Maserati Quattroporte
was always going to have an unenviable task replacing the
old QP
. Gone was the hugely charismatic 4.7 NA V8, replaced by a 3.8-litre turbocharged engine. It lacked the effortless style of the previous model also. That's before the in-house threat provided by the
Ghibli
Top speed is 197mph. 200 with a breeze?
But Novitec Tridente (yes, the same people behind the
supercharged Grancabrio
) has turned one of the Quattroporte's perceived weaknesses into a strength. Turbocharged engines are easier to tune, so with a remap and a slight (unspecified) increase in boost pressure, power and torque are up on the GTS by 75hp/81lb ft respectively. So that's a total of 605hp and 604lb ft.
As expected give it remains two-wheel drive, the Novitec Quattroporte isn't that fast to 62mph (4.4 seconds) but the 197mph top speed still rates as PDQ. Once it's got traction there won't be an awful lot keeping up with this Maserati saloon.
That you have to look closely to spot Novitec's visual tweaks is a compliment. The carbon front and rear lip spoiler combine with the new wheel design to give the Quattroporte a much more assertive stance without being OTT. Perhaps the wheels could be an inch smaller. The complete 'aerodynamic enhancement kit' is available for 3,120 euros (see the side skirts also) or as individual options.
Cosmetic upgrades work well
There's a Novitec sports suspension kit also with dampers adjustable for compression and rebound. It'll fit right in at the track day paddock then. Just be wary on the circuit though, there's no mention of brake upgrades...
Yes, the tuning of huge luxobarges is a little daft but isn't that what makes them so endearing? And if you are feeling sensible, Novitec also has performance tweaks available for Maserati diesels.