It's the sixth generation of one of the most iconic vehicles in the world.
Maserati's Quattroporte, unveiled at the 2013 North American International Auto Show here today, is part of the Italian automaker's strategy that it hopes will see its global footprint increase to 50,000 units by 2015.
The flagship of the Maserati product range, the new Quattroporte is larger, lighter, more luxurious and more practical than the vehicle it replaces.
Topping out at 191 mph, the four-door sedan is as fast as most two-door supercars.
The powerful and proprietary Maserati engines, a 3.8-liter V8 and a 3.0 liter V6, both twin-turbocharged and assembled by Ferrari, are at the core of the Quattroporte design, as is its large cabin area.
And yet speed and power aside, the new Quattroporte has improved both fuel consumption and emissions by 20 percent.
The vehicle's "Q4" system, one of many firsts of the new Quattroporte, redistributes torque instantly from full rear wheel drive at higher speeds to a perfectly balanced 50/50 distribution between front and rear wheels when more traction is needed.
Interior systems such as the Maserati Touch Control screen, adjustable pedals, reverse cameras and an optional 15-speaker, 1,280 watt Bowers & Wilkins audio system, plus WLAN WiFi are part of the new Quattroporte package.
The New Maserati
“Maserati stands today at the edge of an unparalleled strategic and industrial growth that will see our presence in the world rise to 50,000 units a year by 2015. This growth is a challenge for which Maserati has carefully prepared itself and that we all welcome with anticipation.
It is a growth based on those values of style, elegance, quality, performance for which Maserati has been always recognized and praised in almost 100 years of history. This exciting progression will make the new Maserati a true global player with two new production sites in two different continents and a heart solidly planted in Modena, Italy, where our roots are.
It is a growth that will be based on three new models entering two new segments of the automobile market – and it starts with the all-new 2013 Maserati Quattroporte.”
Harald Wester, Maserati CEO
Maserati Quattroporte: Italian Design at its Best
“The new Maserati Quattroporte is a high-performance sports luxury sedan that reinterprets the design features of classic Maseratis in a contemporary design language. Its style was born out of the guiding design principles of Maserati: harmony of shapes, dynamism of lines, Italian elegance. More generous in size when compared to the previous model, the new Quattroporte has a design that is at once graceful and sinuous, fashioned to bring out the sporty nature of the car.
Some of the elements characterizing the previous model have been purposely maintained: the front grill, the three side vents, the triangular C pillar. At the same time new style and functional features were introduced: the strong belt line that runs through the entire side of the car giving the new Quattroporte a look and feel that is at once muscular and elegant with frameless doors and three side windows..
Inside, the design of the Quattroporte aims at essentiality, stressing the simplicity of lines and the full functionality of the in-board instrumentation. Functional elements are blended with soft quality surfaces made of prestigious woods and refined leathers.”
Lorenzo Ramaciotti, Head of Maserati Design Center
Maserati Quattroporte: All-New Next Generation Powertrain
“The innovative Maserati proprietary engines of the all-new Maserati Quattroporte have all been designed and developed by Maserati and Ferrari engineers in the heart of Italy’s motor valley. As a matter of fact, they are going to be produced in the Ferrari plant in Maranello that has been synonymous with cutting-edge technology and passion for well over 60 years.
Passion is indeed the middle name of a whole new generation of Maserati engines that will equip the all-new Maserati Quattroporte and the models that will soon follow her on the market. The passion and state-of-the-art technology that is at the heart of all the new Maserati engines that will be mounted on the next generation of Maserati products have produced engines that are not only more powerful than ever, or more exciting to drive than ever – bust also more eco-friendly than ever before.”
Paolo Martinelli, Maserati Powertrain Director
Maserati Quattroporte: Key Technical Features
“Refined technical solutions, an explicit attention to the most challenging targets in terms of performance, comfort, efficiency and safety – these are the key elements of the all-new Maserati Quattroporte.
Maserati engineers have worked - with a competence matched only by their passion – in chassis designing and engineering, weight reduction, ergonomic enhancement to develop a car capable of fitting different powertrain architectures and transmission configurations for the most diverse driving conditions but always maintaining Maserati’s trademark best-in-class driving comfort.
The results is the all-new Maserati Quattroporte, a luxury sports sedan that reaches new heights in terms of performance and handling, driving enjoyment as well as respect of the world we live in: the best performance ever in the long history of Maserati’s four-door flagship sedan are matched by the unprecedented success in the quest for an eco-friendly automobile. All this done, of course, as you may expect from Maserati, in the spirit of the most severe active and passive safety conditions.”
Roberto Corradi, Maserati Vehicle Development Director
