Driven: Frugal flagship renews Maserati Quattroporte

ITALIAN marque Maserati has launched its updated Quattroporte four-door cruiser, which now includes a new entry level version offering the lowest fuel use in the brand's petrol-powered history.

The new twin-turbo V6 variant boasts the best of the performance brand's qualities but offers it to a wider audience as the most affordable petrol model, while the rest of the drivetrain options gain Euro 6 compliance and fuel economy gains.

Maserati Australia chief operating officer Glen Sealey said the addition of a new model for the brand's flagship range takes the style, performance and exclusivity to a broader group of potential buyers.

“It's our desire to enable more clients to enjoy the unique Maserati Quattroporte experience,” he said.

“The additional version provides a new entry point for the petrol-powered Quattroporte and yet maintains the benchmarks of what has made this model such an outstanding success.”

Mr Sealey said that while the new entry level model was still capable of strong performance, it was aimed at buyers with different priorities.

“It's a vehicle designed to get all the key aspects of a Maserati without the performance as the main driving criteria, it's important but they are looking for the qualities – craftsmanship and design – that are more important,” he said.

A worldwide production cap of 75,000 Maserati vehicles a year limits Australia's allocation but Mr Sealey is confident of easily surpassing 500 sales overall for 2015, ten times the brand's average annual sales a decade ago.

Investment in the dealer network as the model range expanded saw that number triple, and Mr Sealey said the addition of the BMW 5 Series-sized Ghibli and future models would take it to the next level.

“That's to take the brand up to 500 units per year. We will go well over that this year and 500 units in 2016, that then prepares us for the next stage,” he said.

The arrival of the Levante SUV, a production version of the Alfieri and the new GranTurismo model over the next few years will build on the brand's solid foundations, according to Mr Sealey.

“To put that into context, 500 cars a year here gives us one of the highest market shares in the world,” he said.

Maserati's sales in Australia puts it in the top 10 countries for the brand worldwide, and in terms of market share Australia is in the top three for Maserati globally.

The near-two-tonne Quattroporte kicks off with the V6 turbo-diesel priced from $210,000 (up from $198,800), rising to $215,000 for the new entry-level petrol Quattroporte, with touchscreen sat-nav, Harman Kardon sound system and full leather interior among the standard fare.

Upgrading to the S twin-turbo V6 finds the starting price to $240,000 unchanged, and the flagship GTS Twin Turbo V8 starts from $331,000 – up from $319,800.

The four powerplant options all use the eight-speed ZF automatic transmission and offer idle-stop.

The new addition is a 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6 producing 243kW and a torque figure of 500Nm (on offer between 1750 and 4500rpm), with 90 per cent of that available from 1600rpm.

A sprint to 100km/h is completed in a claimed 5.6 seconds, with a 263km/h top speed and a combined fuel use figure of 9.1 litres per 100 kilometres, the lowest petrol-powered fuel consumption claim in the company's 50-year history.

The sole oil-burning option in the range is the VM Motori-sourced 3.0-litre turbo-diesel V6, which uses, among other things, the AdBlue system to reduce emissions and gain Euro 6 compliance.

It offers up 205kW/600Nm, a 0-100km/h sprint claim of 6.4 seconds and a thirst of 6.2L/100km.

The Quattroporte S is propelled by a Euro 6-compliant twin-turbo V6 producing 301kW and a broad torque spread of 550Nm across much of the rev range, claiming a 9.6L/100km thirst as well as sending it to 100km/h in 5.1 seconds and onto a 285km/h top speed.

The 390kW/650Nm (710Nm on overboost) 3.8-litre V8 Twin Turbo V8 engine that powers the GTS flagship is now Euro 6-compliant and claims a 12 per cent drop in fuel use to 10.7L/100km, as well as hitting 100km/h in 4.7 seconds and a top speed of 307km/h.

The GTS adds Brembo six-piston front and four-piston rear calliper-equipped brakes to its features list, as well as an increase in wheel size from 19 to 20 inches.

The model year drivetrain upgrade has brought with it a boost in equipment levels, including the addition of blind spot and rear traffic warning systems, a powered boot lid (operable for opening and closing by remote or by waving a foot under the rear bumper) and a standard 12-speaker Harmon Kardon sound system tailored to the Quattroporte’s interior.

Other upgrades include the reverse-gear auto-dipping door mirrors, a remote door release for the driver’s door, integrated and voice-activated Siri Personal Assistant for late-model iPhone users, as well as a broad range of personalisation options.

Dual front, side and curtain airbags, stability and traction control, an alarm, automatic adaptive bi-Xenon headlights, active cruise control, adaptive sports suspension, reversing camera, dual zone climate control, tyre pressure monitoring, rain-sensing wipers and power-adjustable and heated front seats are also included.

A Bowers & Wilkins sound system is among the extra offerings, as is the availability of a silk interior trim package that Maserati is claiming as a world first, supplied by Italian fashion house Ermenegildo Zegna and priced between $11,000 and $22,000, depending on the model and other interior features and options.

2015 Maserati Quattroporte pricing*

Quattroporte Turbo Diesel (a)	$210,000
Quattroporte (a)	$215,000
Quattroporte S (a)	$240,000
Quattroporte GTS (a)	$331,000

*Excludes on-road costs