Autostrada launches the 6th generation Maserati Quattroporte

MASERATI’S traditional values of providing artisan handcrafted detailing continues. Photo by Alvin Uy

Fifty years ago, Maserati introduced the concept of making low volume ultraluxury high-performance sports sedans. Considered as the pioneer of the luxury sports sedan, the first-generation Quattroporte was created and patterned after a one-off Maserati in 1963 after Prince Karim Aga Khan ordered a special unit dubbed as the “5000 WP” designed by Pietro Frua.

AUTO-STRADA Motore Inc.’s Marc and Jason Soong. Photo by Alvin Uy

Last week, Autostrada Motore Inc., the country’s official distributor of Maserati ultraluxury high-performance vehicles, unveiled its all-new V8 twin turbo Quattroporte to members of the media and VIP guests in its Bonifacio Global City showroom. Six generations and exactly fifty years later, Maserati’s flagship car is now larger, even lighter and more luxurious than its predecessor.  “Quattroporte” literally means “four doors” in Italian.

“This occasion gives us the privilege to introduce the all-new Quattroporte that will soon be part of our motoring landscape,” said Wellington Soong, chair and president of Autostrada Motore Inc. The Quattroporte is considered the flagship vehicle for Maserati. It is the fastest four-door Maserati built to date. With a larger and lighter body, it reaches a top speed of 307 kph, and this sixth-generation model offers a quantum leap forward in technology while remaining faithful to Maserati’s long history in luxury sports sedans.

“The sixth-generation Quattroporte not only sets high technology standards but also remains faithful to Maserati’s long history in luxury sports sedans,” Gaetano Marino, regional director of Maserati for Southeast Asia and the Pacific, said. “The new Quattroporte continues to be the benchmark for high-quality engineering, supercar performance and limousine comfort,” he added. For Maserati, a powerful engine and large cabin are at the core of the Quattroporte’s design. Its trademark of long, powerful nose and a concave trident grille also provides a clear link to the outgoing Quattroporte.

THE ALL-NEW direct-injection 3.8-liter V8 engine. Photo by Alvin Uy

The all-new direct injection 3.8-liter V8 engine sets Maserati’s new performance benchmark, propelling the Quattroporte from zero to 100 kph in just 4.7 seconds.  Designed by Maserati Powertrain, the engine is assembled by Ferrari at Maranello, Italy. Despite this, Maserati managed to lower both its fuel consumption and emissions by 20 percent over the previous Quattroporte model. It is mated with an eight-speed automatic transmission compared with the six-speed version of the previous model. Its hydraulic gearbox is assisted by auto-adaptive software, which is now a standard on all Maserati models. There are five operating modes, selected using the buttons by the gear lever: Auto Normal, Auto Sport, Manual Normal, Manual Sport and the new ICE. (Increased Control Efficiency). There is also a V6 twin-turbo variant that performs almost as well, with a top speed of 285 kph.

The new Quattroporte features more interior space for both its four- and five-seat layouts. Maserati’s traditional values of providing artisan handcrafted detailing continues in the Quattroporte’s cabin but is paired with new technology as well. Modern tech features like the Maserati Touch Control screen, adjustable pedals (left-hand drive only), reversing cameras, WLAN-based WiFi, and the optional 15-speaker Bowers & Wilkins audio system offer high-fidelity onboard entertainment and easy driving.

With its all-new architecture, Maserati managed to retain the Quattroporte’s almost 50:50 weight distribution, offering sports car handling and performance on four doors. Thanks  to its double-wishbone front suspension and a state-of-the-art five-link rear suspension, it has  become more sure-footed with an all-wheel-drive system, too. By preserving its traditional handcrafted cabin detailing, high-tech onboard entertainment and supercar performance, it continues to be the benchmark for being the ultimate Italian luxury supercar limousine.