Maserati Quattroporte GTS – the alternative large sporty luxury saloon?

When the opportunity came to experience the Maserati Quattroporte GTS, the anticipation of driving this big luxury sports Maserati was high.  After all, this is no ordinary luxury car.

Exquisite sense of occasion

This car has an exquisite sense of occasion.  It presents itself in a swoopy long body, which achieves the difficult balance between large luxurious and sporty powerful.  Rather than following any other normal sedan shape, which we see so many of every day, the Maserati stands proud in seperating itself by elevating to a higher status.
 

The curves belie the length of the Quattroporte – at 5.262 m long, it is the longest of the large sedans… and we are talking not the standard but the long wheelbase sedans here.  It is só long, it sticks out both sides when parallel-parked in front of a standard-width double garage.

The seating positions in front give a luxury super-quality sensation – the leather is proper top-grade, the dashboard is trimmed in leather, the roof liner is in Alcantara (the genuine Italian suede-cloth) and the wood is classy.  Chrome touches on the switches add some bling.  Even the air vents have chrome lines in an Italian simple-elegant design flair, as these are neatly inset into the dash.  All very smart.

One must-have Maserati signature piece is the Maserati clock – a high-end analogue timepiece honouring the Maserati heritage.  It actually sits well in the centre display above the modern touch-screen.

The front seats are divided by a high centre console, giving a deep-seated sporty cocooned feeling, presented by a snug-fitting gear selector.

The rear seats are very comfortable, with side electric window blinds, and a back-in-the-cabin position for that classy businessman experience.

A car you buy to enjoy the driving experience – luxury and dynamic driving experience

The Maserati Quattroporte is a car you buy to enjoy the driving experience, whether it is the pampered luxury driving experience or the more dynamic driving experience – it caters equally well to both.

When driven on the highway, the car glides along in silence and with that large-car cut-off-from-the-world monied feeling.  Admiring glances in town are received, even when driven through the upper upmarket suburbs.  Passing a school at going-home time saw kids point, whistle, wow and admire the big rare entity that is the Maserati Quattroporte.

The nearly 3.2m-long wheelbase helps make this a very comfortable cruiser as it flattens out the road, while also adding greatly to comfort around town roads and over speed humps.

The adaptive suspension is superb – again, it achieves a supremely supple ride, yet when driven at speed into a sweep, it is firm enough to avoid unwanted body roll and sideways discomfort.  Comfortable without squishy, sporty without bumpy.  Pleasant.

Jewel of an engine

Driven in normal mode, the throttle is gentle, and the big V8 turbo up front glides the long car forward without strain.

The size and output numbers are of less importance than how the power is felt – the V8 is lively and eager, being soft and gentle, with a confident forwards-surge.  On the open road it overtakes with ease, swishing past slower traffic with ease.

While the Quattroporte is also available in a pair of turbo 3.0 V6 engines, with Quattroporte Diesel as the entry-level price engine or Quattroporte S using a petrol V6 turbo, the engine in the Quattroporte GTS is a V8 turbo.

This is a definite V8 sound – not the shy muffled V8s of some luxury German cars.  The Quattroporte GTS is recognisable as a V8, yet with its own distinctive sound.  When selecting Sport mode, the exhaust opens up to let out more of the V8 sound joy.  A gruff enjoyable bark is heard when gear-changing down.  Do not expect any GTS badges – the trapezoidal split-tip exhausts tell you that this is the GTS flagship.

When in the fast mood, as had to be felt during the test opportunity, an open piece of road quickly proved that this big car has proper Maserati sports car genes – the responsive V8 turbo has acceleration that had all 5-up in the car pushed back, accompanied by an exciting free-revving V8 rush, and grins all over.

Performs well against rivals

More is the surprise when it is learnt that the engine is not the usual 5-litre+ found in other V8 sedans, but a smaller 3.8-litre capacity.  On power it does not stand back, as its 390kW competes very well against the bigger-engined German and British cars, while 650Nm from just 2000 r/min gives plenty of shove.  It may be trumped by some cars on actual numbers, but in power-to-the-road the Quattroporte GTS is plenty fast.  The 0-100 sprint is over in 4.7 seconds.  Unlike the German cars, this Italian is not limited to 250, but is given free reign to 307km/h, making it the fastest top-end in its segment.

Nominees in the long wheelbase category include BMW 7 Series L, though they do not build a similar high-performance model, and busy changing over to the new-generation car soon.  The fiercest German rival is the Mercedes-Benz S63 AMG L (L for Long wheelbase) offering a 5.5-litre V8 turbo with quoted 430kW and a mad 900Nm, measured at 0-100km/h in 4.4 seconds (only when you can get all that power down on the road, which the Quattroporte GTS is able to do repeatedly).  The British alternative is the Jaguar XJ L – the XJ L Supersport is being replaced soon by the facelift XJ L Autobiography model, using the same 5.0 V8 supercharged powerhouse giving 375kW and 625Nm, with a 4.9-sec dash.  The Audi S8 and Jaguar XJR are not offered here in long wheelbase, so are excluded, and BMW still has not built and M7.

The 8-speed automatic gearbox operates flawlessly, and large metal paddles behind the steering rim are a pleasure to use.  The gear selector is short and of the switch-type, meaning you only need to push and pull or press to engage a gear or Park.  This apparently needs some practice, as, despite being familiar with this compact simple arrangement from cars like BMWs, the selection between Park and D or R saw some misses.

All the toys, without anything you don’t want

Instead of trying to out-equip the German rivals, the Maserati Quattroporte was designed to offer more of a luxury sporty drive, so gives you all the toys you want, leaving out the things you don’t want.  Surveys show (and you can do your own) that owners of high-tech cars do not use all of the equipment, which often goes wasted on them.  These often unnecessary items only add to the weight, complexity and cost (which the buyer pays for).

This is not to say the Quattroporte GTS lacks equipment.  So refreshing in the big Maserati is the fitment of items like a touch-screen audio-navigation-controls system, electrically adjustable front seats, electro-mechanical automatic park brake, stability control, huge powerful brakes, refrigerated compartment under the front armrest, multi-function steering wheel switches, electric steering column adjustment, adaptive cruise control… a long list of luxury and safety items which you will use, there to make your life easier, without unwanted gadgets.

Price surprise – Italian masterpiece at what price?

The common perception is that Maserati, due it is reputation as maker of high-end luxury sports cars, is very expensive – much more expensive than similar cars, is the general thought – a Quattroporte is the same as a Bentley Flying Spur or Rolls-Royce Ghost, is it not?

Whereas the Merc-AMG S63 L prices at just on R 2 399 000, the Jaguar XJ L Supercharged Autobiography costs R 2 404 000.  The Flying Spur V8 starts at R 4 270 000, so the Maserati is nearly as much, right?  Well, you don’t need to spend Bentley or Rolls-Royce money to own a new Maserati – the Maserati Quattroporte GTS is priced at R 2 477 000.  Yes, nearly the same as the S63 L or XJ L, yet the GTS includes many options as standard.

But what about maintenance costs?  A 3 year warranty and a 5-year / 100 000 km full maintenance plan is included in the price.  Claimed fuel consumption is honest, quoting 17.4 in urban driving, and 11.8 in mixed driving, which is achievable if driven gently.

Quattroporte is one for the connoisseur

These are rare cars, and will remain to be sold in smallish numbers compared to other similar-price luxury sedans.  Exclusivity guaranteed.

If you want a car that has that exquisite sense of occasion, admired esteem, superb craftsmanship throughout, excellent drivetrain, and has the luxury you want in a long wheelbase, yet still lets you enjoy a sporty drive without being too obviously expensive or brash, the Quattroporte GTS will fulfil all your desires.  This is one for the connoisseur.