Maserati has revealed details of the sixth-generation Quattroporte at the American International Auto Show in Detroit. Fans of the four-door hyper-saloon will be pleased to know the 2013 Quattroporte is, on the face of it, much improved over the outgoing model — and it needs to be as the luxury marque is aiming for production of 50,000 units by 2015 as part of its plan to become a “genuine global player”.
A choice of two engine versions will be available at launch. The first is a 3.8-litre twin-turbo V8 that kicks out 530bhp, enough to propel the thing from 0-62mph in 4.7 seconds before winding up to a top speed of 191mph. That’s 12mph faster than the outgoing Quattroporte Sport GT S model, and there is a lot more torque on tap, too — 200Nm more at peak, bringing the total to a whopping 710Nm.
All that extra performance does not come at the expense of eroding the ozone layer. Maserati claims the V8 version is 100kg lighter and 20 per cent more efficient in the fuel consumption and emission departments, making it the most eco-friendly V8 Maserati ever. Still, expect to spend a fair amount of time filling up as the outgoing model was no Prius.
Should your wallet not quite stretch to the pricier V8 model, a slightly less powerful 3.0-litre V6 twin-turbo will be available, capable of producing 410bhp and 550Nm of torque. It will accelerate from 0 to 62mph in a thoroughly respectable 4.9 seconds and then hit a top speed of 177mph.
Left hand drive markets will have access to a four-wheel-drive option in addition to the usual rear-wheel drive setup. This technology allows the engine to transfer power away from the back wheels to a 50-50 distribution between the front and rear when extra traction is required.
Handling should be improved via a double-wishbone front suspension setup, five-link rear suspension and near 50-50 distribution of weight.
Maserati says interior space is more plentiful in both the four- and five-seat layouts, which means you will have more room to enjoy a raft of new gizmos, including the Maserati Touch Control infotainment system, cameras for reversing and, if you add a splash a bit of cash, a 1,280-watt Bowers & Wilkins sound system and Wi-Fi for accessing the internet.
The first deliveries of the 2013 Quattroporte will arrive in the UK in the Summer and only in a rear-wheel drive flavour. Maserati is only making the Q4 version available in left-hand drive. Expect to pay £80,070 for the V6 and £108,125 for the V8 model.
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