2018 Maserati Quattroporte Review: The perfect Italian four-door
Over the last few years, there has been a noticeable decline in the sales of luxury sedans. This can be attributed to the fact that the segment is becoming stale or simply due to the availability of other great options. Despite the segment getting antiquated, there are still plenty of cars that can still astonish you. Among these rare breeds of cars is the 2018 Maserati Quattroporte. A four-door saloon from the Italian carmaker, the Quattroporte is a car that has been a mainstay in the luxury sedan segment. Yet, it still feels as if it is a car making its debut in the segment.
The rarity of a Maserati Quattroporte is what truly sets it apart. Its rarity is down to the fact that its buyers are a very select group of people. More importantly, the car itself attracts a specific type of buyer. So why is the 2018 Maserati Quattroporte so prestigious? We shall answer that and a lot more in this review.
More Variants Than Ever Before
The name has become synonymous in the luxury sedan space for being a remarkably different car. The Quattroporte even in its sixth generation is a breath of fresh air in an otherwise dull segment. The 2018 Maserati Quattroporte marks the 6th year since its last generational refresh and this iteration is perhaps the most complete. The car comes with a heap of features and upgrades. This is the first time the Quattroporte has come with a range of options built for every customer.
We were already accustomed to the sheer breadth of options in the Quattroporte line. Thereby we have three variants of the Quattroporte, the S, S Q4, and the GTS. To add things on top, there is also the GranLusso package that gives you a more luxurious trim and a GranSport package that offers you a sportier version of the car.
You might be thinking that at the base option, the 2018 Maserati Quattroporte might have skimped out, you would be wrong. This is a Maserati, an Italian car, and they do not do things half-heartedly. Even at the base model, you get loads of performance and features.
Italian Racing Heritage
There are now three variants of the engine that come with the Maserati. The base V6 diesel engine, an upgraded petrol V6, and the all-powerful V8.
The V6 Quattroporte’s
This year, the 3-liter petrol V6 is where Maserati has decided to turn up the heat. It gets nearly 20 more horsepower, giving it a crisp 424 bhp, and delivers 428 lb-ft of torque. This engine makes the car that much faster and you can really feel the increased power in the rear-wheel-drive versions. The car can now do zero to sixty in 4.7 second’s flat. It also has a top speed of 179 mph, which is far more than almost any other car in this category. Another important thing to note is that this variant is still made by Ferrari and when combined with the exhaust and powertrain produces a beautiful ballad.
The V8 Quattroporte
The creme de la creme, the brute V8 from Ferrari, this engine can only be found on the GTS version. The 3.8-liter twin-turbocharged behemoth can churn out 523 brake horsepower and deliver 524 lb-ft of torque. This engine is frighteningly powerful. The car can do zero to sixty in 4.4 seconds and can hit a mighty top speed of 193 mph. It is one of the fastest four-door sedans ever built and you will feel the power pulsating through the car each time you put the pedal to the metal.
The Diesel Quattroporte
You might be led to believe that this engine is merely an option and that people won’t actually purchase a car with this trim. Contrary to the belief, the diesel V6 accounts for a majority of the sales. This is because it is the least amount of money you can spend to own a 2018 Maserati Quattroporte. So, does the lesser money spent mean the car is not a performance package? This may be a fair assumption, but the car does more than enough to keep up with other rivals. It produces 271 brake horsepower while delivering a whopping 442 lb-ft of torque. The top speed is 157 mph, while its zero to sixty acceleration time is sub-6 seconds.
Stunner from Every Angle
The 2018 Maserati Quattroporte is devastatingly gorgeous. The Quattroporte is a pure example of Italian design on an automobile. The concave grille with the matte finished trident combined with the all-new led headlamps make the car look meaner than before. There is no chrome on the front, which does a better job of highlighting the nose. The car’s bonnet is sculpted and the crouched stance of the car does a great job of keeping the profile tidy.
You can get further enhancements if you choose the GranLusso or GranSport packages. The former will fetch you 20-inch Mercurio light-wheel alloys, chrome bumper inserts, side skirts that match the paint, and a discreet front spoiler. The GranSport package makes the car look sportier adding larger front and side intakes while angling it further. The car also gets a sleek piano black finish on the spoiler and side inserts. The most striking feature, however, is the 21-inch Titano alloy wheels that come with red brake calipers, enough to capture your attention almost instantaneously.
The lines of the car flow smoothly and the rear, while unassuming is still a superbly designed end. No matter what angle you look at the car from, you will be captivated and enamored, there is simply no denying that it is perhaps the best-looking four-door sedan on the market.
Classy and Updated on the Inside
The 2018 Maserati’s interiors are always opulent. You can experience the Italian craftsmanship in the sheer abundance of leather that wraps the car’s interiors. The wooden dash is a touch of class and there is a beautiful line of chrome that runs through it, just magnificent. The comfort level is unmatched and there is plenty of space to lounge. The 8.4-inch infotainment system has also been upgraded thoroughly. You get Android Auto and Apple CarPlay and the responsiveness is smooth.
The real changes come in the steering setup, which is now electronic instead of hydraulic. The previous steering systems were very driver-oriented, this newer one focuses more on power consumption and can be fine-tuned.
The GranLusso and GranSport packages
You can refine the car further by choosing the GranLusso package, which gets you Ermenegildo Zegna silk everywhere and a leather-wrapped steering wheel. For the GranSport you get sports steering and seats, longer aluminum gearshift panels, stainless steel sports pedals, and a piano black wood trim on the dash.
Passive Tech Becomes Active
It is 2018 and luxury cars should come with plenty of advanced driving technologies as standard. As usual, Maserati is late for this party. While they have had quite a few technologies implemented, these tech driver aids were merely in their nascent forms. Cruise control is now highway assist, lane departure warning now becomes lane keep assist, and blind spot alert is now active blind spot assist.
There is also an Integrated Vehicle Control system (IVC) that gives you a greater degree of control over the car. It is the electronic stability control on steroids. It simply evades danger and finds traction before the car even loses it, incredible.
While the previous iterations worked with the occasional error here and there, these new upgrades are simply flawless. They are not intrusive and feel like a helping hand.
Smooth as you like, Fast as you want
No matter which version of the 2018 Maserati Quattroporte you pick up, you will be thrilled to drive it. The engine might not sound as good as the earlier models, however, that does not mean it can wallop its competition. Standard features such as the double-wishbone suspension and the “Skyhook” adaptive dampers have been refined over the years. Its handling is sensational, despite the switch up to the electronic steering wheel and we reckon you will hardly be able to tell the difference.
The soundtrack from the engine and exhaust is just orgasmic. It has the deep and low growl in the lower rev range and as you step on the throttle, the crack and pop shifting of gears descends the car into beast mode.
Despite its size, the Quattroporte is a surprisingly agile car. It can turn into corners at high speeds and direction changes feel light. The Sport mode allows you to open up the engine and the exhaust, all the while making the suspension firmer. The result is a ride that will send you shivers down your spine. The growl of the engine combined with the performance makes you feel ecstatic, it is truly a driver’s car.
The Verdict
There are many cars in the segment that can provide you with luxury aspects. However, there are only a handful of cars that can provide you excitement and thrill. The 2018 Maserati Quattroporte is one of the finest versions that the company has ever made. It is a machine that dazzles you with its looks, impresses you with the drive, and sways you with its comfort.
The car is charismatic and comes with a personality despite the harsh price tag, there is not much you will complain about this car. The exclusivity factor, its Italian heritage, and the Maserati trident are enough to amaze anyone who even glances at the car. Maserati also allows you to customize this car to a great extent to make it even more bespoke, need we say more?
