Making a Splash on the Cote d’Azur:
Quattroporte commands in Monte Carlo

In Maserati Monthly issue #19, we brought you along for a taste of the fantastic new Quattroporte Sport GT Automatic, when we drove a pre-production model for the photo shoot. Shortly after the car was unveiled to rapturous applause at the 2007 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, we drove a production Automatic along with the world press, in Monaco. 

The level of interest in the car can be judged from the sheer scale of the operation to allow the press to drive the car: up to sixteen journalists a day, every day, for three weeks. We were slotted in with other North American journalists. The fact that the introduction was to be held in Monaco and the drives would take place on the fabulous roads of the Cote d’Azure was an added enticement.

With the early morning sun turning the hills overlooking the town to gold, eight Quattroportes were lined up in Casino Square, directly opposite the famous Hotel de Paris. In honor of the 50th anniversary of Maserati’s World Championship, and surely to help demonstrate the uncanny grip of the four door supercar, our drive was to start with a few hundred yards on the grand prix circuit: from Casino Square down the hill to Mirabeau, around the incredibly tight Station Hairpin and on down to Portier. Before we began, the photographers were busy grabbing shots of the line-up of cars, while passers-by took a few moments to stand and admire the graceful curves of the Pininfarina-styled body.

To ensure that everyone got the most out of their drive, Maserati had on hand Ivan Capelli, former Grand Prix driver and chief instructor at the Master Maserati school in Italy. The maestro helped each reporter to adjust their driving position correctly and gave quick tips on getting the most from the thoroughbred. As each pulled away gently into the Monaco traffic, the 400bhp V8 growl was a pleasant counterpoint to the buzzing of scooters.

When it was our turn to get under way, at first what was to become second nature seemed a very un-Maserati-like experience! Rather than pulling the paddle, the wood-trimmed gear lever was pulled back into Drive, the gas pedal gently depressed – and away we flew. First impressions had nothing to do with the new ZF-sourced, purpose built 6-speed Automatic, but were all about the car. You might think that we would be used to it, but the way that the Quattroporte seems to ‘shrink’ when on the move always comes as a pleasant surprise. The tight, twisty streets and constant traffic of Monaco might seem a strange place to launch a press drive, but they were ideal to show off both car and transmission. Not only does the Quattroporte’s handling belie its size, but it also feels smaller, enabling the driver to judge gaps to perfection.

The stop-start nature of the traffic was the perfect way to begin to appreciate the achievement that is the new transmission. In such conditions it was utterly unobtrusive, allowing the car to travel at any speed from walking pace with no jerking, surging or ‘hunting’ between ratios. Automatics are sometimes derided for the way they remove control from the driver; such accusations cannot be leveled at the unit ZF and Maserati designed specifically for the 2007 Quattroporte. In one particular jam, as a space opened in front of us, we paid close attention to the rev counter. It was trivially easy to increase the pace in 100rpm increments, going from 1,000 to 1,300 rpm almost as if in steps.

After climbing up and away from the harbor we made our way onto the freeway which runs along the Mediterranean coast. As this area has some of the most desirable real estate in the world, it was no surprise that traffic was fairly heavy, preventing us from getting above 100mph and often limiting us to only half that speed. But even then the Quattroporte Automatic was in its element; when traffic opened up and the throttle pedal was pressed towards the carpet, the car surged forward, downshifts being fired off in quick succession to match power output to the driver’s demands. And when the next knot of slower traffic appeared, it was possible to knock the gear lever over to the left and manually select a ratio, using engine braking to slow the car.

No matter what the situation, the new gearbox proved more than equal to the task. When accelerating at part-throttle, the flow of power to the rear wheels was effortlessly seamless; there were several instances when the only indication of an upshift was the change in engine note. There was no discernible dip in the continual forward thrust provided by 339lb-ft of smoothly delivered torque.

Diving off the autoroute, we headed up into the hills above Nice, where our route included the sort of road which is heaven for drivers of sports cars. It twisted and turned as it hugged the side of the hill, well surfaced and with little traffic. Great for sports cars – but a Quattroporte Automatic?

It was here that our admiration for the Maserati R&D department went sky-high. Not only had they collaborated with ZF to develop an automatic gearbox which is a wonderful match to the 4.2-liter V8 engine, but they have done this without sacrificing the handling and agility of what is still a large car. We charged joyfully down the hill, our speed limited more by the intimidating rock face to our right and the possibility of oncoming traffic encroaching on our lane than by any concern over the abilities of the car.

The road was so much fun that, when we found somewhere to turn around, we did so and raced back up to the summit, this time with the Sport button depressed. This stiffened the suspension and instructed the gearbox to hold on to each ratio for longer; the Quattroporte Automatic revs to 7,200rpm, the highest of any automatic sedan.  The ride was even more exhilarating. The V8 engine howled, the glorious sound bouncing back off the cliffs towering over us, and we sliced through the turns with ever-increasing confidence. This wasn’t a surprise, given the enormous effort the Maserati engineers put in to retain the car’s weight balance; the Quattroporte is the only luxury sports sedan with most of its weight over the rear wheels, even in Automatic form.

At the top we stopped and got out to catch our breath, partly to admire the stunning views across the valley and partly to marvel at the masterpiece of engineering in front of us. The car sat there glinting in the sunlight, exuding the fragrance of a car driven hard, a mixture of hot metal and brakes. After a few minutes contemplation we got back on the road, slackening the pace to appreciate both the magnificent scenery and the apparently limitless capability of ‘our’ Maserati. As a refined motorway cruiser or back-road rocket, whether coping with heavy traffic in towns or making the most of every opening out on the open road, the Maserati Quattroporte Automatic does it all effortlessly, and with truly beautiful Italian style.

As this drive was all about the introduction of the automatic gearbox, we haven’t really mentioned the style and presence of the car. Others did; after we had, with enormous reluctance, handed back the keys, one journalist was overheard saying: “You can see just about any car there is in Monaco, but people still stop and stare at the Maserati”. It was true, we lost count of the number of people who turned and watched as we drove past. Even though it wasn’t ours, it still gave us a good feeling to get the ‘thumbs up’ from the group of enthusiastic schoolboys waiting for the bus.

That evening, we got a few more miles under our belts, taking out a car with the new Bianco Fuji paintwork for a lap or two of the full grand prix circuit. The circuit, all public roads, attracts a lot of fast cars, so the Monegasque police are extremely vigilant. Obeying all of the traffic rules to the letter, we were still able to fully enjoy this delectable track, to which the Quattroporte took as if it had been bred for Grand Prix racing.

Going into the drive, we had expected the car to be good; we had also expected to end the drive preferring the DuoSelect. After all, part of being a keen driver is about car control, and how can an automatic offer the same control, let alone the same responsiveness? About an hour after setting out, we admitted that, perhaps, we were wrong; and by the end of our time with the car, we were all converted. Of course, the DuoSelect remains available, and for some drivers the concept of a ‘Sports Automatic’ is just too alien to be contemplated. Our recommendation is to take a test drive before making your own mind up; ask your local authorized Maserati dealer to make it a nice, LONG drive...