Maserati Karif Reviews

Do not mistake this for a GranSport replacement. That was the message from Maserati this week as it launched what will surely prove to be the most beautiful new car of the year. The beguiling GranTurismo coupe will sit between the would-be Porsche 911-rivalling GranSport and the Quattroporte exotic/executive saloon.At least that's what Maserati says. Having experienced the versatility of this superb grand tourer in the Italian Alps, we'd say the newcomer upstages both. Its to-die-for design may belie it, but the newcomer is essentially a derivative of the saloon though with two fewer doors and 110kg less strain on the scales. Despite that it's a still thumping 1880kg.The GranTurismo also shares the saloon's drivetrain, namely the same delicious Ferrari-derived 4.2-litre V8 married to a six-speed ZF automatic transmission with sport mode and manual function via paddle shifters or the gearstick.Positioned as a rival for everything from Bentley's Continental GT, BMW's 650i, Jaguar's XKR and the Mercedes-Benz CL 500, the GranTurismo will be priced between $290,000-$300,000.The precise price will be announced when the Maser stops traffic at the Australian International Motor Show in Sydney in October.Local deliveries begin in the same month, most of the 2007 allocation having been pre-sold. Australian spec cars receive as standard 20-inch rims, Skyhook adaptive suspension, Bose upgraded stereo and comfort front seats.That operatic 295kW/460Nm V8 lacks low-down torque but gets the GranTurismo to 100km/h from standing in a claimed 5.2 seconds - a time which would necessitate use of the sport mode. Almost as impressively, the big GT can go from that speed to zero in 35m. The newcomer might not be intended to supplant the older coupe, but it's tough to imagine it not taking customers.Seating four adults in luxurious comfort, the GranTurismo is almost 4.9m long, with minimal overhangs on a wheelbase that's been reduced by 123cm from the Quattroporte, but retains a useful 260-litre boot capacity.Capable of relaxed and comfortable daily use, the coupe comes into its own when presented with a challenging road. It's a superbly balanced (weight distribution is 49:51) and confidence-inspiring handler.A bewildering array of cosmetic options, including 19 possible exterior colours, 10 shades of leather upholstery with various stitching and trim options (even the Brembo brakes come in a choice of five colours), ensure that no two GranSports will be precisely the same.Australia is Maserati's ninth-biggest market. The GranTurismo is expected to thrust local sales of the feted marque past 200 next year.    Snapshot Maserati GranturismoPrice: $290,000-$300,000 (est)Economy: 14.3L/100km combinedEngine: 4.2L V8, 295kW, 460Nm, 0-100km/h 5.2 secsVerdict: Weepingly beautiful, the GranTursimo is at home on the freeway and the B-road. 

It's not as though Italy won't do autos, such things are increasingly available in Alfa Romeos even in the ostensibly sporty Brera.It's more that Italians seem to regard slushers as an affront to what they believe fervently is their collective ability to drive like gods of the racetrack.That said, on the whole they make Australians look like the neophytes they are. Then there's the question of the auto's state of origin — the United States.The Italian attitude can be discerned in any car-hire establishment; in their boot-shaped peninsula wherein requests for auto are greeted with by a semi-sneering, eyes-rolled-towards-the-heavens: 'American transmission.'That the feted marque Maserati has fitted a torque converter auto to its flagship Quattroporte sedan and can be seen as a milestone.When the Quattroporte Automatica was presented to the world in Monaco earlier this year, the company suggested that this gambit was being made with women in mind.That's the sort of quaintly patronising candour that would get you hauled up before HR over here, never mind that it happens to be true.In fact, the move stems from Maserati's need to be seen as a genuine alternative to the top-end automated Teutons; (Automoteutons?) such as Mercedes-Benz's grandiloquent tourer, the CLS 63 AMG, and BMW's relentlessly capable but aesthetically appalling 7 Series.Until now, the seductive Masers have come with a 'Formula One-style' DuoSelect gearbox that, while having a Drive mode and no clutch pedal, could be a lurching, jerking and decidedly non-luxurious thing to drive.While the hardcore will cling zealously to these things, the overwhelming majority of new Quattroporte buyers will now tick the automatic box.Miscreants have chided that the six-speed unit used by Maserati is supplied by the firm ZF, who also make the unit fitted to Ford's humble Falcon. The two are to each other what Jacob's Creek Shiraz is to Hill Of Grace.Epic re-engineering was undertaken to adapt the ZF to the car without adversely affecting its near-optimum weight distribution, and to enable it to accept its high-revving, Ferrari-supplied 4.2-litre V8.The means by which this was achieved is a story in itself. Suffice to say it works beautifully and those whose machismo (or lack of it) is not linked to their transmission will find that Quattroporte auto drives almost as adroitly as DuoSelect.Certainly the new deal is sweeter in most forms of driving. In any case, the auto has a manual option that can be enhanced by in the upper-spec models; with steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters.For the main part, it simply won't occur that a torque converter is present, though flatten the loud pedal and it will kick down the appropriate number of gears whether it's in manual mode or no.Against that, the paddles can override Drive, though full auto function returns if you leave the flippers alone for a bit.Another upshot of the mechanical jiggery pokery; entailed by the auto adaptation is that the new models are actually fractionally better balanced than DuoSelect cars. Forty nine per cent of their weight is toward the front; 51 per cent aft.The 295kW Fazza bent-eight engine now offers lower fuel consumption. Rather more to the point, it offers more torque, the peak level of 460Nm attained at 4250rpm.If the Maser is a balm to the eye, it's certainly a blessing to the ears. The Quattroporte cannot match the autobahn-sturming Merc and Bimmer in a straight-line blast (the auto adds 0.4 seconds to the standard sprint distance), but it will resonate like Pavarotti hitting the climactic bit of Nessun Dorma.If the ride is less cloistering than other luxury sedans, the Maserati's boundless appetite for consuming corners provides a massive pay-off.Accurate, if somewhat bantam-weighted steering, prodigious grip and willingness to hang on through mudguard-scraping bends utterly belie its almost two-tonne unladen weight. The automobile weighs in 70kg above the DuoSelect.Indeed, although always with the exception of the 7 Series, winding roads tend be where the Maser leaves behind those rivals listed below.With the first-class interior enhanced by such contrivances as cupholders and an electronic parking brake, the Quattroporte Automatica can be just as sedate as any luxury barge. However, a smallish boot compromises its golf-club facility.The inside story is one of bespoke elegance. You can stipulate a level of fitting and finish comparable to a suit tailored by Brioni, with myriad combos of wood-grain panels and leather trim.The two new exterior colours, a deep blue and a dark metallic, become the car though not so as well as the pearlescent white. There's also a new woodgrain interior feature, Tanganyka, and a new interior trim, Grigio Ghiaccio.The Quattroporte Maserati has always exuded an air of affluence in keeping the trident badge, it's just that now with the creamy ZF, it won't behave in traffic as though its been stuck in the bum with a trident.Drive the Maserati in the spirit intended and you'll discover not so much a rival for the usual luxury suspects, but a car that attains levels to which they don't aspire — and it does so automatically.Oh, the power and apassionata. At last, a genuine Latin alternative to the Teutons.

Hard-driving, head-snapping clutchless manuals maybe, but a custard smooth, do-nothing self-shifter. Never.Yet, with the six-speed ZF transmission — a refinement of the same box used in the Ford Falcon — slipped into the Quattroporte, Maserati has not only produced an automatic with true sporting character but solved a niggling issue that has plagued the badge for years.Almost as an aside to the re-engineering required to switch from the transaxle rear-mounted DuoSelect layout to the ZF's traditional automatic position behind the engine, Maserati now has steering to be proud of.Gone is the nervous vagueness of previous cars, along with the suspension harshness that is often passed off as “sporty”. In its place is a mature assuredness. Nice off-centre sharpness and a linear weighting as the steering loads up.Moving the gearbox forward resulted in a weight distribution of 49:51.With a reworked rear suspension, new front bushing and retuned dampers, the seemingly minor change becomes significant. Changing the rear suspension geometry in the absence of the rear-mounted gearbox also helped to settle the car. In developing the automatic, Maserati was under no illusion about how important it was going to be to the brand.“There are a small core of owners who enjoy driving the DuoSelect but we had a good deal of evidence of potential owners who steered away from the cars because there was no automatic,” Maserati Australia boss Ed Butler says. “Of the customers who have already ordered the automatic, something like 70 per cent are new to Maserati.”Despite the Gransport being in run-out and almost unattainable and the new Gran Tur-ismo not appearing until next year, Butler has seen a 50 per cent increase in sales over 2006.“Last year we sold 121 Maserati in Australia and New Zealand of which 64 were Quattroporte,” Butler says. “This year we have asked the factory for 180 cars, all but a handful of which will be Quattroporte — and 80 per cent of those are automatics.”At the heart of developing the automatic was the need to protect the dynamic performance-car image of the Trident badge.“When working with ZF it was crucial that the essence of Maserati was protected ... the car must rev to 7200rpm, it must accelerate in the five second range, it must have a sporty character — all the things that make a Maserati a Maserati must remain,” Butler says. “It wasn't an easy task but the result is all we asked for.”With a top speed of 270km/h and 0-100km/h acceleration in 5.6 seconds, this is one quick automatic sports saloon — but that is just a small part of the picture.While there is the option of shifting manually — in the manner of a tiptronic — with either the gearshift lever or optional wheel-mounted paddles, there isn't much point in it.With the sport button selected the car quickly adapts to the driver's style with adjustments in throttle sharpness and shift pattern. Drive hard and the gearbox joins in the fun, settle into a cruise and it is laid-back central.The 4.2-litre, V8 has also been tweaked and refined. A wet-sump lubrication system is new along with redesigned inlet manifold and airbox, variable valve timing and modified pistons to improve combustion.Power remains constant at 295kW but torque is up 10Nm to 460Nm at a lower 4250rpm and fuel economy is improved by around 9 per cent.Cabin refinements include an automatic park brake that engages when the engine is switched off and releases as you drive away. There are also two “supersize” cup holders — crucial when the US is the vehicle's largest market. With three trims, the Quattroporte Automatic is similarly priced to the DuoSelect: $269,000 entry level, $288,000 Sport GT and $298,000 for the Executive GT. It is on sale now.

Nine stars of the Melbourne International Motor Show took a quick spin from City Hall to Federation Square to rev the city up for tomorrow evening's big opening at the Melbourne Exhibition Centre.Led by a beefy Chrysler 300C police car, about $2 million worth of auto exotica cruised down Swanston St.Lord Mayor John So rode James Bond-style in a $360,000 Aston Martin DB9 Volante convertible.Immediately behind him was a Bentley Continental GTC convertible worth $400,000, but even that was trumped moments later by a Ferrari 599 GTB, costing $600,000.Others in the column included a Maserati Quattroporte, the new convertibles from Volkswagen and Volvo, and a top-of-the-range Lexus LS460.Most unusual was the Bonning B3 three-wheeler, the personal project of designer and artist Brad Bonning.But there would be plenty more to see at the show itself, said the extravaganza's director, Russ Tyrie."That's just to give people a taste of what they will see on Friday," Mr Tyrie said."The parade is a great way to bring the show to Melbourne and to give people an idea of what an exciting and dynamic thing the car industry is."The covers will come off quite a few new cars at the show."With some of them it's going to be as much a surprise to us as it will to everyone else."

The trident logo on the grille and the hefty proportions – five metres from tip to curvaceous tail – give it the look of some sleek speedboat that’s grown wheels.Inside, it’s a lush millionaire’s playground, with more black and red leather than a bordello and enough carbon fibre to make an F1 geek weep.Beneath the prow – sorry, the bonnet - lies a loquacious 4.2-litre V8, good for 294kW and 451Nm of torque.The sheer size and 1863kg weight of the thing – not to mention the weight of the $258,000 pricetag – initially put you off having a genuine go.But the way the car’s superlative Skyhook suspension dismisses bumps and keeps you in touch with the road, the way it turns in, the Ferrari-like feel of the steering and the willingness of the engine eventually tempt you.It is then that you discover that not only is the rich band of torque available low down in the rev rage – for easy cruising – it provides a real shove through the top end as well. There’s even a big, fat pocket of power that waits in the shrieking 5000-7000rpm redline rush.Of course, if you’re exploring that part of the engine’s abilities, you’re probably breaking several laws at once. Then again, you’ll probably still have a massive smile plastered across your face by the time the police catch up with you.Get to know it, and the Quattroporte can provide some serious thrills – yet all the while your passengers, including the two in the back – are lounging around in louche luxury. The massive brake pedal has plenty of feel, but it seems like you need to really squeeze the stoppers at times. Of course, pulling up nearly two tonnes of expensive metal is a lot of work.If you leave the gearbox in D, it is smooth enough – although still not as seamless as a conventional six-speed auto (luckily Maserati has one of these on its way here soon). If you put it in Sport mode, however, the D-option really starts to feel shunty, and not very executive class at all.The best option, obviously, is to change the gears yourself, using the Rolex-feeling paddles behind the steering wheel. The bits where your fingers touch the back of the flappy bits is even lined with soft material. Nice. The DuoSelect transmission’s changes are fabulously quick and effortless, but the whole effect was spoiled for me by the fact that the paddles don’t turn with the wheel, so if you want to change a cog mid-corner, you have to take one hand off the tiller.Other car-makers fix this problem by having the paddles attached to the wheel, so they’re always near your fingers.Of course, it’s the kind of thing you’d only really notice if you’re pressing on. And most buyers of the Quattroporte don’t want to drive it like it’s a Ferrari. If they wanted a Ferrari, they’d buy one of those, too.The Maserati is a magnificent boulevarde cruiser and it eats up freeway miles with the kind of effortlessness a cheetah displays at a slow jog.But this super saloon has so much sporting heart that it seems a shame many owners will only ever trundle from yacht club to golf club in them.Every time there’s a Maserati sold to someone like that, there’s a group of engineers in Italy who go down to the café and cry quietly into their coffees.Then they go out, get drunk and be sick on their shoes.

In the simplest of terms, an automatic gearbox means more women customers are likely to get behind the wheel of a Maserati. And that's worth investing time and money in."We have a lot of potential customers who are not jumping into Maseratis because the DuoSelect (gearbox) doesn't suit them," Maserati head of vehicle engineering Paul Fickers says."People are used to finding performance cars with an auto gearbox."But protecting the marque's dynamic, performance-car image was equally important to Maserati — and that's what prompted a long development program that last week delivered to the world stage the new Maserati Quattroporte Automatic.Granted, the princely price tag for this auto Maser isn't so out of place in Monaco, where the car was launched.And Australians can actually think themselves relatively lucky that Maserati will keep pricing of the auto Quattroporte at about the same level as the Quattroporte with DuoSelect gearbox.It's a generous gesture, considering the significant engineering changes hidden beneath that stylish skin ... which, if you're looking to for something different, you won't find.The Quattroporte's face remains the same, but throwing a new ZF six-speed automatic gearbox into the mix presented quite a challenge to Fickers and his team."For starters, the gearbox is mounted at the front of the car instead of the rear to achieve the right weight distribution. And that makes for some quite massive changes to the car," Fickers says.The ZF gearbox — the same as is found in Ford Falcons and versions of the Territory, albeit with significantly different calibration — has been modified to handle the high revs required by Maserati, reaching 7200rpm before shifting up.It delivers a smooth driving experience while keeping unchanged the sporty behaviour of the Maserati V8.With a top speed of 270km/h and zero-to- 100km/h acceleration in 5.6 seconds, this is one quick automatic sports saloon — much more than a nice little accessory for the ladies.Manual changes can be made with the stick located on the central tunnel, which now also features two cupholders — a small thing, perhaps, but crucial for Maserati, which sells almost half its cars in the US.Paddle shifts are also an option on the Quattroporte and Executive GT models, but come standard on the Quattroporte Sport GT version.The challenge to Maserati engineers when developing the auto version of its best-selling model centred primarily on weight distribution, which is the key to the saloon's sporty handling.The DuoSelect model features a transaxle layout, with a rear-mounted gearbox rigidly connected to the engine. In contrast, the automatic transmission, with its hydraulic torque converter, is directly connected to the V8 engine.Weight distribution in the auto is 49per cent front and 51 per cent rear, compared with the DuoSelect, which has 47per cent of its weight over the front axle and 53 per cent over the rear.More weight on the rear wheels equates to more grip on the driving wheels, leading to better acceleration, improved winter-driving capabilities and better braking.Maserati has also overhauled the 4.2 litre, 295kW bent-eight engine in the Quattroporte for the auto version.It has adopted a wet-sump lubrication system and offers lower fuel consumption and increased torque levels. Peak torque of 460Nm is reached at 4250rpm, and fuel consumption is down, on average, by nine per cent, Maserati says.Another new feature on the automatic is an electronic parking brake, which not only makes room for those all-important cup holders but engages automatically when the engine is switched off.Naturally, Maserati is out to make a statement with its flagship vehicle.So, even though there are no changes to its flesh, the Quattroporte can be dressed up with two new colours — Blu Oceano and Grigio Granito (a very dark grey) — a new woodgrain interior feature, Tanganyka, and a new interior trim, Grigio Ghiaccio.More weapons to win over the women, perhaps?

The state's allocation of three $659,000 Lamborghini Murcielago LP640 supercars have all been spoken for.Audi Centre Brisbane dealer principal Greg Willims, who deals with brands such as Audi, Lamborghini, Ferrari, Alfa Romeo and Maserati, said premium car sales were continuing to rocket this year after a successful 2006.Standing in front of a $399,500 pale blue convertible Bentley Continental GTC at the show yesterday, he said Queenslanders last year bought 28 of the stately English marque."This year it will be 36," he said.Mr Willims also expected to sell three Bentley Azures at $650,000 each."Two people have already put in an order from the Gold Coast," he said."In premium cars, interest is evenly divided between Brisbane and the Gold Coast, but in the convertibles there is more interest from the Gold Coast."Audi also yesterday unveiled its first mid-engined supercar, the R8, which will arrive in September, costing between $250,000 and $300,000.Mr Willims said there were already eight orders in Brisbane for the 309kW V8 supercar capable of going from standstill to 100km/h in 4.6 seconds.Audi confirmed there were 34 orders across the nation and 13 from Queensland.The show continues until February 11 in the Brisbane Convention Centre, featuring 311 new cars from 40 manufacturers.

Lamborghini, Ferrari, Maserati, BMW, Bentley, Jaguar and Audi will display new models, many for their first showing in Australia.BMW is holding the international unveiling of its 3-Series convertible in Detroit today, then will rush a car to the Brisbane show. It will go on sale in March, to be priced about $100,000.BMW also will have its just-released M6 convertible, with a Formula One-inspired V10 engine, $295,000 and six-month waiting list.Rival Audi will bring an early example of its new high-performance R8 coupe. Deliveries of the $300,000 car will not begin until September.Brisbane has scored a coup by attracting displays from upmarket marques Jaguar and Lamborghini, which bypassed the Sydney Motor Show late last year.At the top of the exotic list — and likely to be the most expensive car in the show — will be Lamborghini's $659,000 Murcielago LP640 coupe, making its Australian debut.The Italian-made V12-powered LP640, a new-generation replacement for the original Murcielago, has a larger engine and more aggressive styling. It is claimed to be capable of 340 km/h, and can reach 100km/h in 3.4 seconds.The show also will have the Australian unveiling of the production version of a smaller Lamborghini convertible, the Gallardo Spyder. Top speed 314km/h. Price $439,000.Other high-speed Italians will include the Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano ($574,000, V12 engine, 0-100km/h 3.7sec, top speed 330km/h), Maserati's two-door $248,500 GranSport and four-door $258,000 Quattroporte.The 10-day show, at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, will open on February 2. Adult tickets will be $16.

Even a few decades ago, the sight of a car saleswoman may have sent male buyers spinning on their heels.Now, Belinda Woodward is one of Audi Australia's best sales people.Kim Trevena is the business manager for Audi Centre Brisbane and Sue Young is in charge of public relations and marketing for Bentley, Ferrari and Maserati and also assists with the sales of Bentleys.Saleswomen are not uncommon in most dealerships and this emergence is being mirrored by buyers, with more women taking the dominant role in buying a car, be it for the family or themselves.Women are doing the research, picking the vehicle and negotiating the price.Women are not afraid to buy a car for themselves and they are enjoying it.Audi Centre Brisbane, Alfa Romeo Brisbane, Euromarque; Ferrari, Maserati and Bentley principle Greg Willims said when it comes to buying "things of the heart", buyers prefer dealing with women."If you were going to buy a house today, what is the probability you would deal with a female sales assistant? Very high," he said."People warm to a female salesperson. They feel comfortable and at ease with them."It's a bit unnerving, females are here in what was in historically a male dominated business and they know equally about the motor cars and the features as any male would."At Willim's dealership, two of the four service advisers and 20 per cent of salespeople are female."In finance, the sale of finance and insurance, it's the other way around. All three who sell finance and insurance are female," he said.Willims said women were involved in the decision process of buying cars as much as men."We see a large number of professional women and young women coming through and the decision is theirs," he said."Women make a very good, rational and responsible decision in what they buy."I believe women look for style, they like to see a car that suits their look."They examine carefully the economy of operation and service back-up. They like to know when they come to service time they will be looked after very well."Also they choose the colour. Performance isn't as important, but they do look responsibly to a car that suits; lifestyle, functionality, design, economy, ease of operation, reliability and functionality."Brisbane Denmac Ford's managing director Chris Allen said women are becoming "more the primary buyer" and admits this is "a bit of a change"."The demographic of a husband and wife and the kids coming in to buy the car is not necessarily how we live our lives and that is being reflected in how we buy cars," he said."A lot of surveys say many women are involved in the decision and we are seeing a lot of women there negotiating the transaction."Many women come in without a partner or father figure. It's normal to see women coming in and picking out a car. They seem very well informed, they have done more formal research."A lot of men are more naturally aware of all the different models and the pricing because they seem to be more car oriented. A lot of the women do more formal research through the internet or magazines."Allen said Denmac Ford receives more inquiries from women for SUV vehicles than men."I think in most cases they are the primary driver (of SUVs). They are doing the hard miles."Pickles Auctions manager Paul Cottrell said five years ago one woman would buy a car at most auctions.Today, he sees about three to five."It's probably due to the financial status of women. There are more women in the workforce with more disposable income and taking a greater responsibility in the choice of the family car. Women have more of a say now," he said.The RACQ's Jim Kershaw said any buyer can benefit from having an older person to help with the purchase of a car."If you have done your homework, you will be OK. We are approached equally by both sexes for help with buying cars."Women are earning better pay now and they want wheels. Our society is changing."

The Maserati MC12 Versione Corse, right, debuted last week at the Bologna Motor Show, is designed to be one of the most extreme supercars available on the market.And with a worldwide price of $1.7 million and only 12 produced, the potential market will be exclusive.It is based on the MC12 GT1 which won the FIA GT1 Manufacturers Championship in 2005, the Team Championship in 2005 and 2006, the Driver's title in 2006, and two consecutive editions of the Spa 24 Hours, in 2005 and 2006.However, the production car actually has more power than the race car with 563kW compared with 447kW. It is powered by a six-litre V12 engine producing maximum torque of 710Nm at 6000rpm.Maserati claims a 0-200km/h acceleration figure of 6.4sec and a top speed of 326km/h.