIONS The offerings from Maserati on the 2010 Quattroporte is a 400-horsepower, 4.2-liter V-8 engine, while the Quattroporte S gets a 425-horsepower 4.7-liter engine and the newer Quattroporte Sport GT S picks up a 434-horsepower version of the 4.7-liter mill. Though Quattroportes in previous model years were fitted with the rough Duo-Select gearboxone of the worst automated manual transmissions TheCarConnection.com has tested and especially out of place on a sedanthe 2012 Quattroporte, just like last year, comes only with the six-speed ZF automatic transmission first offered two years ago on the Quattroporte Automatica.
SUMMARY Judging from the sexy design and appeal of the 2012 Maserati Quattroporte, one would never guess that it had been in production for five years. In this case, that isn't a bad thing because the car has been refined over the years; in the looks department, it's still great.
2012 MASERATI GRANTURISMO REVIEW The new Maserati GranTurismo, styled by Pininfarina, made its worldwide debut as a 2008 model. The new coupe is powered by a 4.2 liter V8 engine and delivers a nimble weight distribution of 49 percent at the front and 51 percent at the rear.
OPTIONS The GranTurismo S is powered by a 4.7 liter V8 in place of the regular GT's 4.2 liter unit. Output is 433 horsepower at 7,000 rpm with a torque number of 360 lb-ft at 4,750 rpm, improvements of 28 and 21, respectively. In the S, an advanced MC-Shift dual-clutch transmission replaces the ZF six-speed automatic. The changes result in a top speed for the S of 183 mph, up from 177 mph and the 62 mph arrives from a standstill nearly three-tenths of a second quicker, at 4.93. Due to the transaxle configuration, the weight distribution of the S is more rear-biased, at 53 percent, compared to the regular car's 51 percent rear bias. New high-power Brembo brakes improve stopping distance and offer higher resistance to fade. Maserati claims the car can stop from 62 mph in less than 115 feet. The system features front brake discs made with dual-cast technology, resulting in pairing up iron and aluminum for better weight, heat transfer properties, and squeezed by aluminum mono-bloc 6-piston calipers. The S rides on unique 20-inch wheels, as opposed to the GT's 19s. Apart from the above changes, the S features conventional suspension set-up, aggressively tuned to reduce roll by 10 percent as compared to the pedestrian GranTurismo. The electronically-adjustable Skyhook suspension found on the weaker car is an option. The interior is upholstered in Poltrona Frau leather and Alcantara for increased luxury, and covers the more aggressively bolstered seats.
SUMMARY Maserati's tradition of the Gran Turismo concept dates back to 1947 when the Trident Company, following its clients' demand, unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show its first Gran Turismo, the A6, designed by the great Pinin Farina. It was the first Maserati road car and was produced in 58 units.
|2010 MASERATI QUATTROPORTE REVIEW|
2010 Maserati Quattroporte is a very different machine from luxury cars such as the Mercedes-Benz S-Class; it's more of a four-door sports car than a sporty luxury sedan. On patchy back roads, the suspension can get a bit jittery, yielding more road noise than you might expect. Also worth mentioning, though some might not complain, is the Ferrari-designed, dry-sump V-8 under the hood, which causes a constant rumbling accompaniment. To a car enthusiast, that is part of the Maserati's appeal; its faint rumble in gentle driving yields to more urgent sounds under brisk acceleration and a tuneful wail by the time it reaches its 7,500-rpm redline.
|OPTIONS|
The offerings from Maserati on the 2010 Quattroporte is a 400-horsepower, 4.2-liter V-8 engine, while the Quattroporte S gets a 425-horsepower 4.7-liter engine and the newer Quattroporte Sport GT S picks up a 434-horsepower version of the 4.7-liter mill. Though Quattroportes in previous model years were fitted with the rough Duo-Select gearbox—one of the worst automated manual transmissions TheCarConnection.com has tested and especially out of place on a sedan—the 2010 Quattroporte, just like last year, comes only with the six-speed ZF automatic transmission first offered two years ago on the Quattroporte Automatica.
|SUMMARY|
Judging from the sexy design and appeal of the 2010 Maserati Quattroporte, one would never guess that it had been in production for five years. In this case, that isn't a bad thing because the car has been refined over the years; in the looks department, it's still great.
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2009 Maserati GranTurismo Review The 2009 Maserati GranTurismo lineup expands to include a top-line S model. This four-passenger coupe shares much of its basic design with Maserati's Quattroporte sedan. The standard powertrain is a 405-hp 4.2-liter V8 and 6-speed automatic transmission with steering-column-mounted shift paddles. New for 2009 is an S model with a 440-hp 4.7-liter V8 shared with the Alfa Romeo 8C. Unlike most front-engine cars, the GranTurismo has a rear weight bias, which Maserati says improves handling. Standard safety features include ABS, traction control, antiskid system, front side airbags, and front curtain airbags. Standard on all models are dual-zone climate control, adaptive bi-xenon headlights, and a rear obstacle detection system. Also standard are a navigation system, 10-way adjustable front seats with memory that power forward to ease entry to the rear seats and a power tilt and telescopic steering column that raises and lowers for easier ingress.
Walkaround GranTurismo's Ferrari-sourced 4.2-liter V8 is somewhat small for the class, thus this coupe lacks the immediate thrust of rivals from BMW or Mercedes-Benz. Once underway this engine shines however, pulling vigorously as revs climb. The responsive, well-matched transmission shifts with authority but is never harsh. Far sharper than can be reasonably expected from a heavy coupe, the remarkable balance in corners and direct, communicative steering combine for astounding sports-car-like handling. More music than mechanical noise, the GranTurismo's engine is a delight to hear rev and encourages aggressive driving. The engine is always heard, even in relaxed cruising, but for most Maserati drivers, that's just fine. Large, clearly marked gauges make getting vital information a snap. Most controls are logically placed and easy to use. The standard navigation system is a nightmare of nonsensical buttons and knobs however, requiring lengthy study before use. More private library than car interior, the GranTurismo's cabin exudes luxury with sumptuous leather accented by real wood and chrome accents. Sadly, the standard headliner looks and feels cheap, more appropriate for a Mercury than a Maserati. A $1550 Alcantara headliner goes some distance to remedy this situation on the Quattroporte, but isn't available on the GranTurismo.
Summary Maserati wants to be the "exotic daily driver," and GranTurismo fits that role nicely. This big coupe is as happy sitting in traffic as it is carving a twisty two-lane back road, and its magical engine note never rises to the level of annoyance. With prices starting in the very-low $100,000 range, this big Italian coupe can be considered a strong value, to boot.
2009 Maserati GranTurismo Review The S gets a new version of Maseratis Ferrari-derived aluminum V-8, with a 2.0-millimeter bore increase (to 94.0mm) and a 4.7mm stretch in stroke, yielding 4691cc versus 4244. With the car operating in Sport mode, which opens a pair of shortcut valves in the exhaust system, this adds up to 433 horsepower and 361 pound-feet of torque versus the 4.2s 405 and 340.
Walkaround The 2009 Maserati GranTurismo lineup expands to include a top-line S model. This four-passenger coupe shares much of its basic design with Maserati's Quattroporte sedan. The standard powertrain is a 405-hp 4.2-liter V8 and 6-speed automatic transmission with steering-column-mounted shift paddles. New for 2009 is an S model with a 440-hp 4.7-liter V8 shared with the Alfa Romeo 8C. Unlike most front-engine cars, the GranTurismo has a rear weight bias, which Maserati says improves handling. Standard safety features include ABS, traction control, antiskid system, front side airbags, and front curtain airbags. Standard on all models are dual-zone climate control, adaptive bi-xenon headlights, and a rear obstacle detection system. Also standard are a navigation system, 10-way adjustable front seats with memory that power forward to ease entry to the rear seats and a power tilt and telescopic steering column that raises and lowers for easier ingress.
Summary What you might not expect, though, is a new six-speed automated manual transaxle. Supplied by Graziano, the new unit replaces the GTs ZF six-speed and employs a dry twin-plate clutch. Though not one of the newfangled twin-clutch gearboxes, it has six operating modes, and in the most aggressive, Maserati says shift time goes from 300 milliseconds to 100. The downside of the new transaxle is that operation in full automatic mode is irritatingly slow. But the Maserati marketeers say this shouldnt matter because the S should be regardedand drivenas a manual. They also expect some 200 to 300 U.S. buyers to step up to the $135,000 base pricesome $21,000 more than the GTswith deliveries beginning in November.
2009 Maserati GranTurismo Review The 2009 Maserati GranTurismo lineup expands to include a top-line S model. This four-passenger coupe shares much of its basic design with Maserati's Quattroporte sedan. The standard powertrain is a 405-hp 4.2-liter V8 and 6-speed automatic transmission with steering-column-mounted shift paddles. New for 2009 is an S model with a 440-hp 4.7-liter V8 shared with the Alfa Romeo 8C. Unlike most front-engine cars, the GranTurismo has a rear weight bias, which Maserati says improves handling. Standard safety features include ABS, traction control, antiskid system, front side airbags, and front curtain airbags. Standard on all models are dual-zone climate control, adaptive bi-xenon headlights, and a rear obstacle detection system. Also standard are a navigation system, 10-way adjustable front seats with memory that power forward to ease entry to the rear seats and a power tilt and telescopic steering column that raises and lowers for easier ingress.
Walkaround GranTurismo's Ferrari-sourced 4.2-liter V8 is somewhat small for the class, thus this coupe lacks the immediate thrust of rivals from BMW or Mercedes-Benz. Once underway this engine shines however, pulling vigorously as revs climb. The responsive, well-matched transmission shifts with authority but is never harsh. Far sharper than can be reasonably expected from a heavy coupe, the remarkable balance in corners and direct, communicative steering combine for astounding sports-car-like handling. More music than mechanical noise, the GranTurismo's engine is a delight to hear rev and encourages aggressive driving. The engine is always heard, even in relaxed cruising, but for most Maserati drivers, that's just fine. Large, clearly marked gauges make getting vital information a snap. Most controls are logically placed and easy to use. The standard navigation system is a nightmare of nonsensical buttons and knobs however, requiring lengthy study before use. More private library than car interior, the GranTurismo's cabin exudes luxury with sumptuous leather accented by real wood and chrome accents. Sadly, the standard headliner looks and feels cheap, more appropriate for a Mercury than a Maserati. A $1550 Alcantara headliner goes some distance to remedy this situation on the Quattroporte, but isn't available on the GranTurismo.
Summary Maserati wants to be the "exotic daily driver," and GranTurismo fits that role nicely. This big coupe is as happy sitting in traffic as it is carving a twisty two-lane back road, and its magical engine note never rises to the level of annoyance. With prices starting in the very-low $100,000 range, this big Italian coupe can be considered a strong value, to boot.
2009 Maserati GranTurismo Review The 2009 Maserati GranTurismo lineup expands to include a top-line S model. This four-passenger coupe shares much of its basic design with Maserati's Quattroporte sedan. The standard powertrain is a 405-hp 4.2-liter V8 and 6-speed automatic transmission with steering-column-mounted shift paddles. New for 2009 is an S model with a 440-hp 4.7-liter V8 shared with the Alfa Romeo 8C. Unlike most front-engine cars, the GranTurismo has a rear weight bias, which Maserati says improves handling. Standard safety features include ABS, traction control, antiskid system, front side airbags, and front curtain airbags. Standard on all models are dual-zone climate control, adaptive bi-xenon headlights, and a rear obstacle detection system. Also standard are a navigation system, 10-way adjustable front seats with memory that power forward to ease entry to the rear seats and a power tilt and telescopic steering column that raises and lowers for easier ingress.
Walkaround GranTurismo's Ferrari-sourced 4.2-liter V8 is somewhat small for the class, thus this coupe lacks the immediate thrust of rivals from BMW or Mercedes-Benz. Once underway this engine shines however, pulling vigorously as revs climb. The responsive, well-matched transmission shifts with authority but is never harsh. Far sharper than can be reasonably expected from a heavy coupe, the remarkable balance in corners and direct, communicative steering combine for astounding sports-car-like handling. More music than mechanical noise, the GranTurismo's engine is a delight to hear rev and encourages aggressive driving. The engine is always heard, even in relaxed cruising, but for most Maserati drivers, that's just fine. Large, clearly marked gauges make getting vital information a snap. Most controls are logically placed and easy to use. The standard navigation system is a nightmare of nonsensical buttons and knobs however, requiring lengthy study before use. More private library than car interior, the GranTurismo's cabin exudes luxury with sumptuous leather accented by real wood and chrome accents. Sadly, the standard headliner looks and feels cheap, more appropriate for a Mercury than a Maserati. A $1550 Alcantara headliner goes some distance to remedy this situation on the Quattroporte, but isn't available on the GranTurismo.
Summary Maserati wants to be the "exotic daily driver," and GranTurismo fits that role nicely. This big coupe is as happy sitting in traffic as it is carving a twisty two-lane back road, and its magical engine note never rises to the level of annoyance. With prices starting in the very-low $100,000 range, this big Italian coupe can be considered a strong value, to boot.