The flagship Maserati Quattroporte is larger, lighter, more luxurious and more practical than the globally acclaimed car it replaces. With a 307km/h (191 mph) top speed, it's also as fast as most two-door supercars.
2013 Maserati Quattroporte
The sixth-generation Maserati Quattroporte delivers a leap forward that not only sets the high-technology tone for Maserati's upcoming new-model onslaught, but also remains faithful to Maserati's long history in luxury sports saloons.
2013 Maserati Quattroporte
The powerful engine and the large cabin at the core of the Maserati Quattroporte's design, dominated by a long, powerful nose and a concave Trident grille, provide a clear link to both the outgoing Quattroporte and the GranTurismo.
2013 Maserati Quattroporte
Even with all of its new technology, the new Quattroporte remains true to Maserati's roots. Its V8 twin turbo makes it not only the fastest four-door Maserati ever built, but also the most powerful and the most fuel efficient.
2013 Maserati Quattroporte
The direct-injection engine family will boast a 3.8-litre V8 and a 3.0-litre V6, both of which are all new, twin turbo charged, designed by Maserati Powertrain and assembled by Ferrari at Maranello.
2013 Maserati Quattroporte
The 3.8-litre V8 engine provides Maserati's new performance benchmark, reaching 100km/h in just 4.7 seconds and achieving a 307km/h (191 mph) top speed. It is 20km/h faster than the Maserati Quattroporte Sport GT S and delivers up to 200Nm more torque as well. The V6 twin turbo doesn't lack in performance, either, reaching 285km/h (177 mph).
With an eight-speed automatic transmission and both rear-wheel drive and all-wheel drive configurations (V6 only, AWD not available in RHD markets), it is also the most secure all-weather performance car in Maserati's history.
To offset its scintillating performance, the V8 Maserati Quattroporte has lowered both its fuel consumption and emissions by 20% over the outgoing Quattroporte.
The all-new architecture retains the Maserati Quattroporte's traditionally exquisite handling thanks to its 50:50 weight distribution, a double-wishbone front suspension and a state-of-the-art five-link rear suspension. It can now deliver the added security and all-weather assurance of all-wheel drive as well.
It also delivers new standards in quality in every area from design, development, fabrication and process controls. It is produced in a new plant that combines Maserati's traditions of craftsmanship with cutting-edge technologies that are able to guarantee outstanding quality by controlling even the tiniest details.
Traditional hand crafted detailing continues in the Quattroporte's cabin, now more spacious and featuring both four and five-seat layouts.
Cabin luxury leaps forward technically too, with features like the Maserati Touch Control screen, adjustable pedals (left hand drive only), reversing camera and the optional 15-speaker Bowers & Wilkins audio system, as well as WLAN-based WiFi and compatibility with most modern mobile phone systems.
With the original Quattroporte in 1963, Maserati invented the concept of the luxury sports saloon and the new Quattroporte continues to be the benchmark for high quality engineering, supercar performance and comfort.
EXTERIOR DESIGN
Maserati has been considered a master of sports saloon design from the day the original 1963 Quattroporte became the first automobile to blend speed and luxury with four doors.
A powerful engine and a large cabin are at the core of the Maserati Quattroporte's design, dominated by a long, impressive nose with its short overhang.
"The design of the Quattroporte is inspired by Maserati's core stylistic principles: harmony of proportions, dynamic lines and Italian elegance," Head of Maserati Centro Stile, Marco Tencone explains.
"Every new model is a step into the future, but for a brand with the strong heritage of Maserati it is fundamental to bring on the most distinctive features as a signature: the contour of the air intake in the front, the three small outlets on the front wings and the strong triangular C pillar bearing the logo".
"The design has been kept simple and clear - continues Tencone - with a character line flowing on the side to define the strong volume of the rear wing and create a very muscular look. The cabin is sleek, with a three window treatment and frameless doors".
"The Quattroporte is a high performance sports saloon featuring a light, sensual design that embodies all the most famous stylistic touches of Maserati in a contemporary language".
But the Maserati Quattroporte body design isn't just about looks; it has delivered a 12% improvement in drag (Cx), down to 0.31, and an enormous 24% reduction in lift. These figures reduce fuel consumption and increase high-speed stability.
A large part of the Quattroporte's aerodynamic work is out of sight, beneath the car. It has a flat floor that contains several aerodynamic features with the scope of optimising performance by lowering drag coefficient and keeping the proper cooling of all systems (engines, brakes, and transmission) at speeds over 300 km/h.
INTERIOR
The interior of the new Quattroporte combines refined, timeless design with high technology and a functional sporting character.
The increases in the size of the Maserati Quattroporte have brought a huge evolution in roominess for the front and especially the rear passengers. Its increased wheelbase has allowed Maserati to add more rear legroom, more shoulder room for all passengers and more luggage capacity.
"The interior achieves elegant simplicity, with clean lines and a user-friendly interface" Mr Tencone said, " assuming that less is more when carefully designed".
"The functional features are downplayed to focus the attention on the top class natural materials - wood, leather, metal - and the refined craftsmanship with which they have been worked".
"The combination of classy and elegant colours makes the interior an exclusive lounge for the occupants that can become unique with a tailored approach for each customer".
Confirming Mr Tencone's views, the Quattroporte's interior shows streamlined, wraparound forms, which give the dashboard and tunnel an unprecedented feeling of lightness.
Like all Maseratis, the Quattroporte features a driver interface that is intuitive and simple to use. The instrument cluster has a large speedometer and a large tachometer that flank a 7" TFT display used for many of the car's operational features.
The leather-finished steering wheel is electrically adjustable for both reach and height, while the pedals are also adjustable (LHD cars only), moving towards the driver at the touch of a button mounted at the front of the driver's seat.
Many of the vehicle's settings are oriented towards the driver and are controlled with the buttons alongside the gear shifter, while other on-board settings can be set by the driver via the Maserati Touch Control (MTC) at the centre of the dashboard.
The Quattroporte standard equipment includes leather, heated front seats with 12-way electrical adjustment, dual-zone climate controlled air conditioning and active cruise control, while the upper and lower dashboard and the interior upholstery are wrapped in Poltrona Frau leather.
Articles Source : netcarshow
Thursday, December 20, 2012
Maserati