Despite disagreement over what kind of plane yesterday's F100 was trying to emulate, it still flew off with a 74% Nice Price salute. Going from the eulogistic to the sensationalizing, today we have a Malaise-era Maserati that's fun for the whole family.

Unlike Ferrari, Maserati has not exclusively built sports/GT cars, having constructed their fair share of sedans over the years. Much like the BMW or Mercedes range-toppers, these massive four-doors - imaginatively named Quattroporte - share engines and a high level of performance with their GT brethren, but also provide copious room so you can take a few friends along for the ride.

This 1980 Quattroporte III has an asking price of $6,750, and is one of about total 2,200 built over a 14-year run. The third iteration (the Citroën SM-based Quattroporte II seeing only seven cars sold) comes from the De Tomaso era of Maserati. Alejandro bought Maser from Citroën, and exorcised all the hydraulic sun visors, swiveling headlamps and bass-akwards V6 engines from the Quattroporte's portfolio. De Tomaso wanted a car that was competitive with the Mercedes-Benz 450SEL 6.9, and hence the Quattroporte sported only the choice of Maser's 4.9 or 4.2 litre V8 engine from the Bora and Kyalami.

The seller doesn't say which engine is in this car, but instead simply has copy and pasted the salient section from Wikipedia regarding engine specs. As he does note that the car was "brought in" and required the retrofitting of an 80-MPH speedo (thanks Joan Claybrook), the question of whether this was originally intended to be a federalized car remains up in the air.

Other than that, the paint is shiny, the leather is mostly smooth and the trim bits - while having turned a rather lurid shade of orange - are at least present. All is not perfect in Maseratidom, however, and the seller lists a few shortcomings including some electrical gremlins and window glass issues. Also, it needs a new manual choke cable, as one luxury denied this car was reliable cold starting without the yanking of a dashboard knob. One thing he doesn't mention is the seat-back pockets which look like the kids have been riding with their feet in them. This gives them the appearance of empty clown pants, and takes away from the otherwise nice interior presentation.

Despite those shortcomings, this looks like a fine example of the businessman's express, and how often do you come across a $6,750 Maserati that doesn't have a Biturbo badge, or the unholy stench of K-car wafting from it?

So, does $6,750 make you want to hit that Buy-It-Now button for this mature Maser? Or does that price fail at extending your love past the brand's duoportes?

You decide!

eBay or go here if the ad disappears. Hat tip to SagarikaLumos!

Help me out with NPOCP. Click here to send a me a tip, and remember to include your commenter handle.

It's interesting to see this Maserati for sale since, less than one week ago, the same vehicle was towed away from pal Sam Ronson's house. This was apparently because of a parking violation. Perhaps LiLo's getting rid of the car because she no longer feels able to park it? Either way, her loss is your potential bizarre celebrity memorabilia. Here's the details:

We at Classics on Sunset are delighted to bring to market this car driven by actress Lindsay Lohan. This 2007 Maserati Quattroporte Sport GT, has been in the press and photographed by the paparazzi on several occasions, while associated with Lindsay Lohan. This white Sport GT comes from Modena, Italy fully loaded with Brembo brakes, power seats, CD player, rear sunshades, parking sensors, suede headliner, white stitching, GT wheels and tires, sport exhaust, navigation and moon roof. This celebrity car has been in US Weekly and in every gossip celebrity site possible. Call us with your best offer. Drive and enjoy your investment.

Photo Credit: MARK RALSTON/AFP/Getty Images

[eBay Motors via Celebrity Cars Blog]

There is no way to get used to the size of Ferrari’s 612 Scaglietti. While most Ferraris—indeed, most supercars—tend to be larger in life than imagined, the Scag is a monster. Longer than a Mercedes-Benz E-Class and wider than an S-Class, it is the size and shape of a ballistic missile, especially in dark gray.

The size is a direct consequence of the car’s dual functions of high-speed handling and four-person capacity. Inside are four bucket seats intended to carry in comfort four actual people with eight lower extremities. This is unlike most 2+2’s where the comfortable ratio of humans and legs tends to be an unevenly distributed one to one. And while—unlike the Espada’s very comfortable rear seats—I have never had the opportunity to actually sit in a 612, those who have describe the rear seats as up to the task.

The other factor in the 612’s immense length is the engine, which is mid-mounted. But unlike with the traditional mid-engined layout—where the engine is between the cabin and the rear axle—the Scag’s 5.7-liter V12 sits low behind the front axle, similar to the supercharged V8 in the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren. And like the SLR, the 612 has a nose—or substitute your favorite metaphor based on human anatomy—any self-respecting Frenchman would be proud of.

Mounting an engine midships is done to reduce weight in a car’s extremities, lowering its moment of inertia. This comes in handy when you take a corner fast, so I called Nino Karotta, the only person I know who has actually driven a 612 Scaglietti (if you’ll remember, Nino was the guy who showed us how to become a Formula One driver in one day).

The 612 he drove was in an environment rather alien to a leviathan GT—the Hungaroring, a racetrack in a dusty valley on the outskirts of Budapest, home to the Hungarian Grand Prix. He described the experience as similar to what happens when you take any very powerful but heavy car to a track. That while it’s very fast, capable of huge powerslides and much better composed than, say, a large V12 Benz, it is ultimately too soft and too heavy for proper track work. Unlike, he said, the Ferrari 599 GTB, which he drove on the same day and described as a sharp, violent track animal.

We had better find a more suitable environment for the 612 then. And remember: we’re looking for family use here. So let’s head to Regent’s Park, 487 acres of Central London flanked by white stucco houses where rich people live and exercise.

While Central London is perhaps not the perfect location to strecth a 550 HP grand tourer’s legs, nothing beats it when it comes to arriving home. The car is understated, elegant, majestic, no Italian waving of hands apparent in its flowing lines, inspired by a one-off Ferrari 375 MM its namesake Sergio Scaglietti created in 1954 for Italian neorealist film director Roberto Rossellini’s wife Ingrid Bergman.

An elderly couple then arrive in a Citroën C3—this is a very small French car—and maneuver into the space in front of the Ferrari.

They turn out to be the parents of the Ferrari’s owner, a dapper man who has by this time emerged from his house. My mate Máté and I are soon in the midst of a family cavalcade, admiring the lovely Ferrari.

Also in tow is a young girl, Orelia by name, who climbs down from her grandmother’s neck. This is it then: a real, live kid who actually rides in the back of a Ferrari! Our conversation as I remember it:

“Hi Orelia, my name is Peter.”

“Hi Peter.”

“So how is it riding in a Ferrari’s back seats?”

“It’s great. I sit there with my two sisters.”

Roominess? Check!

“And when you go for a ride, do you go real fast?”

Substituting for words, she offers a huge, jubilant nod. We wave our goodbyes. A few steps later, her father reaches down to pick a white strand of thread out of the Pininfarina logo on the left fender.

Gentlemen, a Jalopnik midlife plan is emerging here. Make a quarter million bucks, get a Scaglietti and a fine woman, sire children, then transport them in style and at speed.

And if you have dogs (or elephant guns), go get that Maserati Quattroporte wagon.

Photo Credit: Balázs Fenyő (Ferrari 599 GTB), Máté Petrány and the author (612 Scaglietti)

For someone untrained in the language of vehicular design, it’s not easy to describe what makes a car particularly Pininfarina or Bertone—but suffice to say that once you’ve seen examples of both, you will be able to tell them apart at the blink of an eye. An easy metaphor would make Pininfarina the designer of jet planes with Bertone in the business of sci-fi spaceships.

Think Bertone and you think Marcello Gandini, the man whose forehead the Lamborghini Miura sprang from like Pallas at the incredible age of 27. Gandini joined Bertone in 1965 and—following the Miura and the wonderful Espada—he went on to design cars which crave, simply crave ion drives and proton cannons, first amongst them the Lamborghini Countach.

The news last fall that Pininfarina’s Jason Castriota was to leave his employer of many years to follow in Gandini’s footsteps at Stile Bertone was quite a shocker. Pininfarinas and Bertones just don’t mix. Add to this that the cars Castriota had worked on at Pininfarina—the Maseratis Birdcage 75th and GranTurismo, the Ferraris 599 GTB and P4/5—are very Pininfarina, their aggression expressed not by sharp angles but flowing lines that hit you like an aikido throw.

Yet six months later, Castriota unveiled the Mantide, a car Bertone to its core. And while it has not become easier in the past three paragraphs for someone untrained in the language of product design to describe what that precisely is, there is one design element very easy to pinpoint: the angular rear wheelarches.

Like most things Bertone, this is from Gandini. As far as I know, he first used it on the Lamborghini Countach LP500, the prototype which served as the basis for the first production Countach, the LP400. Over subsequent iterations, the Countach lost the angularity, but the motif cropped up in later Gandini designs like the Maserati Shamal—and this Quattroporte IV that was parked the other day on the very street I live on:

By Gandini’s outrageous standards, this car is a subdued Q-ship, especially in the neutral Germanic silver this example—one of only 1,138—was painted in. The Quattroporte IV was produced at the tail end of Maserati’s doldrums, before the company was acquired by Ferrari, and this is their last car that was built in the old Maserati factory, before the Ferrari people threw out all the old machinery. There was a lull of four Quattroporte-less years at the reborn Maserati until they began building the Pininfarina-designed Quattroporte V—the latest version of which we recently drove in Italy.

It’s comforting to see how quickly Castriota has grokked the essentials of Bertone design, as evidenced by this reference to Gandini’s last car for Bertone. I can’t wait to see how he will manage over the years to balance on the shoulders of the giants he’s standing on—and what he’ll add to the Bertone canon. Based on his work at Pininfarina, one is compelled to think he will do just fine.

Photo Credit: Lamborghini, Cartype, 25ora.ro, Stile Bertone and the author

According to Gaywheels.com founder Joe LaMurgalia, Gay Men tend to look for stylish brands while Lesbians are more interested in fuel economy. This may explain why the efficient and stylish Rabbit tops the list. The one stand-out vehicle on the list is the Maserati Quattroporte, which is larger and more expensive than anything on the list by a wide margain.

VW Rabbit Protects Its Burrow, Volvo C30 Moves Up to Third Among Gaywheels Most Researched Vehicles

Top 10 Most-Researched Vehicles for 1st Quarter 2009

River Edge, NJ – Gays and lesbians continue to do their homework when it comes to buying cars and the Volkswagen Rabbit and Eos remain at the top of their list when searching on Gaywheels.com, the sole source of information specifically targeted to and about lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) car-shoppers. Today, Gaywheels.com announced its list of the Top 10 Most-Researched Vehicles during the first quarter of 2009:

Gaywheels.com Top 10 Most-Researched Vehicles -1st Quarter 2009

"The latest Top 10 Most Researched list supports the results of our recent LGBT Auto Owner's survey," said Gaywheels.com founder Joe LaMuraglia. "Volkswagen and Audi are two brands that are over-represented by Gay Men in the study and those brands represent 40% of the Top 10 list."

Other brand positions further supported the recent survey results; the Saab 9-3 has consistently been on the most-researched list and that brand is the most over-indexed for both Gay Men and Lesbians.

"All the vehicles on the most-researched list are expressive, stylish vehicles and with the sole exception of the Maserati GranTurismo, all are fuel efficient and come from gay-friendly manufacturers," added LaMuraglia. "This is also in line with the purchase reasons from the study. The top purchase reason for Gay Men is styling and for Lesbians is fuel economy."

The Top 10 Most Researched list is based on website statistics gathered from January 1, 2009 – March 31, 2009 from Gaywheels.com's New Car section. Gaywheels.com publishes its Most-Researched list quarterly.

Let this be a warning to you Michael Phelps, do not pick up Miss California in an A3.

The Superstars Championship series is touring car racing at its best, with BMW 5-series of various generations taking on Audis, Chrysler 300Cs, Cadillacs and other strange marques. Molto bene! Thanks to Scroggzilla for the tip!

Swiss Team brings the Maserati Quattroporte to its debut in Superstars Series with Andrea Chiesa

A prestige new entry joins the list of Superstars Series 2009 championship contestants. It is the Swiss Team, ready to bring to its outright debut the Maserati Quattroporte, entrusting it to a very skilful driver, with a noteworthy past in F1 and in Sport and GT categories, whose name is Andrea Chiesa who, except for a few fleeting appearances, for the fist time in his career will be at the wheel of a Touring car.

A challenge entirely original for the team set up at the end of 2008 but with a twenty-year background in car competitions, which aims to line up also a second car already during this season (the other driver will be designed in a short time), fielding men of proven experience. Among them the chief mechanic, Giovanni Albertin, rally cars fitter since the first half of the seventies, thence involved with several key roles in Ferrari Challenge and in GT Series both in Italy and abroad.

That of the Trident is also a new brand in the championship for V8 Touring cars only and for this reason the Swiss Team commitment constitutes for sure, to all intents and purposes, a reason of special interest in the context of a varied and fierce competition.

"Ours is a triennial program, mainly supported by E-Light sponsor – explained Giovanni Albertin. The choice to take part in Superstars Series championship originates also from the fact that in this category the public is directly involved, because it is induced to identify its own every day car with those on track. The idea, after first races, is to line up a second car too. We favoured the Quattroporte pushed by Maserati blazon, also if we will have to work at once on weight distribution and reduction. Sadev is developing expressly for us a sequential gearbox and we expect to carry out first tests at the beginning of April."

Andrea Chiesa, born in 1964, competed in three F.1 Grand Prix with Fondmetal-Ford in 1992, but claims also a glorious past in F.3 (in which he distinguished himself in 1987 becoming Italian vice-champion) and in F. 3000 in which raced for three years winning the Mediterranean Grand Prix on Pergusa track in 1989. After leaving single-seater, more recently he was crowned N-GT Italian champion in 2004-2005 biennium and took also part in several editions of Le Mans 24 Hours. Superstars has grown year by year thus becoming, in my view, a valid alternative to GT – stated the experienced driver – both for a factor related to more affordable costs and for the appeal resulting from the presence of many models in addition to an attractive international openness and media coverage. For 2009 I can only say that, with the exception of the circuits, we will have to discover time by time almost everything. I haven't seen the car yet and both I and the team will be able to have an idea of the available car potential only when we will bring it on track. The objective is to reach a good level of competitiveness and reliability which for sure are not missing to the others, being present in the championship since long time. The occurrence of driving again a rear drive car encourages myself because I'm convinced that the kind of driving won't be so different from that of GTs I had in my hands in the last years, besides of course the dimensions, the weight and the aerodynamic load. Further on, speaking about the team, I already knew the people working on this project and their soundness. All this will allow me to face my coming commitment with more tranquillity.

The Maserati Quattroporte in a rear drive car with a front V8, 4.200 cc engine able to develop about 450 HP in its racing version. The weight, without the handicap due the use of a sequential gearbox (a Sadev placed in the car rear) is 1.430 kg. Tyres are Pirelli, according to regulations, while the bodywork, for an explicit choice, mirrors almost totally that of the road version with a few small aerodynamic changes. At Swiss Team home are already working at full tilt on first Maserati Quattroporte assembly. The rendezvous is in a little more than one month, when the team will carry out the first test sessions in view of Imola first round on April 19.

Maserati owners have always been among the classiest of car consumers, so its no surprise they received the Maserati Quattroporte For Centurion special series with applause when it was unveiled to them at a black card-sponsored event in London's snobby Belgravia neighborhood.

Based on either the 4.2 or 4.7-liter 2009 Maserati Quattroporte, the Centurion adds black paint, a white interior and seriously questionable embossed American Express logos on the headrests and a custom American Express credit card replica plaque on the dashboard.

Exclusively available in England, where they're apparently still of the "let them eat cake" mentality, the price ranges from $123,900 to $132,100 for the faster version. We bet American Express can't wait to collect interest payments on these.

The Press Release follows:

MASERATI QUATTROPORTE FOR CENTURION SPECIAL SERIES

Maserati GB and American Express Centurion are delighted to announce the arrival of the new Maserati Quattroporte for Centurion special series. Officially unveiled at Forbes House, in London's Belgravia in front of an exclusive audience of American Express black card holders, the Pininfarina designed luxury saloon was received with great enthusiasm.

The Maserati Quattroporte for Centurion special series is exclusively built to order: finished in stunning metallic Nero Carbonio (carbon black), it features a sumptuous Bianco Polare (polar white) Poltrona Frau® leather interior with embossed Centurion logo on the headrests, a bespoke numbered plaque, titanium coloured trim and 20" ball polished rims.

The Maserati Quattroporte for Centurion special series is based on the latest evolution of Maserati's iconic flagship saloon, combining distinctive Italian styling with prodigious performance and peerless driving dynamics. The styling is characterised by the radiator grille, a ‘modern' classic of Maserati design, accompanied by a range of enhanced technological features, with their most eye-catching expression in the LED rear-light clusters.

The Maserati Quattroporte for Centurion 4.2 is powered by an impressive 400 hp 4.2 litre V8 engine, powering the car to a top speed of 167 mph and allowing it to sprint from 0 to 62 mph in just 5.6 seconds. The fully automatic ZF gearbox ensures a smooth and responsive ride in all conditions.

The Maserati Quattroporte for Centurion 4.7 represents the ultimate fusion of the luxury saloon with Maserati's renowned sporting prowess. With a 4.7 litre, 430 hp engine under the bonnet, the Maserati Quattroporte for Centurion 4.7 is propelled to an eye watering top speed of 174 mph with a blistering 0 to 62 mph time of just 5.4 seconds. The dual-cast brake discs, combined with the car's near perfect weight distribution ensure that the Maserati Quattroporte for Centurion 4.7 offers an unparalleled driving experience.

Prices will start from £88,315 for the Maserati Quattroporte for Centurion 4.2 and £94,185 for the Maserati Quattroporte for Centurion 4.7.

[source: Maserati]

Full Disclosure: Maserati wanted me to drive the new Maserati Quattroporte Sport GT S so badly they flew me out and put me up in a nice hotel to make sure I wrote about it. Also, they fed me pasta. But not very much of it.

"Maserati! Maserati!" There's always going to be something about a bright red Italian supercar that excites nearly everyone's internal teenager. Unfortunately today, we only seem to be exciting Italian teenagers.

Some things about Italy will never change. The maze-like medieval towns will always be unnavigable, teenagers will always love cars and something on those cars, in this case the Sat/Nav, will never work as expected. But some things will change.

Maserati's of old, including previous incarnations of the Quattroporte have, as if honoring a point of national pride, been deeply flawed vehicles. Build quality has been a bugbear ever since Citroen bought it in 1968. In my lifetime they've never driven particularly well. The fifth generation of the Quattroporte addressed the former, but always delivered a confused mix of performance and luxury. Neither big enough to make a reasonable case against a far cheaper S-Class or 7-series, nor fast enough to compete with still cheaper cars like the XJR, S8 or S63 AMG. The Sport GT S changes that.

These improvements don't necessarily change the opinions of the residents of the towns on the route chosen by Maserati or their local law enforcement officials who, besieged by three previous waves of international journalists, are noticeably aggrieved by our presence (we hear the Chinese are mostly to blame). The most immediately obvious advantage the 2009 Maserati Quattroporte Sport GT S has over the regular S isn't the single-rate Bilstein dampers, the blacked-out grill and headlights or even the 20" wheels, but the volume of the exhaust through the new dual-oval exits. In Sport mode this is a seriously loud car, belying the luxury of its Alcantara-clad interior and the class of its updated exterior. If the color red could be embodied by a sound, this would be it. Angry looks match the angry noise.

That sound isn't the only reason I'm in Sport mode - pushing the button opens two valves in the exhaust, essentially creating straight through pipes - it also delivers improved throttle response, much quicker shifts from the auto box, increased propensity for kick down, rev-matched downshifts and permanent control of the gear position through the bigger wheel-mounted paddles. The Quattroporte drives and sounds so good in Sport that it's nearly unconscionable to try it otherwise.

Driving again and again through the narrow alleys and back streets of Ravenna, the bright red Maserati and I are starting to draw the wrong sort of attention. The unmuted growl of the 4.7-liter Ferrari-sourced V8 reverberates off the ancient walls. Children are grabbed by stern-faced mothers blocks away as I accelerate harder and harder. Cyclists pull over and dismount at the sound of my approach. Traffic stops. Everyone's pissed off, including me. The reason I'm driving like a dick is because the SatNav system is completely and hopelessly lost, unable to find a restaurant just 80 miles from the place where it was installed. That and I really have to pee. The only people that appear to benefit from all this are the gathering crowds of pubescent males, as indicated by their excited repetition of the brand in question and the puzzled looks on their faces as they realize the unholy racket is coming from a four-door luxury car.

The first thing you have to do with this Maserati is throw away any number comparisons. With 433 HP, 391 lb-ft, a 0-to-60 time of 5.1 seconds and a 178 MPH top speed, the $133,700 Sport GT S isn't notable next to the $126,000 S63 AMG's 518 HP, 465 lb-ft and 4.5 seconds. Nor is it much next to the regular $125,750 Quattroporte S, it only makes about 8 HP more at the very top of the 7,500 RPM rev range.

But this Maserati isn't about numbers, it's about experience. Look at the dyno chart below. It's peaky in ways that don't look promising on a 4,387 lb car purporting to offer luxury accommodation for five. But, equipped with the new faster throttle response, louder exhaust and improved gearbox you end up reveling in each one of those revs, not wanting for low-end torque or more power, but more road on which to use what's available.

Also changed is the suspension. Gone is Maserati's flawed Skyhook adaptive suspension- which never really handled nor rode well - replaced instead with stiffer, single-rate dampers and lowered ride height. It doesn't sound like much and you might think the ride would be even worse, but that's not borne out on the road.

With my right foot buried in the carpet at over 160 MPH over some of rural Italy's roughest, most uneven roads the Sport GT S is utterly composed, delivering Porsche-like confidence and Ferrari-like sound. Braking hard into the 90 degree left at the end of the straight, the newly feel-full steering tells me exactly how fast I can push the front through the corner, the rear snapping wide as soon as I get back on the power.

As you're probably guessing, it was driving like this that drew the attention of the Carabinieri. Well, not specifically my driving, but the cumulative misbehavior of several nation's car journalists combined with the particularly disrespectful brand of hoonage demonstrated by American hacks abroad. Exiting a 50 Km/h limit just outside a small village, I tear past a blue and white Alfa and its comically dressed counterparts. Luckily they're outside the car drinking a coffee from a roadside stand. Staying on the power over a hill and round a corner, I don't see them again. The next journalist along, a dapper Peruvian gentleman, wasn't so lucky.

Initially threatened with jail time, the overweight female officer soon softened on him. Why? He flirted with her shamelessly.

Italy's not the same as it used to be. The cops'll pull you over while driving a fast Italian car. But, if it's the Quattroporte Sport GT S, that car will be a lot better than cars from that country used to be. Gone is the grand illusion and poor reality of past vehicles, present is a reality that although high-priced, at least finally lives up to the promise of glamorous looks, a storied history and an exotic name.

The Maserati Quattroporte is the original big-boys sedan, one providing both performance and comfort all wrapped in a beautiful Italian body. In order to keep up with the competition, Maser has released the Quattroporte Sport GT S, a new sportier 433 HP model, just in time to celebrate the 70th anniversary of their first Indianapolis 500 win. This 4-door executive sedan will run 0-60 in less than 5.5 seconds and will do so in much higher style than those other executive sedans.

MASERATI UNVEILS NEW QUATTROPORTE SPORT GT S
on the 70th anniversary of its first Indianapolis 500 win

The sportiest to-date model of the new Quattroporte range makes its worldwide debut at NAIAS. Focus is on Maserati’s unique racing DNA, with two 2008 International FIA GT titles
clinched by the MC12 and a special anniversary celebration: the 70th anniversary of Maserati’s first of two consecutive triumphs at Indy.

The New Quattroporte Sport GT S Debuts in Detroit

The new Maserati Quattroporte Sport GT S making its worldwide première at the 2009 North American International Auto Show sets yet another milestone in terms of sportiness in the high performance luxury sedan segment of the automotive market. Conceived and developed as “a real driving machine in the guise of a luxury sedan”, the Quattroporte Sport GT S is the ultimate expression of Maserati’s sportiness in the Quattroporte range.

The technical changes to the new Quattroporte Sport GT S concern four areas:

• the mapping of the V8 4.7 litre engine, with power increased to 323kW;
• the gearshift management software, with new features designed to increase driving enjoyment;
• the front and rear suspension system featuring single-rate dampers, stiffer springs and lower ride height;
• the sport exhaust controlled by pneumatic valves for a deep, throaty and captivating sound.

The sportier and more aggressive look is evident in the interior’s and exterior’s stylistic choices:

• the new black grille with concave vertical fins featuring the Trident logo with red accents, typical of the sportier versions of Maserati models;
• the new headlights, in metallic titanium finish;
• the new M-design seats with perforated Alcantara® and leather upholstery;
• the standard trim in Titantex, a “titanium coloured” composite material.

Maserati Racing Legacy

In 1939 and 1940, long before any foreign brands were established in the United States, Maserati took the chequered flag at perhaps the world's most famous race, the Indianapolis 500. That car was a Modena-made 8CTF single-seater bearing the flamboyant name of “Boyle Special”, driven by Wilbur Shaw. Today, to mark the 70th anniversary of Maserati’s first win at Indianapolis, the Boyle Special is on display at Maserati’s exhibit at the 2009 NAIAS as a direct link to the newest and sportiest of its products: the new Quattroporte Sport GT S.

The racetrack is where the name Maserati first became enduring and where we today continue to draw our central philosophy: a well balanced car capable of great feedback to the driver. The racetrack also continues to be the stage where Maserati collects international trophies in steady succession – with both Drivers’ and Teams’ FIA GT titles clinched in 2008 by Maserati’s MC12 to make 10 the total of FIA international titles the Maserati V12 GT car has collected over the last four racing seasons, primarily courtesy of drivers Andrea Bertolini and Michael Bartels (champions in 2006 and 2008) and of the Vitaphone Racing Team (four consecutive titles from 2005 through 2008).

In the course of the 2008 racing season Maserati clinched the third win in four years at the legendary 24-Hours of Spa race, placing three MC12s in the first four positions of the final standing. The triumph in Belgium is the ultimate evidence of Maserati’s reliability that originates on the racetrack but translates into the quality and consistency of Maserati’s entire product range.

The 10 international trophies collected in the FIA GT championship since 2005 at the wheel of a Maserati MC12 are:

• 2 Manufacturers’ Cup in 2005 and 2007;
• 3 Drivers’ titles (Bertolini-Bartels in 2006, Thomas Biagi in 2007, Bertolini-Bartels in 2008);
• 4 Teams’ titles (since 2005 with no interruption, always with the Vitaphone Racing Team);
• 1 Citation Cup in 2007 with the gentleman driver Ben Aucott.

MC Sport Line Customisation Programme

Focusing on its racing vocation and fresh from its latest international triumph in the FIA GT championship, Maserati has developed a special series of new options named “MC Sport Line”, which made its worldwide debut at the Bologna Motor Show in Italy in early December. The new contents of the MC Sport Line add to Maserati’s already extensive range of personalised features on offer. The MC Sport Line is designed to enhance the sporty DNA of Maserati vehicles for those customers who like to display their passion for racing through a dynamic look and a choice of technical solutions that increase the driving fun without compromise.

The name “MC Sport Line” sums up the experience acquired on the track by the Maserati Corse department, whose contribution to the design of the functional components has been invaluable. The world of motor racing also inspired Maserati’s designers when it came to styling, hence the extensive use of carbon fibre, very popular among racing enthusiasts thanks to its direct connection with racing competitions.

Maserati and the Environment

Maserati has implemented a development plan for the next 5 years designed to reduce consumption and CO2 emissions, and to protect the environment.

The designs of recent models have already led to considerable fuel savings. From 2005 onwards, consumption for the Quattroporte has been reduced by more than 20% overall (NEDC combined cycle). The CO2 reduction compared to the previous Gran Sport model is 10% for the GranTurismo S (NEDC extra-urban cycle).

On the new Quattroporte S with its 4.7 engine, exhaust/evap emissions and fuel consumption have been aligned with future Euro 5 regulations for Europe and LEV2 standards for the USA, partly thanks to the adoption of an innovative metallic matrix catalyser with perforated sheets (Turbulent PE Catalyst), which is both permeable and reliable but does not affect performance. The use of this solution has evened out the distribution of pollutant particles, reduced pressure, improved resistance to high temperatures and the transfer of gases.

Maserati also uses environmentally-friendly, easily recyclable materials made from natural substances, especially for the parts of the interior, which are most in contact with the driver and passengers (natural textile fibres, wood and leather).

Maserati cars are mindful of the “design for recycling” concept, which is centred around making cars easy to dismantle at the end of their working lives, so that materials can be identified and separated for re-use.

2008 Facts and Figures

By all degrees, Maserati’s 2008 was the most successful year to date.

In the course of the year, a new product range was introduced – the new Quattroporte line-up with both 4.2 litre and 4.7 litre models. And new to the market was also a new engine solution for the GranTurismo model-line, thus enriched in 2008 by the arrival of the 4.7 litre GranTurismo S.

Despite the dreadful economic situation witnessed by all sectors of the world economy and the profound situation of crisis that has pervaded the automotive market from the beginning of the year, Maserati has achieved in 2008 the second record year in a row. Deliveries to the final customers have totalled almost 8,600 units, which is the all-time best result, with an increase of almost 17% over 2007. What is more, Maserati’s sales were up in all markets across the world – including the United States of America.

Despite the troubled times experienced by the US economy, North America (US and Canada) remains Maserati’s largest market worldwide. The order in which the other markets follow is both familiar and consolidated, as to state that, despite all the hardships, Maserati’s presence in these markets is an established one: Italy is in second place, the United Kingdom in third, Germany in fourth, Japan in fifth. Five markets, three continents for a truly global Maserati presence. In sixth place there is France, followed by Switzerland, China, Australia, UAE, Hong Kong.

In the first nine months, Maserati’s revenues amounted to €596 million, up 22.9% compared to the same period of the previous year. There was a 25% increase in deliveries to the network compared to the first 9 months of 2007, and this performance is even more significant considering that the target markets for Maserati vehicles shrank by about 15%.

In the first nine months of 2008, the result of ordinary activities was €31 million, with a 5.2% ratio to income – a significant increase on the €6 million (1.2% of revenues) achieved during the same period last year.

Yes, that's two separate questions, and we're only interested in the latter one here; we're assuming that all but the most obsessive ardent Maserati purists will allow for modifications to the not-so-sacred Quattroporte, anyway. As was the case with yesterday's NPOCP Skoda wagon, this car has been for sale since North America was part of Pangea, and we've been getting tips about it for almost as long (thanks to Franzouse for the most recent tip). So, the car: 626 horsepower plus supercharging plus manual transmission plus Maserati nameplates definitely registers a reading in the red part of the Badass-O-Meter™, and we must observe that Las Vegas is the perfect home for it. We won't speculate on performance figures, but they must be truly scary. So, think about what kind of machine you can buy for 43 grand, and then ask yourself: is that a good price for this car?
[eBay Motors]

The Maserati Quattroporte set the bar for performance 4-doors back in 2004 and has been updated with a new Sport GTS line just in time to celebrate the 70th anniversary of Maserati's first Indianapolis 500 win. A remapped version of the Maserati GranTurismo S 4.7-liter V8 engine now produces a stout 433 HP along with a new transmission management software that should help move this 4-door executive sedan to 60 in less than 5.5 seconds. The front and rear suspension features single-rate dampers, stiffer springs and a lower ride height than the standard S model. A new sport exhaust features pneumatic valves to let you know this Maser isn’t anything like your daddy’s Mercedes.

Visually, the new Quattroporte Sport GTS features a more sporty and aggressive black grill with vertical concave fins featuring the Maserati Trident logo with red accents. The headlights are similar, but now feature a dark metallic titanium finish. The interior features new M-design seats with perforated Alcantara on the center section – perfect for those high-speed trips to the office.

The executive Maserati has not disappointed in the past and we look forward to taking this beast on a quick jaunt around the block. We’ll bring you live shots of the Maserati Quattroporte Sport GTS from the Detroit Auto Show next month, until then, check out the shots below.

Maserati Press Release
Modena – December 22nd, 2008 - The new Maserati Quattroporte Sport GT S sets yet another milestone in terms of sportiness in the high performance luxury sedan segment of the automotive market . Conceived and developed as “a real driving machine in the guise of a luxury sedan ”, the Quattroporte Sport GT S is the ultimate expression of Maserati’s sportiness in the Quattroporte range.

The technical changes to the new Quattroporte Sport GT S in respect to the Quattroporte S concern four areas:
• the mapping of the V8 4.7 liter engine, with power increased to 323kW (433 HP);
• the gearshift management software, with new features designed to increase driving enjoyment;
• the front and rear suspension system featuring single-rate dampers, stiffer springs and lower ride height;
• the sports exhaust controlled by pneumatic valves for a deep, throaty and captivating sound.

The sportier and more aggressive look is evident also by virtue of the interior and exterior stylistic choices:
• the new black grill with concave vertical fins featuring the Trident logo with red accents, typical of the sportier versions of Maserati models;
• the new headlights, in metallic titanium finish;
• the side and rear “shadow line”, which includes black finishing around the doors, body-colored door handles and black twin oval exhaust pipes,
• the new M-design seats with perforated Alcantara® and leather upholstery;
• the standard trim in Titantex, a “titanium colored” composite material.

In 1987 all five cars built were sold to an Austrian collector, with the one here being the best of the five examples due mostly to it last being used in 1989. Since then it's been in dry storage. If you feel like paying the shipping charges, or you just happen to be in Austria yourself, they say he's looking to sell. (Hat Tip to Maxichamp!) [maserati-alfieri]

[WorldCarFans]

You don't see too many Lamborghini Jaramas around, and for good reason: only 327 were built. Yes, 327... so it stands to reason that you could never hope to own one. You can give that pessimism a big negatory, good buddy, because BZR has found this 1974 Lamborghini Jarama 400GT for us. It's been stored since 1986, so that means it's really only 13 years old! Skeptics might ask why it was stored for so long. It seems that there's some crankshaft damage; the seller states only "All parts with the vehicle. Engine rebuild required! Crank scored!" Probable translation: every engine component, down to the smallest fastener, will need rebuilding and/or replacement. You could always drop in a good ol' Chevy engine, but you might as well build a Fieroborghini as do that!

When you think "cheap Maserati," you're probably assuming the next thing you'll see will be the Maserati Biturbo, or maybe the Chrysler TC, and you'll groan "that's not a real Maserati!" Not this time, you pack of Gloomy Giuseppes, because A_Benz_Apart has found us a 1981 Maserati Quattroporte with the Geo Metro-like price tag of just 1,500 bucks! Unlike the Metro, however, this car isn't known for its gas mileage (the mean ol' EPA claimed 8 MPG), but that won't be an issue until you manage to get it to run... which might take some effort. The seller, a master of Hell Project understatement, says only "Sitting for 6 years. Was running. Needs work." What else is there to say? It was running! That means it should be possible for it to run again, right? How hard can it be?

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For Ray Wert, too much is never enough.
[via CarDomain]

Maserati Quattroporte: A "Second" Masterpiece

The Maserati Quattroporte, a name that defined the category for the "Luxury Sports Sedan", in its current version can be considered something of a Maserati masterpiece. Five years of sales growth, 46 international awards and more than 15 000 cars delivered speak to its success as the flagship of Modena. A balanced blend of sporting capability and acclaimed design has defined the timeless attributes of cars bearing the Trident. For 2009 the Maserati Quattroporte is now being presented with a new look and new technical solutions.

The history of art is characterized by audacious artists who challenged pre-existing conventions and contributed seminal works. Some artists even challenged themselves by remodeling their own works and taking them to the next level. Leonardo Da Vinci produced a second version of his masterpiece known as "The Virgin of the Rocks". 400 years later, Matisse reinterpreted his original version of "Le Luxe". The results of both are essentially new works; although they are identical in size and very similar in composition to the originals; it is the new style that makes the second versions the most influential.

With some degree of similarity, Maserati is now realizing it's second "painting": the new Maserati Quattroporte.

Thanks to Pininfarina's unrivalled and skilful hand, the Maserati Quattroporte is being refined in a modern way, yet always mindful of the standards of purposeful line, elegance and exclusivity which characterize the style of the Maserati Quattroporte.

The personality and glamour of the Maserati flagship are now represented by two products: the Quattroporte and the Quattroporte S.

The former is fitted with the familiar 4.2 liter V8 engine, while the latter adopts the new 4.7 liter 425 Hp V8 recently introduced on the GranTurismo S, with a different tuning specification.

Both cars have the 6-speed automatic transmission developed in association with ZF.

Exterior styling changes include:

A newly design front fascia which adopts the traditional Maserati vertical slats, a design cue seen most recently on the Maserati GranTurismo.

The front and rear light units are also updated, featuring LEDs.

The under-door molding is defined with a line that runs into that of the new bumpers, which have a wider protective band and more pronounced rear styling.

Side-view mirrors are also new, with a dynamic shape and a more streamlined mounting.

The Interior of the Quattroporte, renown for a design clarity and sense of occasion has also seen many updates including an all new, state of the art Entertainment and Navigation system. Primary and secondary controls for both the passenger and driver have been refined in order to enhance ease of operation.

Two new shades of leather, Marrone Corniola and Sabbia, will replace the beige which was previously in the range, and debut on the Quattroporte S and Quattroporte respectively.

The new Quattroporte and Quattroporte S will be presented to potential prospects, customers and Maserati loyalists at events the world over beginning July, 2008. Deliveries are anticipated beginning in the fourth quarter of this year.

[Source: Maserati]

That mill is expected to be the same unit found in the fresh new Ferrari California. The extra punch will be plenty for showing off the new rear lights to lesser sport sedans, but we'll have to wait and see how it stacks up to existing rivals at BMW, Audi, Mercedes, and Jaguar as well as the new boys from Porsche and Aston Martin. That is of course, until the completely new Quattroporte comes out for 2012.
[Autocar]

Personally, I've never been a huge fan of the standard Quattroporte's styling. Yes, the car has a cool demeanor. My problem was I always saw the portholes as gaudy, the C-pillars as awkwardly chunky, and the entire front end as particularly unflattering in anything but dark colors. So for me, the Bellagio doesn't just have the inherent awesome-ness of being a wagon, it also addresses all my quibbles. The portholes have been replaced by a singe vent on each side, the C-pillars have been swept into graceful shapes, and the whole thing is covered in slick deep charcoal paint. Do want.
[Car Body Design, autoblog.nl]

The work was done by StudioM, which no doubt charged more for this conversation than most of us will make in five years. [AutoExpress, AutoBlog]