RE: Maserati's New Saloons To Address Size Problem

[Martin 480 Turbo]

Some two or three years ago when we were on our way home
from holiday the St.Gotthard was so overcrowded that we
decided to follow the old road over the mountain.

Most part of that route we "accompanied" a new Quattroporte
with english plates that obviously was broken in by the old
chap driving it home.

That was the best opera I ever visited.

Ever since I am daydreaming about following up the Alfa Romeos
of my youth with a Maserati in my old days.

But most certainly the words "Diesel" or "Chrysler" are not
in that dream. They make the bubble burst.

As of now I am in an A6 3.0tdi. A perfect car for eating miles.
But I'd never buy a Diesel Maser instead. Wrong image for our
clients and lack of trust into the reliability.

I just can't imagine fleet managers to order a bunch of Masers.

Those Fiat guys smoke the wrong weed.

Martin 480 Turbo

[Ftumpch]

Oh no, the current QP is the perfect size - not mean and insubstantial like the 5-series, and not over-large and unwieldy like the S-class.

I would venture to suggest that the average Quattroporte owner probably has a proper sportscar in their garage *as well*, and doesn't want a daily driver that's too racy, but at the same time can't bring themselves to spend their precious mornings doing 5-point turns around their kids' school carpark in a big luxury car.

Mess with the QP, and the Jaguar XJ will be the only option left for the self-respecting motoring enthusiast.

[MonteV]

Lowtimer said:

We should allow the Chrysler engine to be innocent until proven guilty. For one thing, in years gone by Maserati has a fine tradition of putting big low-revving American-sounding V8s into its cars, and it gave them a distinct and rather lovely character versus the high-pitched wailing of a 12-cylinder Ferrari or Lambo. For another thing, Chrysler has made some stonking, nay, legendary engines in the past, especially when tweaked up a bit. For a third thing, the American-engined Italian-styled car was part of the glory era of the '60s and '70s - think Jensen Interceptor, Iso Grifo, various De Tomasos and the Gordon-Keeble GT. For all these reason I don't opposed it in principle - let's wait and see how this particular one turns out.

I don't mind the American-engined Italian styled cars, in fact I drive one, but to my ears no Maserati V8 ever sounded like an American push-rod V8. The traditional old school Maserati V8s had chain or in some cases gear driven overhead cams resulting in more of a howl at higher revs.

[jbi]

not all american v8's are push-rod just FYI

[Blib]

Shirley, the V8 will eventually find its way into the the smaller car?

[glendon]

and don't call me Shirley...

[Futuramic]

behappier said:

Lovely...

That's a Chrysler with a Maserati engine, Le Baron something or other special edition, now they're doing it the other way round. It could be the Nissan Cherry Europe for the 21st Century. What a fantastic idea.

[Lowtimer]

MonteV said:

I don't mind the American-engined Italian styled cars, in fact I drive one, but to my ears no Maserati V8 ever sounded like an American push-rod V8. The traditional old school Maserati V8s had chain or in some cases gear driven overhead cams resulting in more of a howl at higher revs.

Some differences to be sure, but with its low revving nature (5500 rpm redline) and two-plane crank giving the traditional whoofly sound, the Maser V8 was *very* much more American sounding than, say the high-revving flat-plane crank Ferrari V8.

[PaulFontaine]

Except now Maserati's pretty much have Ferrari engines and a lot of parts sharing with them as well

[Wills2]

A Maserati with a Chrysler engine will not IMHO be a Maserati, with Ferrari now offering free servicing on it's engines surely Maserati could offer a proper engine that isn't going to cost the earth to service without resorting to this?