Luxury levels inside are appropriately limo-class. It’s got a beautifully styled cabin fronted by an understated, elegant fascia. Taking pride of place on the centre console is the traditional Maserati analogue clock, a feature which other luxury (and some not-so-luxurious) marques have copied over the years. However, there are still elements of the Quattroporte’s switchgear that lack polish.
Still, for the most part, there’s certainly a sense of occasion entering the cabin, with tasteful wood trim on the dashboard, centre console and door panels giving the overall impression of discreet luxury rather than the extravagant opulence of a Bentley or the latest S-Class.
Equipment levels are predictably and fittingly exhaustive, the one surprising omission being soft-close doors, something that can already be found on some cars a class down.
Maserati Quattroporte S interior quality is markedly better than its predecessor’s.
Despite its extra bulk and the additional equipment, the new Quattroporte weighs about 100kg less than its predecessor, thanks in large part to extensive use of aluminium for most of the body panels.
On the move, the car rides very well, with the pliant suspension gamely soaking up bumps in its normal setting. In Sport mode, the ride and damping become a touch firmer, although the ride remains unruffled and composed.
With that in mind, it’s helpful to think of the Quattroporte as a GT with four doors, rather than a whisper-quiet cruise liner like some of its rivals. Compared to a Lexus LS, for instance, the Maserati is quite loud indeed. It does let in a small degree of road noise and the engine is clearly audible, although both never get intrusive.
Maserati Quattroporte S has a new instrument cluster that looks and feels classier than the previous model’s.
Speaking of engines, the new Quattroporte’s range comprises a 3-litre twin-turbo V6 and a 3.8-litre twin-turbo V8 (Quattroporte S and Quattroporte GTS), to replace the venerable but charismatic and naturally aspirated 4.2-litre and 4.7-litre V8s that powered the old “Qport”.
In spite of losing displacement and cylinders, the new 3-litre engine variant has 410bhp and 550Nm of torque (against the previous 4.2-litre V8’s 400bhp and 460Nm).
