Johannesburg - Maserati hasn’t tinkered too much with stylistic or mechanical aspects in its facelifted Quattroporte flagship sedan, but rather realigned the range with two new trim packages and added some much-needed tech.
The brand’s biggest sedan, which was launched in South Africa last week, gets some almost unnoticeable visual updates and its four existing engines will carry on as before. The big news is the addition of a 21.3cm colour touchscreen in a redesigned dashboard centre section. This hi-res display houses multimedia, navigation and some vehicle settings, and is now compatible with Apple Carplay and Android Auto smartphone mirroring. There’s also a new rotary controller in the centre console for simplified menu navigation and volume adjustments.
Maserati has brought the Quattroporte up to date with driver assistance systems, and though it’s only available as an optional extra, a new safety package includes radar cruise control with stop and go functions, lane departure warnings, forward collision detection and auto braking. Also included is a surround view camera system which is activated by engaging reverse gear, or via a soft button in the touchscreen. Air quality sensors, which can detect and prevent external pollution from entering the cabin, are now included in all versions as standard equipment.
All V6 variants start with base trim levels, but can be upgraded to a choice of GranLusso or GranSport design packs. The top V8-powered Quattroporte GTC comes as standard with either trim package, but you’ll need to choose which you prefer.
GranLusso is the classier, more elegant of the two with an interior designed and appointed by Italian men’s fashion house Ermenegildo Zegna. Here you’ll find open pore Radica wood inlays and Mulberry silk used in the door panels, seats and headliner. GranLusso interiors can be specced in a choice of black, red or tan colours.
GranSport, as its name gives away, is the racier option with gloss piano black wood inserts, aluminium shift paddles, stainless steel pedals, a sportier steering wheel and deeper bucket seats. Colour options here include beige, tan, red and black, and an additional carbonfibre interior package can be ordered at extra cost.
Nothing has changed on the petrol engine front, and as before there’s a choice of two turbo V6s and a turbo V8 – all designed with input from Ferrari. The petrol range starts with a 264kW/500Nm 3-litre twin-turbo V6 which is good to go from 0-100km/h in a claimed 5.5 seconds. A more powerful S version with 302kW/550Nm lowers acceleration times to 5.1 seconds, while the range-topping GTS’s 390kW/650Nm twin-turbo 3.8-litre V8 does the same test in 4.7 seconds and on to a top speed of 310km/h according to Maserati.
The 3-litre turbodiesel V6 model with 202kW and 600Nm accelerates from 0-100km/h in 6.4 seconds.
PRICES:
Quattroporte Diesel – R2 223 360
Quattroporte – R2 232 936
Quattroporte S – R2 476 375
Quattroporte GTS – R3 025 936
All models come with 3-year/unlimited mileage warranties and 5-year/100 000km maintenance plans.