FirstDrive/Maserati Quattroporte automatic:Maserati's latest is possibly the coolest car on the planet right now, writes an enthusiastic Paddy Comyn
OKAY, so you have a few euro in the bank - actually, more than a few. Perhaps you already have a sports car in your stable, or maybe you just want to avoid the image that turning up to board meetings in a Ferrari might entail. Everyone down at the golf club has the new Mercedes S-Class and all of your "property" friends drive Range Rovers. What is a venture capitalist to do?
Well, what you could do is buy what is, for now anyway, probably the coolest four-door car in the world. The Maserati Quattroporte has been around for a few years now, but the reason The Irish Timesis in Leeds to drive a new version is that this one comes with an automatic gearbox.
You might have been forgiven for thinking that a car aimed at such a market would have already come with a standard automatic, but up until now the car was only available with a sequential paddle-shift manual transmission, known as DuoSelect. This was supposed to reflect the true driver's spirit of Maserati and for this reason it is still offered on this car.
However, two things went against it: existing and potential owners were crying out for an automatic, because this car was likely to be bought by drivers who just wanted to get in and go; and just as importantly the DuoSelect system was truly horrid.
To satisfy demand - and keep frustrated owners from wreaking havoc with a hammer on the DuoSelect box - Maserati has fitted the Quattroporte with a ZF six-speed automatic transmission, which we have seen already in the Aston Martin DB9 and Jaguar XK.
The gearbox is mounted on the back of the engine, as opposed to the rear-mounted box of the DuoSelect and this has meant that the engine has been moved forward slightly to cope with the change so the car has a near perfect 49 per cent front, 51 per cent rear weight distribution.
The gearbox has been modified for Maserati to match its high revving engine (up to 7,200 rpm) and when connected to the 4.2-litre V8 with 400bhp and 460Nm it powers the beautiful saloon from 0-100km/h in 5.6 seconds, and on to a top speed of 268km/h - these figures are almost as quick as that provided by the manual shifting DuoSelect.
The car itself is a magnificent car to behold. It is both enormous and elegant, which is not an easy thing to do gracefully. The cabin features the expected opulence of wood and leather, available in a bewildering selection of combinations, limited only by your wallet and, sadly in some cases, not by good taste.
Unlike the DuoSelect car, which requires some brief, if considered pulling of paddle shifters to get it moving, the Quattroporte Automatic sets off readily when you select D. There are two modes - standard, and by pressing a button, sport - and you can also operate the gears manually using the central lever or indeed the Automatic's paddles should you wish.
So with this car you really are getting the best of both worlds, rather than being saddled with just one choice. Granted, the downshifts are not as quick in the Automatic model as they are in the DuoSelect, but this is unlikely to trouble most owners.
Whichever transmission you should choose, you still get the same magnificent V8 under the body with its operatic soundtrack that ranges from rumble to bark depending on the angle of your right foot. To demonstrate the car's agility, or perhaps just to frighten us, Maserati employed the services of ex-Formula One driver Ivan Capelli to fling us around the same airfield that Top Gear's Richard Hammond tried to decorate using himself last year.
In both Capelli's, and indeed my own ham-fisted hands, the Quattroporte belied its size with its grace and handling and for anyone who wants their large executive barge to handle well, then you will be hard-pressed to get better than this. Or, should you wish to just sit in the back and enjoy the ride, then the reclining seats and sittingroom-like comfort will satisfy.
Prices start at €160,000 for a basic Quattroporte model and for this you get 18" alloy wheels, bi-xenon lights, Sat Nav and dual-zone climate control. Step up to the Sport GT, and you will get 20" alloy wheels (which don't help the ride), a sportier suspension and quicker gearbox software. By the time you get to the €210,000 Executive GT you will have a rear seat comfort pack, wood-rimmed steering wheel and retractable airline-style rear tables, a rear climate package and 19" alloy wheels.
THERE IS NO PRICE differential between Automatic and DuoSelect. Maserati now expects 75 per cent of all Quattroportes to be fitted with the ZF Automatic and, truth-be-told, it suits the car perfectly.
At this price you could have your choice of luxury saloons, from the Mercedes CLS 63 AMG for €151,995, the Audi S8 for €140,800, the BMW M5 for €138,750 and a Jaguar XJR for €143,695.
Still, when you consider the most expensive S-Class will now set you back €310,725 for the 65 AMG, the Maserati starts to look something of a bargain. It really must be tried if you are shopping in this category.
Factfile: Maserato Quattroporte
POWER:4,244cc V8 400bhp / 460Nm of torque
PERFORMANCE:Top speed 268km/h (Auto) 275km/h (DuoSelect) 0-100km/h 5.6 secs (Auto) 5.2 secs (DuoSelect)
ECONOMY:14.7 l/100km (Auto) / 15.7 l/100km (DuoSelect)
CO2 EMISSIONS:345 g/km (Auto) / 370 g/km (DuoSelect)
PRICE:From €160,000