“Whether you go with the standard V6 on base trim levels or the aggressive V8 in the top-of-the-line Quattroporte GTS, there's plenty of power on tap.” –The Car Connection
Engine and Performance
This Maserati is being fed by a 3.0L 6-cylinder inline engine having an output of 424-horsepower and 428 lb-ft of torque. These are some interesting numbers on-paper and the performance lives up to the expectations as well.
It is mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission which is found not as accurate as one would expect. The shifts are quite short but the harder throttle response is carried out by longer shifts. The car revs up to the red mark with ease and gives out extortionate performance.
Models
|
Maserati Quattroporte
|
BMW 7 Series
|
Jaguar XJ
|
Audi A8
|
MSRP
|
$103,400
|
$81,500
|
$74,400
|
$82,500
|
Engine
|
3.0-Liter TFSI 6-Cylinder
|
3.0-liter BMW TwinPower Turbo inline 6-cylinder
|
3.0-liter Intercooled Supercharger Premium Unleaded V-6
|
3.0L 6 cyl
|
Transmission
|
8-speed automatic
|
8-speed automatic
|
8-speed automatic
|
8-speed automatic
|
Power
|
424 hp
|
320 hp
|
340hp
|
333 hp
|
Torque
|
428 lb-ft
|
330 lb-ft
|
332 lb.-ft
|
325 lb-ft
|
The Quattroporte faces competition with the mentioned cars and it turns out to be a very fair comparison as all the cars have the 3L engine with 6-cylinder setup and 8-speed automatic gear setup.
Pretty clearly, the Maserati poses out as the winner with a drastic lead in the engine’s output, tuning, and performance. Rest, all being luxurious sedans comes out equally similar based on their engine qualifications.
Acceleration
The perfectly tuned engine by Maserati allows the Quattroporte to a achieve the 0-60 mph target in just 4.5 seconds and covers the quarter mile in a mere 12.7 seconds. Having such a performance-oriented has a negative side which can be seen in the emissions department.
Models
|
Maserati Quattroporte
|
BMW 7 Series
|
Jaguar XJ
|
Audi A8
|
0-60 MPH
|
4.5 sec
|
5.4 sec
|
5.4 sec
|
5.5 sec
|
Quarter mile
|
12.7 sec
|
13.4 sec
|
14 sec
|
13.8 sec
|
Engine
|
3.0L
|
3.0L
|
3.0L
|
3.0L
|
Emission
(Tons/yr of CO2 Emissions @ 15K mi/year)
|
9.8
|
7.4
|
8.4
|
8.1
|
It is certainly the best car out of the pack and delivers well for what it is asked for. The Jaguar XJ and Audi A8 take the down score while having similar outputs on track.
Ride and Handling
Despite the increased girth of the car, Maserati has managed to pull out an extremely balanced car. It involves a lot of aluminum in its structure and chassis which allows it to shed the unnecessary weight which further adds to a more responsive and a well-handled car. As one would expect from a sports luxury sedan, the suspension is on the firm side which allows it to cruise through any circumstance without causing any nuisance. The electro-hydraulic steering allows the sheer joy of handling the Quattroporte at ease.
The bigger wheels, however, decreases the comfort somewhat.
Braking
The 13.6-inch and 13.0-inch brake pads on the front and the rear wheels respectively helps the car to come at halt from the usual cruising speeds. The Maserati is one heavily built car, weighing just about 4.1tonnes.
When tested to the extreme, the brakes brought the Quattroporte from 60 mph to a dead stop in just 105 ft. which is considerably great.
Model
|
Maserati Quattroporte
|
BMW 7 Series
|
Jaguar XJ
|
Audi A8
|
Brake Front(in)
|
13.6
|
17.7
|
14
|
15.0
|
Brake Rear(in)
|
13.0
|
14.5
|
12.8
|
14.0
|
Curb Weight(lbs)
|
4101
|
4195
|
3891
|
4464
|
60-0 MPH (ft.)
|
105
|
112
|
122
|
118
|
When analyzed, the car weighs right in the middle of the category but even though it has the smallest of the brake setups, it still carries off the least distance and the quickest to stop from 60 miles an hour. The Jaguar XJ loses this aspect of the clan.