The 2013 Maserati Quattroporte Review and News

Maserati Inc. -  The 2013 Maserati Quattroporte performs with some of the verve of a sports car, and aims to make new converts from those who drive stodgy luxury cars.

The Quattroporte--the name means "four doors" in Italian--pairs a roomy interior and nice proportions with a sleek shape penned by the design house Pininfarina. By design, the Quattroporte is arguably more coupe-like than any other four-door--even in these days of seemingly countless four-door coupes.

Its silhouette is recognizable from a distance, and even piecemeal, many of the details like its shark-like front end, aggressively raked windshield and smoothly sculpted roofline all look directly borrowed from a grand-touring sports car. 

The elegant tail is a welcome contrast in a world of rising-beltline sedans, and it accentuates the long-and-low elegance. 

The Quattroporte's interior stands out from the luxury-car norm as well, with a richness that's simply lacking in all the German alternatives, with fine detail work, real wood veneers, soft, lightly processed leather upholstery, and leather piping. Additionally, doors open with a softened electric assist.

The phrase "four-door sports car" has been used elsewhere in the market, but it really applies here. From the driver's seat, the Quattroporte feels dynamic and engaging, and much more like a four-door sports car than a luxury cruiser, or even than a well-honed German sport sedan, and even though the QP has four real doors it tends to meet sporty coupes halfway in the game of compromise. Quattroporte Sport models get a 434-horsepower, 4.7-liter Ferrari-derived V-8, while the Quattroporte Sport GT S model gets a 444-hp version. 

The GT S posts an official 0-60 mph time of 4.9 seconds and a top speed of 178 mph. In either case, the engine sounds and revs like exotic sports-car material, loping along at idle but sounding a bit savage at the low and mid revs, then hitting a smooth sonorous high at 7,500 rpm. We recommend the Skyhook air suspension, as it tends to make the car feel just as buttoned-down while greatly improving ride comfort. 

In addition to very limited trunk space and tight back-seat space, there are some cabin materials and fits that may be below the standard for a $140k+ vehicle, although with build-to-order options and boutique-level service those are really minor quibbles.

With a wide range of options and features, including upholstery finishes, colors, and trim, it's quite easy to drive the Quattroporte's price much higher. Key differences in the Sport GT S model include Trofeo Design "Active Shifting" paddles, a more aggressive program for the transmission, a sport suspension, special Poltrona Frau leather with Alcantara (faux-suede) inserts, and a sport exhaust that sounds even better.

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