I believe the covers are to control noise. That is how they do it nowadays, and yes it is sad but a cheap way of reducing engine mechanical noise. Pete
I do. I drive a Maserati or three and wear a Rolex. Oh and I am writing this whilst eating my oatmeal. Care to tell me where I am going wrong?
OK, then drive an old exotic as a daily driver! Good luck and bon voyage in the next traffic jam.... Yes, the old engines look much better. But today every (!!) manufacturer covers them more or less. So its unfair to blame Maserati for this....
It seems like this is pretty standard in this forum....Are any cars well received in here when the first pictures appear? Obviously some people will know how it will feel and drive although the engines haven't even been announced.... See it in person or drive it before you "decide" how it is? nah....
Sure. The previous QP and the Grantourismo were both well received. If this one is an incredibly better driver than the the previous on then some of the suggested issues will be overlooked. They are however fair points I think.
LOL Gordon, I have this lovely image in my mind of a small estate in the Cotswolds with a long tree line road up to your front door and that stable of Maserati's. Wrong? Hello no ... Well you do drive on the funny side of the road. You guys should do something about that ... LOL
Hahaha!! Well Bob not so far wrong...the driveway is pretty short though. Oh and the Maseratis are usually in various states of disassembly at Steve Harts workshop! Besides, the Cotswolds is more Land Rover country.......or should that be Kubang!!!
If you can live there and afford to have your Maserati's worked on by qualified help then you must be doing something right. Other than that side of the roads thing ... And I watch too many PBS-English produced shows shot in the English countryside where everyone is quite posh. Even the local butcher drives a late model Land Rover ... LOL
? thought we were talikng about the way it looks not its practicality?? who else can you blame BUT Maserati?? your comments make no sense ! why do they have to me a lamb and copy and follow ? These old great marques have cache simply because of what they did that no one else did both in design and technology in their day . I expect better from them thats it thats all . Gary Espada 8394
Without the badges that would have been a Japanese car to me. Beautiful in all details, but as a sum it fails. I agree with the sentiment that Maserati should show the way rather than imitate. That said, it is more convincing in the moving images than the stills.
Hi, I have been a car designer since I left the RCA in 1988. Its a great job but a tough balancing act. You need to create a fresh look but can't afford to alienate your old customers. But keep it too much the same as the old car and your current buyers don't have a good reason to trade up. And keep it the same for a few generations and your average buyer age will increase as repeat purchasers dominate your clientelle. If you don't try and modernise enough, the car will not keep selling for as long in the numbers required as buyers are attracted to more progressive alternatives. Much as I do continue to like the current Quattroporte, this new car strikes a good balance. It has a clear Maserati face, a strong and characterful side view with distinctive glasshouse graphic [ or DLO ] and some more modern traits in the design of the lamps. It also does a really first rate job of disguising the sheer size of the car, the internal package with decent headroom and good bootspace whilst still managing to look sleek, purposeful and elegant. Its not an easy gig. Can I get you to compare it to the Panamera Porsche? I think it bodes well for the future...Just make sure the new Mid-engined car is as successful please!! Julian
Valid points, I agree with what you say mostly. One big exception: The glasshouse design: The C-pillar treatment is found in many recent Asian cars. It is also stylistically misplaced on this desegn, as it draws the visual centre of gravity of the overall car to way behind the B-pillar and unsettles it in a dramatic way IMO. This is further enhanced by the rear haunches, instead of hugging the car and make it look solid and stabile, they look like an afterthought and stuck-on, at the same time even more elongating the rear half of the car. I know that the challenges a designer faces are daunting, but a new design should, apart from all other aspects, be beautiful (or rather, attractive) and balanced. In the photos, to me it is neither.
To top a 1st class design is veeeery difficult. I agree with your points reg. the C-pillars/ rear geenhouse, this is a little too low. But my biggest concerns are about the position of the media system dash. Its too low positioned!
Walter, Let's hope that the space between the 2 main round instruments in front of the driver is a display that echoes the main functions regarding the car's stats and workings, the centre-console display being the entertainment display (still too low) Otherwise it is the same mistake that was made in the Karma.
I am surprised quite a few people think the display sits too low... It maybe makes it a little more "complicated" to look at as you have to lower your eyes but i think it makes it a lot easier to reach as it's a touch screen. Let's hope for a Head up Display as well Looking forward to seeing the car in person.
Is this a Pininfarina design or has Maserati taken design inhouse? I did not see any references on the sides of the car. Cheers, Jeff Dallas, Texas
Inhouse apparently from what I read on Italian magazines. It seems that Pininfarina has been losing a lot of customers recently....:-(
I suspected such but was hoping that Maserati would continue to use them. I thought Pininfarina was downsizing to just a design house and R&D facility. The prior Quatroporte was art on wheels. Was the GT by Pininfarina? I drive an Alfa 164 and have a second car of a lowly Fiat 124 spider, both Pininfarina designs and take great pride in that. Great comments everyone. Cheers, Jeff Dallas, Texas
530hp is right, will be a Biturbo. Also a Diesel will follow. The new QP has not been designed by Pininfarina. The new QP has been designed inhouse and especially for the chinese market, that's why it is that much longer (chauffeurs car). I owned a 2012 Sport GTS for 8 month. A great car and always identified as italian. The new one looks like a mass produced Toyota.
