German Car Zone

Impressive. Exceeding expectations. Spectacular.

There's so many things I can say about this car, but let's not get carried away just yet.

I casually brought up a comparison with my dad, asking him which of the flagships he would choose for his next car that would complement the Phaeton. I came with the S8, 750Li, S500, XJ Super V8, the next generation LS600h and thr Maserati Quattroporte. He then contemplated for a moment and then realised, 'Hey, we haven't tried the Quattroporte yet! Want to go today?'

Of course, I said yes even though I had a terrible flu and tons of homework. So after lunch, we changed up and headed for the showroom, which is set in the middle of an industrial estate. The reason being is that the dealer was once dealing with chemicals and machinery, and now they've conglomerated their company and moved into cars.

I felt that was a bit off, because I expected the showroom to be somewhere more noticeable and exclusive. Nonetheless, the cars that it held were just fantastic. To name a few: Maserati MC12, Ferrari Enzo, Ferrari 612 Scagletti and of course the Quattroporte Sport GT.















The Quattroporte's interior never ceases to impress. In pictures the knobs and buttons may look plasticky, but in real life it feels very high quality. The leather used is very soft and supple, and the seats are supportive. The rear bench is individually adjustable and also allows the passenger behind the driver to adjust the driver's seat forwards or backwards. All in all the quality exceeds my expectations, and certainly gives a better sense of richness than in any of the Germans. Some finishing issues like the rubber surrounding the doors however, gave away that there are still some Italian blood in this car.







Once we've been introduced into the F1 flappy-paddle gearbox, we set off for a test-drive. The engine is fired into life and emanates a pleasurable growl. This engine used the F430's as a framework, so it should pack more than a punch.

400bhp, 0-100km/h in 5.2 seconds and a 275km/h top speed are just some mind-boggling figures. What translates into the road is really something immensely satisfying, even for me as a passenger. The ride is pliant and surprisingly good, though it won't waft through highways like how its German counterparts will do.

Power is evident everywhere. My dad didn't even push the car but it sailed passed 140km/h effortlessly. But as you know, speed limits prevented us from going any faster. The cabin was really quiet too; the standard Bose sound system was crystal-clear (to my ears at least).

There's also an interesting feature in the Maserati which will warn you when you exceed your desired speed limit. It's perhaps warning you not to go faster than you intended to.

The engine's sound and exhaust is just fantastic. My dad is sold on this car.

Though there's one minor niggle - the gear changes are a little jerky at auto.

We don't have such a big garage now; if we did my dad would take this car in a heartbeat. We'll be waiting for at least a year till our new house with adequate parking space will be ready...

What a pity. It's phenomenal. My favourite flagship sedan at the moment.

Some side pictures; Singapore will launch the Brera next week but we got to see it first today:







Lamborghini showroom:



Sorry for the crappy pictures. Didn't really feel good taking photos because it gave the wrong impression that we're just there to see the car 'for fun'.

For anyone who has never tried the Maserati Quattroporte before, be prepared to be impressed.

what a nice dealer you country has. Here in Sweden you can never testdrive a Ferrari or a Maserati unless you actually buying one. Just asking for a testdrive and they will laugh at you.

Im moving

Ahh, very nice James ...so your father is in love with this Italian eh. Hmm, I think I would rather own his Phaeton myself ..but the Quattroporte is a very nice car no doubt about that. Performance is, as one would expect. I'm not crazy about the interior though ....but the upholstery is first class ...and actually made by the same company that makes the upholstery for the Bugatti Veyron, VW Phaeton, and all Ferraris ...so no complaints there.

Has your father test-driven the Flying Spur yet? ....I can't remember if you have said he has or not.

Great review man. I love the design of the car. It looks fantastic in dark colours. What was the suspension like?
In stockholm the doors to the Ferrari and Lambo/Bentley dealers are locked and you can only enter if you have booked an appointment.

You see, this is what I'm talking about .....outrageous that you can see the metal parts of the door because the interior does not fit properly ....only the Italians would make such beautiful leather upholstery and then completely botch the whole thing by not making sure it fits properly

That looks very bad, expecially on a car with an asking price of 100k. Then agin they are owned by Fiat so one is bound to find some glitches here and there.

We're blessed in a sense that the dealer for Ferrari and Maserati is like a small-scale shop kind of setup. They only cater for a niche market (there are only 50 Qportes in S'pore). So the atmosphere's pretty casual.

Well, my dad has been driving German cars for the most part of his life... This Italian is something really different, something you will not get in any Audi, BMW and MB. That's why he's so enthralled by it. While German cars are all about comfort, perfection, solid engineering and cutting-edge technology, the Italian cars are more raw, less anal about detail, and more about the fun of driving. It gives a different feel that is a refreshing change; but my dad will never sell his Phaeton. The German car has its merits and so does the Italian.

Some issues like the fit of the interior can be forgiven when you see that this is such a special car. I know about the interior - Poltrona Frau - right? I sincerely think this car's interior felt more 'Bentley-like' than any of the other German cars. Maybe the widespread use of chrome and leather might explain it.

Yeah, my dad did test drive the Flying Spur. It felt just like a German car should, nothing else.

I agree with you there. But at least these things are not really major problems... As I've said, this car has its positives in other areas - the engine, for example. 95.2bhp/L is something Maserati should be proud of.

Thanks.

My dad already set his mind on the colours (a very creative imagination indeed) - white with a red/black interior. Now it's all about choosing the normal Qporte or the Sport GT. I've heard many complaints about the gearshifts tumping in the standard trim Qporte, but it has improved much in the Sport GT.

But again, the Sport GT costs so much more (we're talking about USD25k here...) and we're not for the carbon fibre trim.

Quite a dilemma, this.

Suspension? Well-sorted but not like the vacuum-like ride we get in an S-Class. It's not overly uncomfortable but I can say that it is stiff.

Well good for him, and you understand the Italian attitude very well it seems .....it is certainly a very stylish automobile.

Yeah that's right. I love Italian design (as you already know) and Poltrona Frau is one of Italy's oldest and best leather furniture makers ...I think they recently opened a very prestigious store in Singapore James.

Yes, I would agree with you on that.

Thanks for sharing Mirage77! Nice job and glad you and your dad are so excited about it.

I can easily understand how one gets sold on these cars, they are so beautiful and enticing. About Maseratis in general, they also distinguish themselves from the competition in that with their coupes, the rear seats are actually usable. (Of course I understand that you are looking at the Quattroporte, not the Coupe - just a general comment).

To Roberto's point regarding the lack of attention to detail and finishing the product properly, this is the exact reason why I am somewhat biased against ownership of Italian cars. I had an Alfa long ago and it rusted so badly so quick that there was a growing hole under the driver's seat, and at that point I just got rid of it.

But, that does not mean that they are`still like that and they sure are gorgeous cars. I'd love to hear a happy success story about a Maserati ownership. Would be nice to hear it from you at some point in the future.

It's always nice to read a review.
Mirage77, concerning the gearbox being jerky, it's a known issue complained by many people and alot of them eventually didn't purchased the Quattroporte just because of the jerky gearbox.
Maserati is currently developing a new normal auto gearbox which should get rid of the jerkiness.
The currently existing flappy pedal gearbox will still exist so the new auto gearbox won't be a replacement but rather an option you can choose out from.
So if your dad wouldn't mind waiting, he could option/equip his Maserati Quattroporto in the future with a much more smoother gearbox and eventually a smoother and refined ride.