Used 2021 Maserati Quattroporte

The 2021 Maserati Quattroporte is the large premium sedan with coolness and charisma. It can be quick and poised, lavish and detailed. It has a tradition and a pedigree.

It’s also been on sale in this form since 2013 — a long time in car years. But the looks are arguably timeless. Even the most jaded valet at the ritziest hotel will still feel a thrill of excitement when a Quattroporte pulls up.

German rivals are better built, have newer technology, and are certainly fast enough to barrel down the autobahn all day. But none exude the same kind of charm as this Italian contender with engines derived from Ferrari.

Is the Maserati Quattroporte expensive to run? Yes, but isn’t that all part of the exclusivity? The Quattroporte starts off by being expensive to buy, then neither engine returns particularly good fuel economy. Maserati’s reputation for reliability isn’t as strong as its German rivals, parts can be expensive, and dealers aren’t in every auto mall. And when the time comes to sell, well, maybe it can be a write-off against taxes. The Quattroporte has a few flaws, but its virtues could easily make the ownership experience worthwhile.

Although it’s always fun to have a 580-horsepower V8 ready to be flexed with a prod of the right foot, the twin-turbocharged 464-horsepower V6 in the non-Trofeo Quattroporte variants is still wonderfully muscular, and sounds great as well.

How fast is a Maserati Quattroporte? In the sprint from standstill to 60 mph, the V6/rear-drive combination stops the clock at five seconds on the nose. The extra traction of the Q4 all-wheel-drive system shaves 0.2 of a second from that time. And the V8-powered, rear-drive Trofeo (with launch control) needs only 4.2 seconds — impressive for something that weighs more than a couple of tons. Then again, the BMW M850i xDrive Gran Coupe is half a second quicker again.

Every 2021 Quattroporte comes with a mechanical limited-slip differential for optimum cornering abilities. And the Skyhook adaptive suspension provides excellent control. The Trofeo adds one more setting to the selectable driving modes: Corsa. It means “track” and lets drivers explore the Quattroporte’s talents to a greater degree.

Sit in a 2021 Quattroporte, and you know you’re in something special. It isn’t just the smell of the standard leather upholstery and the comfortable seats. It’s also the swoop of the dashboard and the abundant occupant space. The whole cabin feels like a real car, as opposed to something trying for a science-fiction angle.

A heated wood/leather steering wheel with an automatic tilt-away function as standard. The top Trofeo model has an all-leather sport steering wheel, as well as Pieno Fiore (full grain) leather upholstery and an Alcantara (simulated suede) headliner. The only wrong note among all this grandeur is the occasional control we recognize from the Chrysler 300.

The infotainment system is updated for this year, with a new 10.1-inch touchscreen replacing last year’s 8.4-inch unit. The instrument cluster has larger dials and less plastic around it. And wireless charging is now included.

At 18.7 cubic feet, the trunk is the same size as the Mercedes-Benz S-Class. These two are the biggest in the luxury sedan category.

Lorenzo Ramaciotti is not as well known as Pininfarina or Giugiaro, but he has designed a few modern Ferrari cars and the Alfa Romeo 4C sports car. And the Maserati Quattroporte. His eye for detail doesn’t just lean toward what’s pleasing aesthetically. He has also managed to make one of the longest sedans in production look well-proportioned and elegant.

Minor revisions this year center on the grille, where the GranLusso models have a chrome trident badge, and the GranSport’s trident is finished in piano black. The taillights have also been tweaked to evoke the boomerang-shaped rear lights of earlier Maserati cars. Those rear vents on the front fenders are another of the marque’s traditional touches.

The Trofeo has an extra little differentiation. The trident badge on each rear pillar has a red streak running through the lower section.

SKYHOOK SUSPENSION
Skyhook is the name Maserati gives to its adaptive suspension setup. It’s standard in every 2021 Quattroporte and has the effect of making this large sedan feel nimble, yet it can also soak up the bumps.

V8 ENGINE
Owners of the new Quattroporte Trofeo might want to invest in a plexiglass hood just to show off the red powder-coated cylinder heads, a visual reminder that this twin-turbocharged engine comes from Ferrari. Get it howling at high revs, and this special connection is thrillingly audible.

The 2021 Quattroporte range starts off with S trim, employing a 424-horsepower V6. The amount of standard equipment could well be sufficient for many buyers.

This includes adaptive LED headlights, rain-sensing wipers with heated washer jets, dual-zone automatic climate control, a power-adjustable steering column, and a powered rear shade.

The infotainment system now has a 10.1-inch touchscreen, along with Wi-Fi, a USB port, wireless charging, and navigation.

Among the safety features are front/rear parking sensors, adaptive cruise control with stop/go, forward-collision monitoring with automatic emergency braking, rear collision warning, lane-keeping assistance/lane-departure warning, active blind-spot monitoring, and a 360-degree camera system.

Naturally, the 2021 Quattroporte range offers many extras to meet the demanding tastes of luxury car buyers. Such as the silk and leather upholstery in the GranLusso versions designed by Ermenegildo Zegna (a man’s suit from Zegna could cost more than $20k), along with executive rear seating with folding tables.

For upper-class thrill-seekers, the GranSport versions have a sport-tuned suspension and sport front seats for extra support through quick corners. All three trims with the V6 engine qualify for the Q4 intelligent all-wheel-drive system. However, the ultimate Quattroporte is the new Trofeo, a 580-horsepower performance sedan with a spine-tingling V8.

All versions are eligible for quad-zone automatic climate control and a 15-speaker/1,280 Bowers & Wilkins surround-sound system. Other options include heated rear seats, power-adjustable pedals, carbon-fiber interior and exterior elements, and a Nerissimo package adding exterior details finished in black.

Most versions of the 2021 Quattroporte run with a twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 producing 464 horsepower. This goes through an 8-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters mounted on the steering column, as well as a conventional lever.

Rear-wheel drive (RWD) is standard in the S models. Maserati’s intelligent all-wheel drive (AWD) system comes in the S Q4 models.

The new Quattroporte Trofeo has a twin-turbocharged 3.8-liter V8 generating 580 horsepower, which drives the rear wheels through the same 8-speed automatic transmission.

Premium gasoline is recommended for both engines.

3.0-liter twin-turbocharged V6 (S, S Q4)
424 horsepower @ 6,500 rpm
428 lb-ft of torque @ 2,250-4,000 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 16/24 mpg

3.8-liter twin-turbocharged V8 (Trofeo)
580 horsepower @ 6,750 rpm
538 lb-ft of torque @ 2,250-5,250 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 13/20 mpg