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What's the difference?
Maserati's Quattroporte is part of a dying breed. A decade or so ago, the European manufacturers took a huge amount of pride in their range-topping big luxury sedans, cars you can either drive or be driven in, bristling with the latest technology.
In 2015, all we hear about are the range-topping SUVs from those makers, with cars like the S-Class and 7 Series fading slowly into irrelevance.
While by no means low-tech, the Maserati Quattroporte takes the high style route, focussing on a luxurious interior with that handmade feel.
More than half a century of 5 Series pedigree has led BMW to this, the first electric version of its venerable sedan, the i5.
It's true that electric cars come with benefits that suit the realm of luxury (or at least executive) motoring like their effortless acceleration and near-silent operation, so this new G60 5 Series has the potential to be the best yet in its ‘i5’ form.
But there are rivals, well-liked ones at that, which BMW must contend with to snatch the spot at the top of the large premium sedan ladder technically held currently by the Porsche Taycan in terms of sales - though Mercedes’ E-Class would lead if its electric cousin EQE’s sales were combined.
So, with names like that to go up against, BMW better have brought its A-game.
Beauty is way more than skin-deep in the Quattroporte and while the 330 doesn't have the punch of the S, it's hardly that much slower. Maserati reasons you will want to spend the $25,000 saved on options, concentrating on the Italian craftsmanship rather than the outright performance available in the V8 or the efficiency of the less aurally attractive diesel.
As with any car of this type, you've got to want one in the first place, but for a big, beautiful sedan, there's nothing as good looking this side of an Aston Rapide. The Quattroporte 330 does nothing to dim the allure of Modena's big mover and, if you're that way inclined, nobody on the outside will ever know.
There’s no getting around the i5 being a rather expensive offering. More than $150,000 to get into an electric sedan that’s not much faster than a hot hatch is a big ask, but there’s plenty to enjoy about the 5 Series.
Things like its heated leather seats shouldn’t be the reason you’re willing to spend so much on a sedan when a $50,000 hybrid SUV will score you the same, instead it’s the fact the 5 Series is a delight to drive and hasn’t lost the feeling of prestige the badge has earned over the last half a century.
In terms of value - if speed isn’t your focus and you’re less of a gadget-type-operator when looking at cars like this - the 520i has the style and comfort you’d need and at $100K less than the M60.
And in terms of large electric sedans, the i5 eDrive40 is cheaper than a Porsche Taycan (by a little) or an Audi e-Tron (by a lot). The Genesis G80 Electrified is the closest cheaper rival, by about $10K, or the less powerful Mercedes EQE is similarly priced at $154,900.
Essentially, if you’re looking at a 5 Series, it might be worth considering if you really need it to be electric, but if so, there aren’t many alternatives in its category for the price.
Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with meals provided.
Long, flowing lines mark out the Maserati as something quite different to its German, British and Japanese competition. This Quattroporte has increased in every dimension but the lines cover its size beautifully.
Big wheels, long wheelbase, low ride but it still looks like a sedan rather than pretending to be a coupe.
The elegance of the lines is complemented by a distinct lack of bling – there's little in the way of chrome work or shouty details. There's plenty satin finishes available and the beautiful paint, while available in pretty much any colour you like, is best kept to a restrained, deep hue. Or silver.
The cabin will doubtless age well. Classic shapes house a fairly conventional but hugely comfortable cabin. The front seats have heaps of adjustment and are large but supportive. Naturally, the leather is soft and supple.
The central screen isn't the dominant feature, like a 50-inch LCD screen in a small living room while buttons are kept to a minimum.
The rear seat is sensationally comfortable, with hectares of available space and a seat comfortable for either lounging or working.
If you’ve watched other members of the BMW family go into a new generation within the last few years - the 3, 4 and 7 Series particularly, you won’t be too surprised by what you see here. Especially with the latter, having seen the petrol variants look roughly the same as the electric ones.
BMW specifically made the petrol 520i and the i5 variants look similar for egalitarian purposes - to not disenfranchise 520i buyers who are still spending a fair chunk of cash but might not be ready to go EV.
That means all three variants score a mix of new and old. The kidney grille remains and isn’t as large as on the M3 or 4 Series, while the bonnet line following it and the ‘character line’ down the car’s side also remain. And yes, the Hoffmeister kink where the C-pillar meets the passenger window’s lower corner is still there.
On that C-pillar though is a ‘5’ stamped into the bodywork, new to this generation, while the front grille as mentioned has a glowing light surround - the brand’s ‘Iconic Glow’ already seen on the 7 Series.
Overall, thanks to being slightly larger in every dimension, the new 5 is starting to look bigger than a 7 Series from a little while ago. And that’s because it is - its body is overall longer than an E65 7 Series from the mid-2000s.
It’s 5060mm long 1900mm wide, 1515mm tall (97mm longer, 32mm wider, and 36mm taller). Its wheelbase is 20mm longer too at 2995mm.
The current Quattroporte has been with us now for a couple of years in diesel and petrol turbocharged V6s and turbo V8 forms.
The 330BHP uses the same, Ferrari-built V6 but detuned to 'just' 330 bhp. The price has been detuned too, dropping $25,000 from the V6 S's entry price to kick off at $210,000.
Maserati 330bhp benefits from an overall specification improvement across the range, landing in your garage with a ten-speaker stereo with USB and Bluetooth, power everything, dual-zone climate control, keyless entry and start, front and rear parking sensors with reversing camera, cruise control, sat-nav, auto headlights and wipers, double glazed windows and an interior covered in leather and wood.
Later in the year, your Quattroporte will be available with a new silk trim from Zegna
Only very occasionally does it become clear that Maserati is part of the Fiat Group and that moment comes when you use the 7.0-inch central screen in the dash.
eight-speed ZF automatic transmission
The software is based on the group's UConnect and it isn't great. It's not bad, but it feels its age (however, it's much better than the system on the Gran Turismo), needing a lot more work or a quick surrender to Apple's CarPlay or Android Auto.
Once you work your way through the weird menus, it's fine to use and is miles ahead of the not-much-cheaper Lexus LS unit which is almost unusable.
Sound from the ten speaker stereo is crystal clear and the phone performance is also very good.
There are three members of the new 5 Series family from launch, with a base 520i starting things off from $114,900 before on-road costs.
It’s the only petrol-powered (with mild-hybrid, we’ll come back to this) variant in the trio, but it does have a fairly extensive list of features as standard. In terms of tech and comfort, most of what comes with the 520i is available further up the range too, with the major differences being drivetrain related.
In the 520i, the interior upholstery is synthetic ‘Veganza’ leather with Alcantara, though optional Merino leather is a $4000 BMW Individual option. The front seats are heated as standard, however, and electrically adjustable with memory settings and lumbar support.
A 12.3-inch instrument display paired with a 14.9-inch multimedia display are standard across the range, running BMW’s Operating System 8.5, while a head-up display, ambient lighting, wireless phone charging tray and BMW’s ‘new’ Interaction Bar are included too - a crystalline-style strip across the dash with touch-sensitive ‘buttons’ like the climate controls.
A panoramic glass roof - unable to be opened - is standard too, while the 520i’s sound system is a Harman Kardon set-up with 12 speakers.
Exterior features are quite similar to the more expensive i5 variants, with Adaptive LED headlights, automatic boot opening, an M design kit with front and rear aprons, side sills, and BMW’s Iconic Glow kidney grille surround.
Optional in the 520i is an ‘Enhancement Package’ which adds a choice of aerodynamic 21- or 20-inch wheels, metallic paint, and a 655-watt 17-speaker Bowers & Wilkins surround sound system for $5400. One test car on the launch we attended was painted in a BMW Individual colour - Tanzanite Blue - which upped the price to $7800.
Moving up the range to the mid-tier i5 eDrive40, which starts from $155,900, adds Merino leather interior, metallic paint, Bowers & Wilkins surround sound and aerodynamic 20-inch wheels standard, but it also includes adaptive suspension and some other EV-related features.
BMW’s ‘Adaptive Suspension Professional’ comes with Integral Active Steering (rear-wheel steering) and is a step up over the M Sport suspension from the 520i, while its aero wheels function as a way to keep the electric car’s range being affected by resistance.
The eDrive40 also comes with an acoustic protection system to make ‘electric car noises’ to warn pedestrians, as well as BMW’s ‘Iconic Sounds’ for the occupants - basically a system that uses orchestral sounds composed by Hans Zimmer that are affected by acceleration intensity, speed, and drive mode.
It also comes with the standard kit for an electric car, a Mode 2 and Mode 3 charger, cable, and a five-year Chargefox subscription.
The top-spec i5 M60 xDrive ups the cost to $215,900 and the features list again slightly (as well as being far more powerful).
Its suspension is even more advanced, adding the brand’s Adaptive M Suspension Professional with active anti-roll, plus 21-inch aero wheels as a no-cost option. The M60 also gains an M rear boot lip spoiler.
Inside, BMW’s ‘Crafted Clarity Glass’ controls in the centre console are standard, as is ventilation for the front seats and a four-zone automatic air conditioning system.
Like the S, the 330bhp is powered by Maserati's twin turbo 3.0 litre V6, made with more than a dash of Ferrari involvement. As the name suggests, it produces 243kW and a chunky 500Nm. With just under two tonnes to shift, the ubiquitous eight-speed ZF automatic transmission whisks the Quattroporte 100km/h in 5.6 seconds, only half a second down on the 301kW V6 S.
Maserati claims 9.1L/100km on the combined cycle (with the help of stop-start), which seems reasonable given our figure of 10.8L/100km, which we got a with a mix of city and highway running as well as a very enthusiastic blast through some secret back roads.
Despite BMW calling it ‘electrified’, the base 520i is only a mild hybrid so most wouldn’t realise unless they were told.
Its turbocharged 2.0-litre four cylinder puts out a modest 153kW and 330Nm, with power and torque sent to the rear wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission.
BMW claims it’ll knock over the 0-100km/h sprint in 7.5 seconds, a few seconds too slow to blow anyone’s socks off.
The mid-spec eDrive40 has a little more kick to it, its rear-mounted electric motor capable of 250kW/430Nm and able to cut that time to 6.0 seconds.
It’s fitted with an 84kWh battery to draw its power from, the same as the 442kW/820Nm M60 with its all-wheel drive dual-motor setup.
The M-tuned i5 can hit 100km/h in a claimed 3.8 seconds. Bye bye socks, perhaps.
Just a few hundred metres behind the wheel is all it will take to convince you the Maserati belongs in the same class as the competition. It's incredibly quiet – courtesy of the acoustic double glazing – and all occupants benefit from supreme comfort.
While the 330 is 58kW down on the full fat V6, you won't really miss them. There's a fat torque curve, with all 500Nm available from 1750 to 5000rpm, meaning easy progress for the 5.2 metre sedan.
The Quattroporte has two sport buttons to choose from – one looks after the drivetrain and exhaust valving while the second stiffens up the Skyhook suspension.
With the first sport button pressed, you get a more lively throttle, sharper shifts and a glorious noise from the exhausts, although they are a long way from your ears.
It's still a fast car, with strong acceleration from standstill and in the gears, the power as linear as you like with no real turbo lag and a most un-turbo noise to go with the performance.
The only dynamic problem is the electric steering – it seems to get confused between your inputs and feedback from the road, the tyres feeling like they're 'nibbling' an uneven surface, tweaking the wheel in your hands.
The assistance is a little spotty, too, unexpectedly changing weight. It's just a bit weird. In normal driving, you'll never notice it.
For some cars, the list of features is what really separates the variants, but that’s not the case for the 5 Series. As is a bit of a BMW tradition, the drivetrains dictate the different trim levels and prices, and there are three fairly distinct flavours of 5 Series.
Starting at ground level, the 520i might at first seem like a bit of boring vanilla. Except it’s actually quite smooth and light vanilla.
There’s not a lot to write about when it comes to its drivetrain, but the lightness of its engine and petrol tank combo when compared to EV batteries and motors is refreshing, and makes for a quite dynamic rear-drive sedan.
Its 153kW and 330Nm is delivered smoothly enough with the mild hybrid assistance doing a little in helping responsiveness, but without intervening in the gearshifts it doesn’t feel particularly keen.
It lacks the ride comfort of the i5’s adaptive suspension, but it’s able to be driven in a spirited manner that belies its size and even, to some extent its 1725kg kerb weight. Chocolate sprinkles on the vanilla, if you like.
It’s not fast, but it feels nimble compared to its electric siblings and can carry a fair bit more speed through corners, after which there’s room to notice its rear-drive characteristics.
It’s especially noticeable after getting out of the 2130kg eDrive40, though the extra power from its 250kW/430Nm motor makes for some more spirited acceleration and a little more excitement when exiting a corner, especially if you’re aiming to double-check if it really is rear-wheel drive. There’s a little more than choc-topped vanilla going on here.
The steering is, like in the 520i, direct and responsive, though in most cases is probably best set to ‘comfort’ rather than ‘sport’ in its settings.
The eDrive40 is rather comfortable and capable when barrelling through twisty backroads, and doesn’t feel out of hand for a five-metre-long sedan. It holds its weight well, and telegraphs when you might be approaching the limit quite sensibly.
When considering that, then, it’s impressive how brutally capable the 2305kg M60 is.
Here, we’re looking at a double-choc fudge with extra choc, and maybe some cookie dough in there for good measure. There’s a lot to like, but boy is it heavy.
It’s 580kg (or exactly half a Peugeot 208 GTi) heavier than the 520i, but it feels quick on its feet and its anti-roll seems to do a lot in terms of dynamics, the limiting factor really seems to be its tyres (which can and will squeal quite quickly to let you know when approaching said limit).
While you’ll need to take caution with how much speed you approach a corner with, you’re not going to lack acceleration on the other side, its all-wheel drive being less ‘fun’ but more efficient at getting you away from the bend than in the rear-drive eDrive40.
That adaptive suspension does also translate to a comfortable ride on relatively rough roads - only particularly bad bumps will reveal how much weight and pressure is being placed on each corner of the big sedan.
Six airbags, ABS, stability and traction controls, brake assist, blind spot monitoring and rear cross traffic alert.
There is no ANCAP or EuroNCAP safety rating for the Quattroporte.
ANCAP hasn’t crash tested the new 5 Series. The last generation was a five-star car and it would be unusual to see that change with additional safety features - even with stricter testing.
The 5 Series comes with BMW Driving Assistant Professional as standard, with active cruise, lane assist and departure warning, front and rear cross traffic alert, collision prevention and intervention systems - in fact BMW says it has about 40 safety systems including an augmented reality dash display.
Its list of airbags includes front and side airbags for driver and passenger including one between the two occupants, as well as curtain airbags front and rear.