Whether the new design of the 2014 Maserati Quattroporte makes you want to sing praises or run away screaming, you can’t argue against its thrilling mechanicals. The new Quattroporte is both the fastest and the most efficient four-door Maserati ever made, and has a few tricks up its sleeve to keep the thrills coming. Let’s find out how they did it, shall we?
Later this year, the 2014 Maserati Quattroporte will be available with a 3.0L twin-turbo V6 engine. That same V6 will also be available in the smaller Ghibli sedan that will be unveiled soon, so we’re expecting plenty of hair-raising fun from Maserati in the near future.
For the purposes of both this article and maximum fun, however, we’ll be looking at the monstrous 3.8L twin-turbo V8 that is currently available. The powerplant is completely brand new, designed by Maserati and built by Ferrari, and despite a full liter of displacement less than the outgoing Quattroporte V8, it packs an incredible punch.
Armed with direct injection and dual twin-scroll turbochargers, the 3.8L V8 helps blast the 2014 Quattroporte from 0-60 mph in just 4.7 seconds with a top speed of 191 mph. Power comes in bunches with 523 horsepower on tap and 479 lb.-ft of torque.
Rear-wheel drive pairs with the V8 for that trademark Maserati sportiness, and a new eight-speed ZF transmission delivers smooth acceleration or white-knuckle thrills if you use the paddle shifters yourself. We heartily recommend it, because the powerband is a lot of fun to play with.
The 3.8L V8 in the 2014 Quattroporte is probably the most rev-happy sedan in the world right now, with full horsepower coming way up at 6,800rpm, just before you reach the 7,200rpm redline. That high into the tach, throttle response isn’t an issue. It gets trickier at low speeds, though.
Twin-scroll turbochargers do an admirable job of reducing turbo lag, but they can’t make any engine respond with perfect timing by themselves. To get around the problem, Maserati incorporated a couple of clever tech bits that make the 3.8L V8 a nimble dancer on any stage.
The engine can be a bit docile at first, with exhaust valves kept closed before 4,200 to maximize efficiency. Through the 2014 Quattroporte into Sport mode, however, and the rising screams and downshifting pops come in waves that will leave you begging for more. Even better, an Overboost function can deliver another 45 lb.-ft of torque that brings the big Maserati to a grand total of 524 for a few seconds.
Cars everywhere are getting more economical, and that extends even to Italian luxury sedans. The 2014 Maserati Quattroporte proves, though, that it doesn't mean they have to be boring.
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