Name: 2024 Maserati Quattroporte
Brand: Maserati

2024
Maserati Quattroporte

EPA MPG: 20 mpg

Maserati Quattroporte First Drive

Summary

Introduction

Maserati Quattroporte

The Nonconformist Choice

Overview

Flagship sedans that cost six-figures tend to be a bastion of conservativeness. Just deviating from the segment-standard Mercedes-Benz S-Class to an Audi A8, BMW 7 Series, Jaguar XJ, or Lexus LS seems daring enough to most premium-car buyers. By comparison, going with a Maserati Quattroporte is like putting on a blaze orange Armani suit; it's clearly the choice for the non-conformist. Ironically though, the latest version of the Quattroporte (meaning "four-doors" in Italian) takes a big step toward normality.

With Maserati being part of the Fiat Chrysler Group conglomerate, Italian brio is now balanced with leveraging corporate assets. Like the smaller Ghibli, the Quattroporte's platform shares roots with the Chrysler 300/Dodge Charger, itself tracing lineage to a Mercedes-Benz E-Class of the early 2000s. While other car companies use their flagship sedans to showcase innovations that will eventually spread down the product line to less-expensive models, nothing is avant-garde or particularly high-tech in the Quattroporte.

Don't look for a lightweight aluminium-intensive body structure, like you'll find in Audi, Cadillac, or Jaguar. And don't expect super-advanced driving aids such as night vision or soft-closing doors for that matter.

Impressions

Indeed, the Maserati feels philosophically different. Although the large sedan is quiet inside, there is more road and wind noise than you'd expect in this class, seasoned with what seems to be an omnipresent low drone from the exhaust. Even when set in comfort mode, the suspension lacks the creamy bump absorbance of a Mercedes S-Class. The Ferrari-developed 424-hp, 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6 in the Quattroporte Q4 we rented from Maserati certainly doesn't want for power, but it lacks the immediacy of rivals' eight-cylinder engines, especially when a quick launch is called for. (Only the sporty Trofeo version comes with a V8.)

Same goes for the handling; some reflexes are dulled by the Quattroporte's hefty curb weight, and steering response, although articulate with feedback, isn't particularly quick. But find the right stretch of twisty road, push all of the various "Sport"-labelled buttons on the console to alter the exhaust sound, suspension, and shifting, and the Maserati feels like it shrinks in size, showing its athletic chops. Scrappy and surprisingly raw, that's when the QP shines. Delivering a live wire of steering feedback through the wheel and an even-keel cornering attitude, the Quattroporte provides an emotional experience that more buttoned-up rivals can't match. The dynamic entertainment is amplified by audible punctuation marks from the exhaust, blatting and cracking with every shift with the driver being the conductor of that orchestra with the throttle.

The sensation of slightly raw intimacy carries over to the interior, where relatively small windows keep the Quattroporte from having the spacious open and airy feeling of competing flagships. Dashboard panels are all covered with leather. While the $7,000 plus optional Zegna interior might look like woven cloth on the door panels and seats, it's actually made of silk and is probably more expensive than the leather in other cars. Maserati's trident logo appears all over the place, including embroidered on the headrests and embossed on the instrument faces. Plush materials can't hide some misaligned components or some cheap touches here and there. These gripes sound minor, but rivals deliver near-perfect craftsmanship. Not everything inside is bespoke; there are plenty of buttons and switches from the Chrysler parts bin, familiar to anyone who has rented a Dodge Charger.

Likewise, the infotainment system is derived from Chrysler's lauded Uconnect 8.4 system; the touch-screen interface is easy to use, but the system in the car we tried was cantankerously unpredictable. While there's no shortage of rear-seat room, it lacks the pampering limousine-like amenities that you get from some rivals. You almost expect some ergonomic foibles in an Italian luxury car, and the Quattroporte doesn't disappoint. They range from major--an electronic gear selector that defeats any attempt to pick Reverse, Drive, or Park on the first try--to minor--a giant shift paddle behind the steering wheel that blocks access to the turn signal stalk.