News December 16 2006

Maserati launches automatic version Quattroporte

Maserati will launch a full automatic version of its four door Quattroporte sports sedan in 2007. The Quattroporte Automatic will be revealed to the world at the 2007 Detroit Motor Show in January and it will make its Australasian debut at the Melbourne Motor Show in March, going on sale in Australia and New Zealand soon afterwards. Prices will be announced when it goes on sale in Australia and New Zealand.

The new Maserati Quattroporte Automatic will sit alongside existing DuoSelect gearbox equipped models, which use F1 technology to provide a gearbox that combines manual gearbox performance and the convenience of a self shifting gearchange.

The new automatic gearbox will address the only major concern with the car voiced generally by motoring journalists, that the car, albeit a sports- focused ‘limo’, was just not as smooth as its competitors because of its F! style shift – the only one available on the model. The new Quattroporte Automatic is fitted with an automatic six-speed ZF gearbox, which Maserati claims ensures a smooth, fluid gear change while allowing for rapid shifting for improved driving comfort.

The torque converter is also designed to boost the driving smoothness at low to medium speeds of the 4.2 litre 90 degree V8 400 bhp Maserati engine without limiting its power.

The all-new transmission system results in a slightly different weight distribution ratio (49% front, 51% rear, vs. 47% front 53% rear of the DuoSelect version with transaxle layout), without compromising the high performance nature of the Quattroporte.

Launched in 2003, the current Quattroporte is the latest in succession of cars from Maserati bearing the name going back to 1963 (see ItalianCar model section ). Since 2003, the current Quattroporte has received 28 awards from the world’s media.