There may have been a few questions hanging over its head, but the current generation Quattroporte has been an unquestionable success for Maserati. Over 24,000 have been sold since 2013, which still doesn't put it anywhere near the same universe as big brands like Audi or Mercedes, but are big numbers for a boutique maker turning out luxury saloons. Maserati is looking to keep the success rolling with a refreshed version of its big four door.
Subtle refinement is the order of the day when it comes to Maserati's exterior changes. At the front, there's a new front bumper and a larger grille, serving to highlight the shark nose shape and low, wide stance. The front is prettier, but it's also smarter than before, using an electrically variable air shutter that closes to improve aerodynamics by up to 10 percent on the move, before opening when extra engine cooling is needed.
Maserati has also focused plenty of time on tidying up the interior. After all, that's where lucky owners will spend their time. The center stack has been comprehensively reworked, integrating a new 8.4-inch multitouch screen and slicker climate controls underneath. It's a better looking arrangement than the layout of the previous car, which plucked its infotainment unit from a Chrysler, and includes support for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, which brings it into line with equally exclusive cars like the Fiat 500 and VW Passat.
Unwarranted economy car comparisons aside, there are some truly over-the-top touches to help set the Quattroporte apart from the pack. Having debuted on the Levante SUV, an Ermenegildo Zenga Edition with unique silk trim on the seats, doors, headliner and visors will be available. The car can also be ordered with a range of different open-pore wood options, depending on whether the GranLusso or GranSport is checked on the spec sheet.
All cars are fitted with a new air quality sensor which, while not going as far as the Tesla Model X's HEPA filter, does cut down on unwanted gases sneaking into the cabin.
Under the hood, very little has changed from the 2013 version of big Italian four-door. The range is still topped by the GTS that is powered by a 3.9-liter V8 punching out 530 hp (388 kW) of power and 710 Nm (524 lb-ft) of torque and can dispatch the 100 km/h (62 mph) sprint in 4.7 seconds, on the way to a top speed of 310 km/h (193 mph).
If your means can't quite stretch that far, or you're not high enough up in the "family" to justify the full-fat V8, there is a V6 S version available with 410 hp (306 kW) of power and 550 Nm (406 lb-ft) of torque. It's only 0.2 seconds slower to 100 km/h than the V8 version, but there's something about the way Maserati bent-eight engines sound that give the more powerful car another edge.
Some markets also get a low-power version of the V6, capable of the 100 km/h sprint in 5.5 seconds, and there's also a 275-hp (205-kW), 600-Nm (443-lb-ft) diesel engine available, but to choose a more economical engine with less character is to sort of miss the point here.
It might have been around for a while, but semi-autonomous safety technology like auto-emergency braking, lane departure warning, forward collision alerts and adaptive cruise control, which includes traffic jam assistance, is also included in the latest Quattroporte.
The restyled Quattroporte will be available this month, but pricing details are still to be released.
Source: Maserati
