The Quattroporte comes equipped with an all-new eight-speed automatic transmission with no less than five dedicated shift modes. Auto Normal is the Quattroporte’s default setting and I elected to leave it in place as we set off through the wet streets of Nice.
Even at a snails pace dictated by the narrow streets, the sportiness of the Quattroporte came instantly to the fore. The suspension feels much more taut than any equivalent luxury saloon I have driven recently and much more performance-inspired than anticipated.
Another unexpected hint at the Quattroporte’s potential is the incredibly precise steering with bags of feedback, which may be due to the lightened chassis and aluminium steering box. It’s difficult to make firm judgments in these conditions but the front end feels overly weighty, a hint perhaps at the engine’s new position further forward. There’s undercurrents of understeer trying to kick their way in on some of the sharper turns, and when compared with its predecessor, there’s less agility. Given the relentless pull of the new V8, I certainly won’t say the saloon lacks dynamism, but it’s tempting to wonder if this newfound poke has come at the expense of the vehicle’s poise.
The eight-speed transmission though does its best to get the Quattroporte back in the game, the intelligent electronics mean it always seems to be in the right gear at the right time. Not that you’d notice of course, since the smoothness between shifts is almost unnoticeable; this is a luxury saloon, after all.
In Auto Normal mode the traditional Maserati soundtrack has been slightly neutered thanks to bypass valves in the exhaust system, which stay closed until you reach 4200rpm. The conditions meant there was little chance to hear the V8 on song.
A flick of the switch to Auto Sport and for a few moments, with the valves opened, the glorious soundtrack rang out for the first time. However, with traffic ahead of us moving slower than the speed limit due to the treacherous conditions and on single lane roads that were regularly narrower than the Quattroporte, Sport Mode seemed a little redundant.
It was also perhaps foolhardy as the combination of 523bhp, lively rear-wheel drive and greasy wet roads has the potential to turn around and bite you. Consequently, the transmission was left in I.C.E. (Increased Control Efficiency), the super-safe mode designed for these conditions.
The new Quattroporte will see its regional launch in the first quarter of 2013, hopefully under more clement weather conditions. A few more frustrating months to wait then to see if Maserati has indeed produced a game changer.
| Maserati | Quattroporte, 6th Gen | |
|---|---|---|
| Engine: | 3798cc / V8 | |
| Power: | 523bhp @ 6800rpm | |
| Torque: | 479lb ft @ 2000-4000rpm | |
| Transmission: | Eight-speed ZF gearbox / rear-wheel drive / | |
| Front suspension: | Double wishbone / Sport Skyhook electronic system | |
| Rear suspension: | Five-arm multilink / Sport Skyhook electronic system | |
| Brakes: | Dual cast, cross-drilled / grooved and ventilated discs, six-piston Brembo calipers (front) / grooved discs, four-piston calipers (rear) | |
| Weight (kerb) | 1900kg | |
| 0-100kph: | 4.7sec | |
| Top speed: | 307kph |
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