It all starts around 4000 rpm. That’s when it becomes obvious that this isn’t a typical V-8. By 5000, it’s spitting a magnificent staccato blast that bears echoes of its birthplace—Ferrari’s Maranello factory—where it is assembled alongside Fiat sibling Ferrari’s own engines. But ditching the flat-plane crank from the prancing-horse V-8s seems to offer just enough suppression of their glorious angst to align with the priorities of what is, after all, a luxury sedan.
Along with a muscular redesign that sharpened the front and rear, Maserati’s bestsellingQuattroporte[/url] line added two new models for 2009. The 396-hp, 4.2-liter V-8 version—for $124,150—carries over, while this S variant (add another $6000) gets bored and stroked to 4.7 liters for a more vocal 425 horses. The $138,100 Sport GT S version adds another eight horsepower and a sportier suspension overhaul.
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But the talents run deeper than the engine; the recently adopted ZF six-speed automatic is a perfect match, expertly tuned to be smooth while cruising, immediate when provoked. Adaptive shocks keep the ride friendly—a sport button on the dash perks things up—while at the same time enabling sports-sedan-eager responses and a composure unheard of in the heifer-sedan class. This despite an ordinary 0.83-g skidpad figure and an on-center dead spot in the steering. Braking is a phenomenal 157 feet from 70 mph.
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Although Maserati hastened 0-to-60-mph acceleration by a half-second, to 4.8 seconds, the combined willpower of enthusiasts the world over unfortunately can’t change the fact that screaming engines don’t get good fuel economy. Indeed, the V-8 in the bigger, heavier Mercedes S550—it’s 16-percent larger than the Maserati engine—betters the mileage ratings of the 7200-rpm masterpiece in the Quattroporte S by many mpg. We did manage a reasonable 21 mpg on a mostly highway run, but back-road exuberance quickly erodes fuel economy into the low teens.
[url=http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/car/09q3/2009_maserati_quattroporte_s-short_take_road_test/gallery" onclick=var x=.tl(";s_objectID=http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/car/09q3/2009_maserati_quattroporte_s-short_take_road_test/ga_6";return this.s_oc?this.s_oc(e):true][img]http://www.caranddriver.com/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/images/2009-maserati-quattroporte-s-4/2899479-1-eng-US/2009-maserati-quattroporte-s-4.jpg" width=270[/img]
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Executives seeking to be chauffeured should look elsewhere. The Germans and Lexus rule in the back-seat department, and despite its makeover, the Maser trails on feature content, ergonomics, and even firepower when compared with its price peers. But the Quattroporte is tough to beat for those—like us—interested in grasping for themselves the Ferrari-like contours of its steering wheel.
h2Top Competitors/h2
h3Specifications/h3
VEHICLE TYPE: front-engine, rear-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door sedan
PRICE AS TESTED: $135,350 (base price: $130,150)
ENGINE TYPE: DOHC 32-valve V-8, aluminum block and heads, port fuel injection
Displacement: 286 cu in, 4691cc
Power (SAE net): 425 bhp @ 7000 rpm
Torque (SAE net): 361 lb-ft @ 4750 rpm
TRANSMISSION: 6-speed automatic with manumatic shifting
DIMENSIONS:
Wheelbase: 120.6 in Length: 200.7 in
Width: 74.6 in Height: 56.6 in
Curb weight: 4563 lb
C/D TEST RESULTS:
Zero to 60 mph: 4.8 sec
Zero to 100 mph: 11.8 sec
Zero to 150 mph: 33.8 sec
Street start, 5–60 mph: 5.2 sec
Standing ¼-mile: 13.5 sec @ 107 mph
Top speed (drag limited): 173 mph
Braking, 70–0 mph: 157 ft
Roadholding, 300-ft-dia skidpad: 0.83 g
FUEL ECONOMY:
EPA city/highway driving: 11/18 mpg
C/D observed: 18 mpg
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120976,
i took sum pix of d cars i saw in london. i wanted 2 take pix of jaguars.. bt i din gt a chance.. thou i saw alot of jags...
mod edit: moved to correct section</p
