Maserati 5000 Reviews

The new Quattroporte will make its world debut at the North American International Automobile Show (NAIAS) in Detroit on 14 January 2013 before arriving in Australia in the third quarter of 2013, when local specifications and prices will be announced. The all-new Quattroporte heralds the start of a series of new models from the Italian car maker. The new models include a new medium size performance saloon and a performance SUV which, combined with the GranTurismo, GranCabrio and the new Quattroporte will possibly spike Maserati global sales. The new Quattroporte is a high-performance sports luxury sedan that reinterprets the design features of classic Maseratis in a contemporary design language. Next generation Maserati engines, to be used in all models are more powerful than ever, more exciting to drive than ever and also more eco-friendly.  

Crushing car sales in Europe are no barrier to Maserati, which this year opens a new $1.5 billion factory and shoots its three new models straight at the heart of Porsche.  To Maserati Australia boss Glen Sealey, the new Quattroporte - announced this week - and the mid-size Ghibli and SUV Levante, represent a new dimension for the 98-year old car maker.  "Everything, everything, about the new Quattroporte is new," he says. "We are forecasting up to 1500 sales a year in Australia by 2015/16 - that's enormous growth but it still leaves us as an exclusive marque.'' Maserati in Australia sold 140 cars last year. Mr Sealey says the new Quattroporte - here in September 2013 - moves more upmarket, while the mid-size Ghibli is expected in Australia early 2014 and then, in 2015, the Levante SUV. "If you look at Porsche's line-up, then that's a good example of how Maserati is going to market its models,'' he says. The Quattroporte will come first with a high-performance V8 engine that in price and performance would compete around the level of the Porsche Panamera and Panamera Turbo. "Like the Panamera, we will have a V6 petrol and a diesel.'' He says that while rumours of the Ghibli being a car to take on the BMW 5-Series, the new Maserati is more upmarket. "It will be a performance saloon.There will not be a Ghibli model like the (entry-level) BMW 520i. All will be upmarket models," he says. The Ghibli will be powered by a V6 petrol and a diesel and, like the new Quattroporte, drive the rear wheels through a Maserati-spec ZF eight-speed automatic transmission. Maserati has no V6 or diesel on its shelves but Mr Sealey insists these engines will be made by the company - and not sourced from elsewhere - by he time the models are ready for production. "Maserati will not have an outside engine in its cars - it doesn't expect it and the customers certainly don't expect it. So that means Maserati is making its V6 petrol and a diesel.'' Pricing for the new Quattroporte is expected to be similar to the existing model. The Quattroporte - which is bigger than the current model and sits on a new platform - and the Ghibli will be built in Maserati's new factory that was previously owned by Bertone. The factory cost $1.5 billion to buy and refit. "What other company in Europe is doing that?'' asks Mr Sealey. "That's an indication of the confidence that Maserati has in its future.'' Maserati in Italy goes further. Its CEO, Harald Webster, says it is claiming it is standing "at the edge of an unparalleled strategic and industrial growth that will see our presence in the world rise to 50,000 units a year by 2015.''  

The Italian brand is forecasting an unprecedented ten-fold increase in local deliveries in just three years. The prediction comes as Maserati confirms Levante as the name for its upcoming SUV, previously displayed at motor shows as the Kubang. It comes from via Emilia Levante, a street in Bologna where the Maserati brothers first dreamed of their car company. It has also confirmed the continuation of the Quattroporte name and position, but announces the decision to build a new four-door prestige sedan that renews the Ghibli name used in the past. "We're looking for a massive increase in volume. Over the next three years we see massive growth," the head of Maserati in Australia, Neville Crichton, reveals exclusively to Carsguide. "There is a new SUV, a new Quattroporte, and the new E Series. That will grow probably mean ten-fold growth over three years." Maserati used the Paris show to unveil its latest hotrod, the GranCabrio MC, but all the talk is about future growth as the company predicts a volume increase to 15,000 cars by the end of 2015. "Our target is we're going after Mercedes customers and BMW customers," says Crichton. "We'll have much better cars. It's going to compete seriously with Mercedes. Our competition will clearly be mainstream competition, Mercedes and BMW. We're not going after Bentley, we sell double Bentley now. We're not going after Aston, we sell treble Aston now." The Ghibli is set to debut in 2013 and the Levante will arrive in 2014 as part of the company's centenary celebrations. The Ghibli name was first used by Maserati on a two-door GT in 1967, then returned on another two-door in 1992. Crichton dismisses fears about Maserati's quality and also confirms a major dealer development in Australia. "We're not having problem . We have no problems with warranty now with Maserati. Nothing," he says. "The earlier cars, with the older transmissions, they're gone. They're history. The new cars have an eight-speed transmission. "On the dealer side, we'll be putting an additional dealership into Sydney, on the north shore, and an additional dealership at Brighton in Melbourne. We've just appointed a new dealer in adelaide. Perth and Brisbane can only accommodate a single dealer and I think they're doing a good job for us."  

It’s not the new GranSport we’d been hoping for, but it’s a lustworthy addition to the Maserati line-up.Maserati says the newcomer is inspired by the success of the GranTurismo MC Stradale coupé, but is a four-seater where the Stradale takes just two.Reports suggest it will be powered by the Stradale’s 331kW/510Nm 4.7-litre V8 engine, but with a six-speed ZF automatic transmission instead of the Stradale’s six-speed dual-clutch.The GranCabrio MC gets a stretched profile compared to the standard GranCabrio thanks to a 48mm increase in length, and also carries the Stradale’s substantial boot-lid spoiler – which can be optioned in a naked carbon-fibre finish rather than the body colour.The GranCabrio MC has not yet been confirmed for Australia, but if it arrives you can expect a premium over the current Grancabrio Sport, which starts at $328,000 and adds another $10,000 for the Sport version. The Stradale’s price tag, by comparison, is $364,900. 

Despite Europe's sagging car market and Italy's melting economy, Maserati says its mid-size prestige sedan - now named Ghibli - and the new SUV will take its annual sales to 50,000 units by 2015. Its optimism is clipped by the 6159 cars it sold globally in 2011 - 140 of those in Australia. Maserati says the Ghibli - once dubbed the baby Quattroporte and a rival for the Mercedes E-Class and BMW 5-Series - will start production next year and the Levante SUV in the company's centennial year, 2014. The Levante, once known as the Kubang concept and now named after the street in which the five Maserati brothers started business in 1914, is poised to be a Porsche Cayenne rival. The new Ghibli marks the third time that Maserati has used the name. It was first launched as a two-door luxury coupe in 1967 and then revisited in 1992 before ending in 1997. The Quattroporte will next year mark its 50th anniversary with an all-new, sixth-generation model with a more aggressive stance, a more defined boot line and a more spacious interior with an accent on better placement of controls. It was first sold in 1963 as the first generation Maserati four-door - quattroporte translates literally as four door - and remained in production until 1969. The second generation started in 1974 and replaced by the third generation in 1979, then the fourth generation arrived in 1994 and the fifth incarnation in 2004. The Quattroporte is Maserati's best-selling car of all time.  

"Enjoy the sound of a real piece of Trident history and listen to all its power," is all Maserati will say for now. But is it an existing model or -- as some people are thinking -- an aural tease for a new one. The 'Cinqueporte' for which they've registered the name? The horridly-named Kubang? Either way, it's likely to carry one of the two Maserati engines: the 298kW 4.2-litre V8 or the 324kW 4.7-litre V8. We're thinking it's the latter.  

The confirmation of the car will see it as one of three supercars on the Lamborghini stand at the Show ahead of its on-sale date later this year. This will give the Australian public their first official look at this all-new entry-level supercar. The Gallardo LP550-2 Spyder is the only convertible rear-wheel-drive variant in the Italian supercar manufacturer’s line-up and has been inspired by Valentino Balboni, who was Lamborghini’s test driver for over 40 years. Making its second official appearance in Australia will be the Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4, which was also at the 2011 Australian International Motor Show. Since its introduction last year, the Aventador, with its jet-fighter inspired styling and lightweight 60-degree V12 engine capable of reaching 0-100km/hour in just 2.9 seconds, has achieved success globally. “Lamborghini is always a crowd favourite at the Australian International Motor Show and we are excited they will be displaying their newest and most popular models in Sydney, as well as debuting an all-new stand design,” said Russ Tyrie, Show Director. “At this stage, we can confirm that a third vehicle will feature on the Lamborghini stand; whilst we cannot give exact details just yet, it will be a show-stopping concept never before seen in Australia.” The 2012 Australian International Motor Show will be held at the Sydney Convention & Exhibition Centre, Darling Harbour from October 19-28, 2012. For further information about the Show and to purchase tickets, visit www.motorshow.com.au, which is also compatible with all android and Apple mobile devices.  

...but Carparazzi previews the real view of a car which is both chunkier and roomier for 2014.If the Euro snoops are right, as they usually are, the car will also become the Quattroporticina.

...Maserati unveils its all-new Quattroporte.Until then, Carparazzi has caught a heavily-disguised prototype that points to a new rear-wheel drive package, a body with more aluminium and - perhaps - the all-wheel drive system from the Ferrari FF.

...as the four-seat luxury car runs up to its reveal at the Paris Motor Show in September. It's still expected to have a V8 engine from the Ferrari family and perhaps also the all-wheel drive system fitted to the Ferrari FF.